docs(readme): add per-OS desktop download table

Replaces the single generic releases-page link with direct downloads
for Windows (.exe), Linux (AppImage/.deb/.pkg.tar.zst), plus a note on
the webkit2gtk/GStreamer WebRTC dependency needed for calls to work.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitea/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -30,8 +30,13 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version-file: '.node-version'
-          cache: npm
 
+      # No npm / node_modules cache: the act_runner's internal cache server is
+      # unreachable from job containers (`getCacheEntry failed: connect ETIMEDOUT
+      # 172.17.0.2`), so every cache restore hangs ~5 min and then fails — pure
+      # cost, zero benefit. `cache: npm` was removed from Setup Node above for the
+      # same reason. Re-enable both (setup-node `cache: npm` + an actions/cache
+      # node_modules step) once the runner's cache server is reachable from jobs.
       - name: Install dependencies
         # Harden against transient registry network failures (ECONNRESET etc.):
         # raise npm's built-in fetch retries/timeouts and retry `npm ci` up to
@@ -52,37 +57,36 @@ jobs:
             sleep $((attempt * 15))
           done
 
-      # ── Critical gate — if this fails, nothing deploys ──────────────────
+      # ── Quality gates run BEFORE the slow build so a format/lint/type/test
+      # error fails in seconds instead of after the ~minutes-long build. All are
+      # hard gates — any failure fails the job and blocks the deploy. The tree is
+      # held clean (prettier formatted, eslint 0 errors, typecheck 0), so these
+      # gate real regressions. NOTE: the lotus-build.sh upstream-merge path can
+      # deploy without CI; a later normal push surfaces any introduced issue here
+      # — fix forward (or briefly re-soften a gate) rather than deploy broken.
+      # eslint gates on errors only (existing no-explicit-any warnings stay
+      # informational — check:eslint has no --max-warnings).
+      - name: Prettier
+        run: npm run check:prettier
+
+      - name: ESLint
+        run: npm run check:eslint
+
+      - name: TypeScript
+        run: npm run typecheck
+
+      # Deterministic pure-logic tests on Node's built-in runner via tsx (no
+      # vitest — Vite 8 is ahead of vitest's range). A failure blocks the deploy.
+      - name: Unit tests
+        run: npm test
+
+      # ── Critical gate — if this fails, nothing deploys. Produces dist/. ──
       - name: Build
         run: npm run build
         env:
           NODE_OPTIONS: '--max_old_space_size=4096'
           VITE_APP_VERSION: ${{ github.sha }}
 
-      # Unit tests are a hard gate too — deterministic pure-logic tests on Node's
-      # built-in runner via tsx (no vitest — Vite 8 is ahead of vitest's range).
-      # A failure blocks the deploy.
-      - name: Unit tests
-        run: npm test
-
-      # ── Quality gates (hard — a failure fails the job and blocks deploy) ──
-      # The tree is held clean (typecheck 0, eslint 0 errors, prettier
-      # formatted), so these gate real regressions instead of relying on local
-      # runs. NOTE: an upstream-stable merge (the lotus-build.sh path) could
-      # introduce upstream type/lint/format issues; that path deploys without
-      # CI, but a subsequent normal push would surface the failure here — fix
-      # forward (or briefly re-soften a gate) rather than let it deploy broken.
-      # eslint gates on errors only (existing `no-explicit-any` warnings stay
-      # informational — `check:eslint` has no --max-warnings).
-      - name: TypeScript
-        run: npm run typecheck
-
-      - name: ESLint
-        run: npm run check:eslint
-
-      - name: Prettier
-        run: npm run check:prettier
-
       # ── Security (informational — findings shouldn't block a deploy) ─────
       - name: Audit (high/critical)
         run: npm audit --audit-level=high --omit=dev

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+name: Bug Report
+about: Report something that isn't working in Lotus Chat
+title: ''
+labels: bug
+---
+
+**Describe the bug**
+A clear and concise description of what went wrong.
+
+**Steps to reproduce**
+
+1. Go to '...'
+2. Click on '...'
+3. See error
+
+**Expected behavior**
+What you expected to happen instead.
+
+**Client info**
+
+- Lotus Chat version (Settings → Help & About):
+- Platform: Web / Desktop (Windows / macOS / Linux)
+- Browser + version (if web):
+
+**Screenshots / logs**
+If applicable, add screenshots or the browser devtools console output.

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml

@@ -1,5 +1 @@
-blank_issues_enabled: false
+blank_issues_enabled: true
-contact_links:
-  - name: Features, Bug Reports, Questions
-    url: https://github.com/cinnyapp/cinny/discussions/new/choose
-    about: Our preferred starting point if you have any questions or suggestions about features or behavior.

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+name: Feature Request
+about: Suggest an idea or improvement for Lotus Chat
+title: ''
+labels: enhancement
+---
+
+**What would you like?**
+A clear and concise description of the feature or change.
+
+**Why / use case**
+What problem does it solve, or what does it make better?
+
+**Alternatives considered**
+Any workarounds or other approaches you've thought about.

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/preapproved.md

@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
----
-name: Pre-Discussed and Approved Topics
-about: |-
-  Only for topics already discussed and approved in the GitHub Discussions section.
----
-
-**DO NOT OPEN A NEW ISSUE. PLEASE USE THE DISCUSSIONS SECTION.**
-
-**I DIDN'T READ THE ABOVE LINE. PLEASE CLOSE THIS ISSUE.**

.husky/pre-commit

@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-# These are commented until we enable lint and typecheck
+npx lint-staged
-# npx tsc -p tsconfig.json --noEmit
-# npx lint-staged

README.md

@@ -129,7 +129,16 @@ Lotus Chat has a desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It wraps the same we
 
 ### Download
 
-Download the latest release from the [Releases page on code.lotusguild.org](https://code.lotusguild.org).
+Operating System | Download
+---|---
+Windows | [Get the installer (.exe)](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/LotusChat-x86_64-setup.exe)
+Linux (AppImage, any distro) | [Get the AppImage](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/LotusChat-x86_64.AppImage)
+Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) | [Get the .deb](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/LotusChat-x86_64.deb)
+Linux (Arch/CachyOS/EndeavourOS) | [Get the .pkg.tar.zst](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases/download/latest/LotusChat-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst) — install with `pacman -U LotusChat-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst`
+
+All Linux builds need `webkit2gtk-4.1` and, for calls to work, GStreamer's `good`/`bad`/`ugly`/`libav` plugin sets (the pacman package pulls these in automatically; on the AppImage/.deb, install them via your package manager if joining a call shows "browser does not support WebRTC").
+
+See the full [Releases page on code.lotusguild.org](https://code.lotusguild.org/LotusGuild/cinny-desktop/releases) for signatures and older builds.
 
 ### SmartScreen Warning (Windows)
 
@@ -167,6 +176,23 @@ The source code lives in `/root/code/cinny`. All changes should be made on the `
 
 See [LOTUS_FEATURES.md](LOTUS_FEATURES.md) for the full feature changelog and [LOTUS_TODO.md](LOTUS_TODO.md) for the work backlog.
 
+### Local Development
+
+Lotus Chat is a **pure client — there is no backend of its own to run.** It talks directly to a Matrix homeserver (Synapse) over HTTPS, so the only thing you run locally is the Vite dev server; it connects to a real homeserver for all data. If you were looking for "the backend to pair with it," there isn't one — that's the homeserver.
+
+**Prerequisites:** Node 20+ (CI builds on Node 24) and npm.
+
+```bash
+npm ci        # deps; @lotusguild/* come from our Gitea npm registry (public read — no auth/token needed)
+npm start     # Vite dev server → http://localhost:8080
+```
+
+The dev server defaults to **port 8080** (`vite.config.js`); if 8080 is already in use it falls through to 8081+, so check the "Local:" URL Vite prints on startup. If it boots but the page renders blank, it's almost always a failed module/asset resolution, not a "missing backend" — open the devtools console and read the first error.
+
+**Which homeserver / logging in:** `config.json` sets `defaultHomeserver: 0` → `matrix.lotusguild.org`, so you sign in with your normal `@you:matrix.lotusguild.org` account. That homeserver is **live production** — anything you send is real, so keep test traffic to a DM with yourself or a throwaway room. To develop fully isolated instead, point `config.json` at a throwaway `matrix.org` account (already in `homeserverList`) or a local Synapse.
+
+- **SSO / OIDC works from localhost.** Login goes through Authelia via OIDC dynamic registration; the provider redirects back to `http://localhost:8080/…` and the client registers that redirect on the fly, so no server-side allow-listing is needed. After the callback you may see a `GET …/_matrix/media/v1/thumbnail/… 404` — that's just a missing avatar thumbnail, **not** a login failure.
+
 ### 🔱 Element Call fork ("Lotus Call") — LIVE
 
 Voice/video channels embed **Element Call**, which is now our **self-built fork**

config.json

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
   "allowCustomHomeservers": true,
   "featuredCommunities": {
     "openAsDefault": false,
-    "spaces": [],
+    "spaces": ["!-1ZBnAH-JiCOV8MGSKN77zDGTuI3pgSdy8Unu_DrDyc", "#homelab:codestorm.net"],
-    "rooms": [],
+    "rooms": ["#jellyfin:matrix.org"],
-    "servers": []
+    "servers": ["matrixrooms.info"]
   },
   "hashRouter": {
     "enabled": false,

src/app/features/room-nav/RoomNavItem.tsx

@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ import { useSpaceOptionally } from '../../hooks/useSpace';
 import {
   getRoomNotificationModeIcon,
   RoomNotificationMode,
+  setRoomNotificationPreference,
 } from '../../hooks/useRoomsNotificationPreferences';
 import { RoomNotificationModeSwitcher } from '../../components/RoomNotificationSwitcher';
 import { getRoomCreatorsForRoomId, useRoomCreators } from '../../hooks/useRoomCreators';
@@ -298,8 +299,6 @@ export function saveMuteTimers(timers: MuteTimerEntry[]): void {
 // Reverse a timed mute: restore the room's notification mode to Unset and drop
 // its persisted timer. Shared by the in-session timer and the boot-time restore.
 export async function unmuteRoom(mx: MatrixClient, roomId: string): Promise<void> {
-  const { setRoomNotificationPreference } =
-    await import('../../hooks/useRoomsNotificationPreferences');
   await setRoomNotificationPreference(
     mx,
     roomId,
@@ -392,8 +391,6 @@ const RoomNavItemMenu = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, RoomNavItemMenuProps>(
 
     const handleMuteFor = useCallback(
       async (durationMs: number | null) => {
-        const { setRoomNotificationPreference } =
-          await import('../../hooks/useRoomsNotificationPreferences');
         const prevMode = notificationMode ?? RoomNotificationMode.Unset;
         await setRoomNotificationPreference(
           mx,

src/app/features/settings/about/About.tsx

@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import { Page, PageContent, PageHeader } from '../../../components/page';
 import { SequenceCard } from '../../../components/sequence-card';
 import { SequenceCardStyle } from '../styles.css';
 import { SettingTile } from '../../../components/setting-tile';
-import LotusLogo from '../../../../../public/res/Lotus.png';
+import { getOriginBaseUrl, withOriginBaseUrl } from '../../../pages/pathUtils';
 import pkg from '../../../../../package.json';
 import { clearCacheAndReload } from '../../../../client/initMatrix';
 import { useMatrixClient } from '../../../hooks/useMatrixClient';
 
+const LotusLogo = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/Lotus.png');
+
 type MSC1929Contact = {
   matrix_id?: string;
   email_address?: string;

src/app/pages/auth/AuthLayout.tsx

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../hooks/useClientConfig';
 import { AsyncStatus, useAsyncCallback } from '../../hooks/useAsyncCallback';
 import { LOGIN_PATH, REGISTER_PATH, RESET_PASSWORD_PATH } from '../paths';
-import LotusLogo from '../../../../public/res/Lotus.png';
+import { getOriginBaseUrl, withOriginBaseUrl } from '../pathUtils';
 import { ServerPicker } from './ServerPicker';
 import { AutoDiscoveryAction, autoDiscovery } from '../../cs-api';
 import { SpecVersionsLoader } from '../../components/SpecVersionsLoader';
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import { AuthFlowsProvider } from '../../hooks/useAuthFlows';
 import { AuthServerProvider } from '../../hooks/useAuthServer';
 import { tryDecodeURIComponent } from '../../utils/dom';
 
+const LotusLogo = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/Lotus.png');
+
 const currentAuthPath = (pathname: string): string => {
   if (matchPath(LOGIN_PATH, pathname)) {
     return LOGIN_PATH;

src/app/pages/auth/oidc/oidcConfig.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import type { OidcRegistrationClientMetadata } from 'matrix-js-sdk';
-import LotusLogo from '../../../../../public/res/Lotus.png';
 import { OIDC_CALLBACK_PATH } from '../../paths';
 import { getOriginBaseUrl, withOriginBaseUrl } from '../../pathUtils';
 
+const LotusLogo = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/Lotus.png');
+
 /**
  * Absolute URL the OIDC provider redirects back to after authorization.
  *

src/app/pages/client/ClientNonUIFeatures.tsx

@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ import { manualDndAtom } from '../../state/manualDnd';
 import { isSnoozeActive, notificationSnoozeUntilAtom } from '../../state/notificationSnooze';
 import { isWithinTimeWindow } from '../../utils/timeWindow';
 import { roomToUnreadAtom } from '../../state/room/roomToUnread';
-import LogoSVG from '../../../../public/res/lotus.png';
-import LogoUnreadSVG from '../../../../public/res/lotus-unread.png';
-import LogoHighlightSVG from '../../../../public/res/lotus-highlight.png';
 import NotificationSound from '../../../../public/sound/notification.ogg';
 import InviteSound from '../../../../public/sound/invite.ogg';
 import { notificationPermission, setFavicon, showOsNotification } from '../../utils/dom';
@@ -29,7 +26,13 @@ import { settingsAtom } from '../../state/settings';
 import { allInvitesAtom } from '../../state/room-list/inviteList';
 import { useMatrixClient } from '../../hooks/useMatrixClient';
 import { useHydrateMsgDrafts } from '../../hooks/useHydrateMsgDrafts';
-import { getDirectRoomPath, getHomeRoomPath, getInboxInvitesPath } from '../pathUtils';
+import {
+  getDirectRoomPath,
+  getHomeRoomPath,
+  getInboxInvitesPath,
+  getOriginBaseUrl,
+  withOriginBaseUrl,
+} from '../pathUtils';
 import { mDirectAtom } from '../../state/mDirectList';
 import {
   getMemberName,
@@ -69,6 +72,10 @@ import {
 
 // Grace period after the initial sync settles before invite notifications arm, so
 // the async invite-atom population lands first and isn't mistaken for new invites.
+const LogoSVG = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/lotus.png');
+const LogoUnreadSVG = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/lotus-unread.png');
+const LogoHighlightSVG = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/lotus-highlight.png');
+
 const INVITE_NOTIFY_ARM_DELAY_MS = 3000;
 
 function SystemEmojiFeature() {

src/app/pages/client/WelcomePage.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { Box, Button, Icon, Icons, Text, config, toRem } from 'folds';
 import { Page, PageHero, PageHeroSection } from '../../components/page';
-import LotusLogo from '../../../../public/res/Lotus.png';
+import { getOriginBaseUrl, withOriginBaseUrl } from '../pathUtils';
 import pkg from '../../../../package.json';
 
+const LotusLogo = withOriginBaseUrl(getOriginBaseUrl(), '/public/res/Lotus.png');
+
 export function WelcomePage() {
   return (
     <Page>

src/app/utils/room.test.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import {
   isNotificationEvent,
   isVerificationFlowEvent,
   unreadIsOnlyVerification,
+  readReceiptCoversTail,
+  roomHasUnreadThread,
   roomHaveNotification,
   getUnreadInfo,
   getRoomIconSrc,
@@ -478,6 +480,12 @@ const textMsg = (id: string) =>
     getType: () => 'm.room.message',
     getContent: () => ({ msgtype: 'm.text', body: 'hi' }),
   });
+const reactionEv = (id: string) =>
+  mockEvent({ getId: () => id, getType: () => 'm.reaction', getContent: () => ({}) });
+const encryptedEv = (id: string) =>
+  mockEvent({ getId: () => id, getType: () => 'm.room.encrypted', getContent: () => ({}) });
+const pollEv = (id: string) =>
+  mockEvent({ getId: () => id, getType: () => 'm.poll.start', getContent: () => ({}) });
 
 test('unreadIsOnlyVerification: verification-only unread tail → true', () => {
   // timeline oldest→newest: [read msg] then the verification handshake at the tail
@@ -544,6 +552,95 @@ test('getUnreadInfo does NOT suppress when a real message is unread alongside a
   assert.deepEqual(getUnreadInfo(room, undefined, mx), { roomId: '!r:x', highlight: 0, total: 1 });
 });
 
+// --- readReceiptCoversTail (UTD / spurious-count suppression) --------------
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: receipt on the tail (a reaction) → true', () => {
+  // The Cool Kids case: a corrupt/undecryptable event sits BEFORE the read
+  // receipt, and the receipt itself landed on the trailing reaction.
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), encryptedEv('$corrupt'), reactionEv('$tail')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$tail'), '@me:x'), true);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: only non-notifiable events after the receipt → true', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), reactionEv('$r1'), verifRequest('$v')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read'), '@me:x'), true);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: a real unread message after the receipt → false', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), reactionEv('$r'), textMsg('$new')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read'), '@me:x'), false);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: an unread poll after the receipt → false (polls are content)', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), pollEv('$poll')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read'), '@me:x'), false);
+});
+
+test('isNotificationEvent recognizes polls (MSC3381)', () => {
+  assert.equal(isNotificationEvent(pollEv('$p')), true);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: a still-encrypted message after the receipt → false (conservative)', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), encryptedEv('$enc')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read'), '@me:x'), false);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: receipt off-window → false', () => {
+  const events = [reactionEv('$r'), textMsg('$new')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$gone'), '@me:x'), false);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: no receipt / null user → false', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), reactionEv('$tail')];
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, null), '@me:x'), false);
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$tail'), null), false);
+});
+
+test('readReceiptCoversTail: a genuine unread THREAD blocks suppression → false', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), reactionEv('$tail')];
+  const room = mockUnreadRoom(
+    events,
+    '$tail',
+    { total: 2, highlight: 0 },
+    {
+      $thread: { total: 1, highlight: 0 },
+    },
+  );
+  assert.equal(readReceiptCoversTail(room, '@me:x'), false);
+});
+
+test('roomHasUnreadThread reflects per-thread counts', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read')];
+  assert.equal(roomHasUnreadThread(mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read')), false);
+  assert.equal(
+    roomHasUnreadThread(
+      mockUnreadRoom(
+        events,
+        '$read',
+        { total: 1, highlight: 0 },
+        { $t: { total: 1, highlight: 0 } },
+      ),
+    ),
+    true,
+  );
+});
+
+test('getUnreadInfo suppresses a spurious count when the read receipt covers the tail', () => {
+  // Inflated Total=1 (undecryptable event) but the receipt is on the trailing
+  // reaction → the room is genuinely read; suppress to {0,0}. Without mx the raw
+  // count is trusted (backward compatible).
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), encryptedEv('$corrupt'), reactionEv('$tail')];
+  const room = mockUnreadRoom(events, '$tail', { total: 1, highlight: 0 });
+  assert.deepEqual(getUnreadInfo(room), { roomId: '!r:x', highlight: 0, total: 1 });
+  assert.deepEqual(getUnreadInfo(room, undefined, mx), { roomId: '!r:x', highlight: 0, total: 0 });
+});
+
+test('getUnreadInfo does NOT suppress a spurious count when a real message is unread past the receipt', () => {
+  const events = [textMsg('$read'), textMsg('$new')];
+  const room = mockUnreadRoom(events, '$read', { total: 1, highlight: 0 });
+  assert.deepEqual(getUnreadInfo(room, undefined, mx), { roomId: '!r:x', highlight: 0, total: 1 });
+});
+
 const mockRoomWithThreadCounts = (
   total: number,
   highlight: number,

src/app/utils/room.ts

@@ -214,6 +214,11 @@ const NOTIFICATION_EVENT_TYPES = [
   'm.room.encrypted',
   'm.room.member',
   'm.sticker',
+  // Polls (MSC3381) are real content the server can count toward a room's total.
+  // Recognizing them keeps a poll-only unread from being walked past by the
+  // read-receipt/tail scans (roomHaveUnread, readReceiptCoversTail).
+  'm.poll.start',
+  'org.matrix.msc3381.poll.start',
 ];
 // In-room device-verification requests are sent as m.room.message with this
 // msgtype (the rest of the flow — start/accept/key/mac/done/cancel — uses its own
@@ -254,6 +259,17 @@ export const isVerificationFlowEvent = (mEvent: MatrixEvent): boolean => {
   return false;
 };
 
+// True iff the room has any thread carrying a real unread notification. A room's
+// server/SDK Total INCLUDES its threads, and `markAsRead` clears every thread
+// unconditionally, so any tail-based suppression must bail when a thread is
+// genuinely unread — otherwise it would hide (or wrongly ack) a real thread reply.
+export const roomHasUnreadThread = (room: Room): boolean =>
+  room
+    .getThreads()
+    .some(
+      (thread) => room.getThreadUnreadNotificationCount(thread.id, NotificationCountType.Total) > 0,
+    );
+
 // True iff a room's ENTIRE unread span (tail → the user's read receipt) is
 // nothing but verification-flow events — i.e. the only "unread" is a completed
 // device verification, not a real message. Conservative: returns false when the
@@ -262,16 +278,7 @@ export const isVerificationFlowEvent = (mEvent: MatrixEvent): boolean => {
 // auto-reads a genuine unread message.
 export const unreadIsOnlyVerification = (room: Room, userId: string | null): boolean => {
   if (!userId) return false;
-  // A real unread THREAD reply also drives the room's notification count, and
+  if (roomHasUnreadThread(room)) return false;
-  // `markAsRead` clears every thread unconditionally — so a room with ANY unread
-  // thread is never "only verification": suppressing/auto-reading here would hide
-  // or wrongly ack a genuine thread reply. Reject before scanning the main timeline.
-  const hasUnreadThread = room
-    .getThreads()
-    .some(
-      (thread) => room.getThreadUnreadNotificationCount(thread.id, NotificationCountType.Total) > 0,
-    );
-  if (hasUnreadThread) return false;
   const readUpToId = room.getEventReadUpTo(userId);
   const liveEvents = room.getLiveTimeline().getEvents();
   let sawVerification = false;
@@ -285,6 +292,34 @@ export const unreadIsOnlyVerification = (room: Room, userId: string | null): boo
   return false;
 };
 
+// True iff the user's read receipt already covers the room's entire notifiable
+// tail: walking from the newest live event, we reach the receipt's event without
+// crossing any notification-worthy event. In that case there is demonstrably
+// nothing real left to read, so a lingering Total > 0 is a spurious SDK count.
+// matrix-js-sdk's `fixNotificationCountOnDecryption` only ever INCREMENTS an
+// encrypted room's Total, and `addReceipt`'s auto-clear-to-zero only fires when
+// the tail event is the user's own — so a count inflated in an earlier state
+// (before a receipt covered the tail, e.g. by a since-corrupted/undecryptable
+// event) is never decremented and keeps a genuinely-read room lit across cold
+// starts. Anchoring on the read receipt is safe: a genuine unread would sit AFTER
+// the receipt and stop the walk at `isNotificationEvent`. Conservative: returns
+// false when the receipt isn't in the loaded window (can't confirm) or a thread
+// is genuinely unread.
+export const readReceiptCoversTail = (room: Room, userId: string | null): boolean => {
+  if (!userId) return false;
+  if (roomHasUnreadThread(room)) return false;
+  const readUpToId = room.getEventReadUpTo(userId);
+  if (!readUpToId) return false;
+  const liveEvents = room.getLiveTimeline().getEvents();
+  for (let i = liveEvents.length - 1; i >= 0; i -= 1) {
+    const event = liveEvents[i];
+    if (!event) return false;
+    if (event.getId() === readUpToId) return true;
+    if (isNotificationEvent(event)) return false;
+  }
+  return false;
+};
+
 export const roomHaveNotification = (room: Room): boolean => {
   const total = room.getUnreadNotificationCount(NotificationCountType.Total);
   const highlight = room.getUnreadNotificationCount(NotificationCountType.Highlight);
@@ -334,16 +369,18 @@ export const getUnreadInfo = (
 
   const resolvedTotal = highlight > total ? highlight : total;
 
-  // Suppress a room whose entire unread span is a completed device verification:
+  // Suppress a spurious Total when the room isn't really unread. Two safe cases,
-  // the SDK/server Total stays > 0 forever for the trailing verification-request
+  // both requiring `mx` (backward-compatible for callers/tests without it) and a
-  // message (default DM push rule, no recency gate), but it isn't real unread. A
+  // highlight-free count (a real mention must never be hidden):
-  // highlight is never a verification request, so only the highlight-free case is
+  //   1. the entire unread span is a completed device verification, or
-  // guarded. Requires `mx` (backward-compatible for callers/tests without it).
+  //   2. the user's read receipt already covers the whole notifiable tail (the
+  //      SDK re-inflated an encrypted-room count past a receipt that genuinely
+  //      covers everything — e.g. a permanently-undecryptable event).
   if (
     mx &&
     resolvedTotal > 0 &&
     highlight === 0 &&
-    unreadIsOnlyVerification(room, mx.getUserId())
+    (unreadIsOnlyVerification(room, mx.getUserId()) || readReceiptCoversTail(room, mx.getUserId()))
   ) {
     return { roomId: room.roomId, highlight: 0, total: 0 };
   }
@@ -371,14 +408,18 @@ export const getUnreadInfos = (
       // roomHaveNotification true (the server room total includes the muted
       // thread's count), but getUnreadInfo subtracts it back to zero. Pushing it
       // would still light the nav row + pollute "unread only" filters. Keep it
-      // only if there's real unread (count > 0) or a genuine unread marker — and
+      // only if there's real unread (count > 0) or a genuine unread marker. The
-      // NOT when the only unread is a completed device verification (roomHaveUnread
+      // unreadIsOnlyVerification/readReceiptCoversTail guards below mirror the
-      // can fall through to `true` for a still-encrypted/off-window verification
+      // getUnreadInfo suppression: roomHaveUnread returning `true` here already
-      // tail, which getUnreadInfo above already suppressed to {0,0}).
+      // implies both are false (they only report `true` once the receipt covers
+      // the tail, exactly where roomHaveUnread returns `false`), so the guards are
+      // defensive insurance against divergence, not load-bearing.
       if (
         info.total > 0 ||
         info.highlight > 0 ||
-        (roomHaveUnread(mx, room) && !unreadIsOnlyVerification(room, mx.getUserId()))
+        (roomHaveUnread(mx, room) &&
+          !unreadIsOnlyVerification(room, mx.getUserId()) &&
+          !readReceiptCoversTail(room, mx.getUserId()))
       ) {
         unread.push(info);
       }