diff --git a/src/lib/hooks/useNotificationHandler.ts b/src/lib/hooks/useNotificationHandler.ts
index 9621cafc88..db08d18238 100644
--- a/src/lib/hooks/useNotificationHandler.ts
+++ b/src/lib/hooks/useNotificationHandler.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {useAccountSwitcher} from '#/lib/hooks/useAccountSwitcher'
 import {logger as notyLogger} from '#/lib/notifications/util'
 import {type NavigationProp} from '#/lib/routes/types'
 import {useCurrentConvoId} from '#/state/messages/current-convo-id'
+import {useMaybeMessagesEventBus} from '#/state/messages/events'
 import {RQKEY as RQKEY_NOTIFS} from '#/state/queries/notifications/feed'
 import {invalidateCachedUnreadPage} from '#/state/queries/notifications/unread'
 import {truncateAndInvalidate} from '#/state/queries/util'
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ export function useNotificationsHandler() {
   const {onPressSwitchAccount} = useAccountSwitcher()
   const navigation = useNavigation<NavigationProp>()
   const {currentConvoId} = useCurrentConvoId()
+  const messagesBus = useMaybeMessagesEventBus()
   const {setShowLoggedOut} = useLoggedOutViewControls()
   const closeAllActiveElements = useCloseAllActiveElements()
   const {_} = useLingui()
@@ -316,6 +318,11 @@ export function useNotificationsHandler() {
           isChatNotificationPayload(payload) &&
           payload.recipientDid === currentAccount?.did
         ) {
+          // A chat push means new events probably exist - force an immediate
+          // poll so the convo list / open convo update without waiting for the
+          // next scheduled tick. No-op unless the bus is actively polling.
+          messagesBus?.pollNow()
+
           // chat-removed-from-group / chat-join-request-rejected always alert,
           // even if the recipient is currently viewing the affected convo -
           // they need to know they were removed/rejected.
@@ -425,6 +432,7 @@ export function useNotificationsHandler() {
     navigation,
     onPressSwitchAccount,
     setShowLoggedOut,
+    messagesBus,
   ])
 }
 
diff --git a/src/state/messages/events/agent.ts b/src/state/messages/events/agent.ts
index 7794204447..324142a761 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/events/agent.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/events/agent.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@ import {
   isNetworkError,
 } from '#/lib/strings/errors'
 import {Logger} from '#/logger'
-import {
-  BACKGROUND_POLL_INTERVAL,
-  DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL,
-} from '#/state/messages/events/const'
+import {DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL} from '#/state/messages/events/const'
 import {
   type MessagesEventBusDispatch,
   MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent,
@@ -56,6 +53,17 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Force an immediate poll and restart the interval clock from now. Only has
+   * an effect while we're actively polling (Ready) - the dispatched UpdatePoll
+   * is a no-op in other states (init/resume will poll on their own). Used when
+   * an external signal (a chat push notification) tells us new events probably
+   * exist and we don't want to wait for the next scheduled tick.
+   */
+  pollNow() {
+    this.dispatch({event: MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.UpdatePoll})
+  }
+
   getLatestRev() {
     return this.latestRev
   }
@@ -122,7 +130,7 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
           }
           case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.Background: {
             this.status = MessagesEventBusStatus.Backgrounded
-            this.resetPoll()
+            this.stopPoll()
             this.emitter.emit('event', {type: 'connect'})
             break
           }
@@ -142,7 +150,7 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
         switch (action.event) {
           case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.Background: {
             this.status = MessagesEventBusStatus.Backgrounded
-            this.resetPoll()
+            this.stopPoll()
             break
           }
           case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.Suspend: {
@@ -181,10 +189,6 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
             this.emitter.emit('event', {type: 'error', error: action.payload})
             break
           }
-          case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.UpdatePoll: {
-            this.resetPoll()
-            break
-          }
         }
         break
       }
@@ -197,7 +201,7 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
           }
           case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.Background: {
             this.status = MessagesEventBusStatus.Backgrounded
-            this.resetPoll()
+            this.stopPoll()
             break
           }
           case MessagesEventBusDispatchEvent.Error: {
@@ -313,9 +317,6 @@ export class MessagesEventBus {
         const lowest = Math.min(DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL, ...requested)
         return lowest
       }
-      case MessagesEventBusStatus.Backgrounded: {
-        return BACKGROUND_POLL_INTERVAL
-      }
       default:
         return DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL
     }
diff --git a/src/state/messages/events/const.ts b/src/state/messages/events/const.ts
index 59af713608..13b954e1d7 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/events/const.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/events/const.ts
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 export const DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL = 60e3
-export const BACKGROUND_POLL_INTERVAL = 60e3 * 5
diff --git a/src/state/messages/events/index.tsx b/src/state/messages/events/index.tsx
index 5d1e2ec505..7521f3af2c 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/events/index.tsx
+++ b/src/state/messages/events/index.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ export function useMessagesEventBus() {
   return ctx
 }
 
+/**
+ * Like useMessagesEventBus, but returns null instead of throwing when there's
+ * no bus (e.g. when logged out, where the provider supplies a null value).
+ * Use this from always-mounted consumers that may run without a session.
+ */
+export function useMaybeMessagesEventBus() {
+  return useContext(MessagesEventBusContext)
+}
+
 export function MessagesEventBusProvider({
   children,
 }: {