diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ActivityNotificationController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ActivityNotificationController.php
index 4445385..b53ce24 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ActivityNotificationController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ActivityNotificationController.php
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ public function __invoke(Request $request)
             ]
         );
 
-        return response()->json(['status' => 'ok']);
+        return back();
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/NotificationController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/NotificationController.php
index 657738a..88afccd 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/NotificationController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/NotificationController.php
@@ -35,7 +35,15 @@ public function unread(Request $request)
             ->select(['id', 'due_date', 'amount', 'contract_id', 'client_case_id', 'created_at'])
             ->whereNotNull('due_date')
             ->whereDate('due_date', '<=', $today)
-            // Removed per-user unread filter: show notifications regardless of individual reads
+            // Exclude activities that have been marked as read by this user
+            ->whereNotExists(function ($q) use ($user, $today) {
+                $q->select(\DB::raw(1))
+                    ->from('activity_notification_reads')
+                    ->whereColumn('activity_notification_reads.activity_id', 'activities.id')
+                    ->where('activity_notification_reads.user_id', $user->id)
+                    ->whereDate('activity_notification_reads.due_date', '<=', $today)
+                    ->whereNotNull('activity_notification_reads.read_at');
+            })
             ->when($clientCaseIdsForFilter->isNotEmpty(), function ($q) use ($clientCaseIdsForFilter) {
                 // Filter by clients: activities directly on any of the client's cases OR via contracts under those cases
                 $q->where(function ($qq) use ($clientCaseIdsForFilter) {
@@ -108,7 +116,15 @@ public function unread(Request $request)
             ->select(['contract_id', 'client_case_id'])
             ->whereNotNull('due_date')
             ->whereDate('due_date', '<=', $today)
-            // Removed per-user unread filter for client list base
+            // Exclude activities that have been marked as read by this user
+            ->whereNotExists(function ($q) use ($user, $today) {
+                $q->select(\DB::raw(1))
+                    ->from('activity_notification_reads')
+                    ->whereColumn('activity_notification_reads.activity_id', 'activities.id')
+                    ->where('activity_notification_reads.user_id', $user->id)
+                    ->whereDate('activity_notification_reads.due_date', '<=', $today)
+                    ->whereNotNull('activity_notification_reads.read_at');
+            })
             ->when($clientCaseIdsForFilter->isNotEmpty(), function ($q) use ($clientCaseIdsForFilter) {
                 $q->where(function ($qq) use ($clientCaseIdsForFilter) {
                     $qq->whereIn('activities.client_case_id', $clientCaseIdsForFilter)
diff --git a/resources/js/Layouts/Partials/NotificationsBell.vue b/resources/js/Layouts/Partials/NotificationsBell.vue
index 3ca8545..0146b3c 100644
--- a/resources/js/Layouts/Partials/NotificationsBell.vue
+++ b/resources/js/Layouts/Partials/NotificationsBell.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script setup>
 import { computed, onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
-import { usePage, Link } from "@inertiajs/vue3";
+import { usePage, Link, router } from "@inertiajs/vue3";
 import Dropdown from "@/Components/Dropdown.vue";
 import { FontAwesomeIcon } from "@fortawesome/vue-fontawesome";
 import { faBell } from "@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons";
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ watch(
   }
 );
 
-async function markRead(item) {
+function markRead(item) {
   const idx = items.value.findIndex((i) => i.id === item.id);
   if (idx === -1) {
     return;
@@ -61,15 +61,21 @@ async function markRead(item) {
 
   // Optimistically remove
   const removed = items.value.splice(idx, 1)[0];
-
-  try {
-    await window.axios.post(route("notifications.activity.read"), {
-      activity_id: item.id,
-    });
-  } catch (e) {
-    // Rollback on failure
-    items.value.splice(idx, 0, removed);
-  }
+  
+  router.patch(
+    route("notifications.activity.read"),
+    { activity_id: item.id },
+    {
+      onSuccess: () => {
+        // Item successfully marked as read
+      },
+      onError: () => {
+        // Rollback on failure
+        items.value.splice(idx, 0, removed);
+      },
+      preserveScroll: true
+    }
+  );
 }
 </script>
 
diff --git a/resources/js/Pages/Notifications/Unread.vue b/resources/js/Pages/Notifications/Unread.vue
index f9bc2f8..6a21b5f 100644
--- a/resources/js/Pages/Notifications/Unread.vue
+++ b/resources/js/Pages/Notifications/Unread.vue
@@ -67,11 +67,14 @@ watch(selectedClient, (val) => {
   });
 });
 
-async function markRead(id) {
-  try {
-    await window.axios.post(route("notifications.activity.read"), { activity_id: id });
-    router.reload({ only: ["activities"] });
-  } catch (e) {}
+function markRead(id) {
+  router.patch(route("notifications.activity.read"), 
+    { activity_id: id },
+    { 
+      only: ["activities"],
+      preserveScroll: true 
+    }
+  );
 }
 </script>
 
diff --git a/routes/web.php b/routes/web.php
index dce054d..489d353 100644
--- a/routes/web.php
+++ b/routes/web.php
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@
 
     // Notifications: unread list and mark one activity as read (today)
     Route::get('notifications/unread', [NotificationController::class, 'unread'])->name('notifications.unread');
-    Route::post('notifications/activity/read', ActivityNotificationController::class)->name('notifications.activity.read');
+    Route::patch('notifications/activity/read', ActivityNotificationController::class)->name('notifications.activity.read');
     Route::delete('contracts/{contract:uuid}/documents/{document:uuid}', [ClientCaseContoller::class, 'deleteContractDocument'])->name('contract.document.delete');
     // settings
     Route::get('settings', [SettingController::class, 'index'])->name('settings');