diff --git a/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.test.mjs b/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4022faca0be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import { buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter } from "./useLiveHomeFeedActions.ts";
+import {
+  KIND_APPROVAL_REQUEST,
+  KIND_REMINDER,
+  KIND_TEXT_NOTE,
+} from "../shared/constants/kinds.ts";
+
+test("live p-tag filter covers Pulse mentions", () => {
+  // Regression: the home feed poll pauses while the window is unfocused, so
+  // Pulse (kind 1) mentions notify in the background only if this always-on
+  // subscription delivers them.
+  const filter = buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter("abc123", 1_000);
+  assert.ok(filter.kinds.includes(KIND_TEXT_NOTE));
+});
+
+test("live p-tag filter keeps approval and reminder coverage", () => {
+  const filter = buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter("abc123", 1_000);
+  assert.ok(filter.kinds.includes(KIND_APPROVAL_REQUEST));
+  assert.ok(filter.kinds.includes(KIND_REMINDER));
+});
+
+test("live p-tag filter targets the user and is live-only", () => {
+  const filter = buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter("abc123", 1_234);
+  assert.deepEqual(filter["#p"], ["abc123"]);
+  assert.equal(filter.since, 1_234);
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.ts b/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.ts
index 6829100fa54..4e810648a8f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/app/useLiveHomeFeedActions.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,30 @@ import {
   KIND_APPROVAL_REQUEST,
   KIND_EVENT_REMINDER,
   KIND_REMINDER,
+  KIND_TEXT_NOTE,
 } from "@/shared/constants/kinds";
 
-const HOME_FEED_ACTION_KINDS = [KIND_APPROVAL_REQUEST, KIND_REMINDER] as const;
+/**
+ * Kinds that must trigger a home-feed refresh when they arrive p-tagging the
+ * user. The home feed poll pauses while the window is unfocused, so any
+ * feed-driven alert — Pulse mentions (kind 1), approval requests, reminders —
+ * only reaches the notification pipeline in the background through this
+ * always-on subscription.
+ */
+export const HOME_FEED_LIVE_P_TAG_KINDS = [
+  KIND_TEXT_NOTE,
+  KIND_APPROVAL_REQUEST,
+  KIND_REMINDER,
+] as const;
+
+export function buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter(pubkey: string, since: number) {
+  return {
+    kinds: [...HOME_FEED_LIVE_P_TAG_KINDS],
+    "#p": [pubkey],
+    limit: 50,
+    since,
+  };
+}
 const LIVE_HOME_FEED_RETRY_BASE_MS = 1_000;
 const LIVE_HOME_FEED_RETRY_MAX_MS = 30_000;
 
@@ -64,12 +85,7 @@ export function useLiveHomeFeedActions(
 
       void Promise.allSettled([
         relayClient.subscribeLive(
-          {
-            kinds: [...HOME_FEED_ACTION_KINDS],
-            "#p": [normalizedPubkey],
-            limit: 50,
-            since,
-          },
+          buildHomeFeedLivePTagFilter(normalizedPubkey, since),
           handleLiveHomeFeedEvent,
         ),
         relayClient.subscribeLive(