diff --git a/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx b/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
index d0e1804..a3c81c1 100644
--- a/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
@@ -203,18 +203,33 @@ export function NotificationBell({ className }: { className?: string }) {
   const { user, invites, listedCrews, joinRequests, collectiveRequests, isLoading: crewLoading } =
     useCrewNotifications();
   const { notifications: activity, isLoading: activityLoading } = useActivityNotifications();
-  const { lastRead, markAllRead } = useNotificationsRead();
+  const { lastRead, seenAt, markAllRead } = useNotificationsRead();
 
   // Newsletter mailbox — only nags subscribers, but always browsable in the tab.
   const { data: newsletterIssues = [], isLoading: newsletterLoading } = useNewsletterIssues();
   const { lastRead: newsletterLastRead, markNewsletterRead } = useNewsletterRead();
   const { isSubscribed } = useNewsletterSubscription();
 
+  // Total actionable crew items — these always RENDER in the Crews/All tabs
+  // until the user acts on them (accept/decline/confirm).
   const crewTotal = useMemo(
     () => invites.length + listedCrews.length + joinRequests.length + collectiveRequests.length,
     [invites, listedCrews, joinRequests, collectiveRequests],
   );
 
+  // Crew items that count toward the BADGE = ones the user hasn't acknowledged
+  // yet (newer than the last "Mark read"/open). This lets "Mark read" clear the
+  // badge while the actionable cards stay visible in their tab.
+  const unreadCrew = useMemo(() => {
+    const ts = (n: { createdAt?: number }) => n.createdAt ?? 0;
+    let count = 0;
+    for (const inv of invites) if (ts(inv) > seenAt) count++;
+    for (const crew of listedCrews) if (ts(crew) > seenAt) count++;
+    for (const { request } of joinRequests) if (ts(request) > seenAt) count++;
+    for (const req of collectiveRequests) if (ts(req) > seenAt) count++;
+    return count;
+  }, [invites, listedCrews, joinRequests, collectiveRequests, seenAt]);
+
   // Unread social items = activity newer than the last time the bell was opened.
   const unreadActivity = useMemo(
     () => activity.filter((n) => n.createdAt > lastRead).length,
@@ -230,8 +245,8 @@ export function NotificationBell({ className }: { className?: string }) {
     [isSubscribed, newsletterIssues, newsletterLastRead],
   );
 
-  // Crew items are always "actionable" so they always count toward the badge.
-  const badgeTotal = crewTotal + unreadActivity + unreadNewsletter;
+  // Badge = only UNACKNOWLEDGED items, so "Mark read" actually clears it.
+  const badgeTotal = unreadCrew + unreadActivity + unreadNewsletter;
 
   // Opening the bell marks social + crew as read (and newsletter, since the
   // News tab is right there). Newsletter read state also clears on the /newsletter page.
diff --git a/src/hooks/useNotificationsRead.ts b/src/hooks/useNotificationsRead.ts
index 34df4cc..df57155 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useNotificationsRead.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useNotificationsRead.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,19 @@ export function useNotificationsRead() {
   const key = user ? `notifications-last-read:${user.pubkey}` : 'notifications-last-read:anon';
   const [lastRead, setLastRead] = useLocalStorage<number>(key, 0);
 
-  const markAllRead = useCallback(() => {
-    setLastRead(Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000));
-  }, [setLastRead]);
+  // Separately track when the user last dismissed the BADGE for actionable
+  // items (crew invites, join requests, pending confirmations). Those items
+  // stay visible in their tab until acted upon, but "Mark read" should still
+  // clear the red badge — otherwise the badge sticks forever and "Mark read"
+  // appears broken. We compare item timestamps against this to decide badging.
+  const seenKey = user ? `notifications-seen-at:${user.pubkey}` : 'notifications-seen-at:anon';
+  const [seenAt, setSeenAt] = useLocalStorage<number>(seenKey, 0);
 
-  return { lastRead, markAllRead };
+  const markAllRead = useCallback(() => {
+    const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+    setLastRead(now);
+    setSeenAt(now);
+  }, [setLastRead, setSeenAt]);
+
+  return { lastRead, seenAt, markAllRead };
 }