diff --git a/views/layout_footer.php b/views/layout_footer.php
index e10a1ce..144b561 100644
--- a/views/layout_footer.php
+++ b/views/layout_footer.php
@@ -235,11 +235,12 @@
       }
 
       function loadNotifications() {
-        fetch('/api/notifications.php', { credentials: 'same-origin' })
+        return fetch('/api/notifications.php', { credentials: 'same-origin' })
           .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
-          .then(renderNotifications)
+          .then(function(data) { renderNotifications(data); return true; })
           .catch(function() {
             list.innerHTML = '<div style="padding:0.75rem;font-size:0.75rem;color:var(--text-muted);text-align:center">Could not load</div>';
+            return false;
           });
       }
 
@@ -261,9 +262,34 @@
       document.addEventListener('click', function(e) { if (_open && wrapEl && !wrapEl.contains(e.target)) closePanel(); });
       document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) { if (e.key === 'Escape' && _open) closePanel(); });
 
-      // Initial badge count + poll every 60s
+      // Poll every 60s while the tab is visible, backing off (up to 5 min) on
+      // repeated failures, and resuming immediately when the tab regains focus.
+      var POLL_INTERVAL = 60000;
+      var MAX_POLL_INTERVAL = 300000;
+      var _pollTimer = null;
+      var _failCount = 0;
+
+      function scheduleNextPoll(delay) {
+        clearTimeout(_pollTimer);
+        _pollTimer = setTimeout(pollNotifications, delay);
+      }
+
+      function pollNotifications() {
+        if (document.hidden) return;
+        loadNotifications().then(function(ok) {
+          _failCount = ok ? 0 : _failCount + 1;
+          var delay = ok ? POLL_INTERVAL : Math.min(POLL_INTERVAL * Math.pow(2, _failCount), MAX_POLL_INTERVAL);
+          scheduleNextPoll(delay);
+        });
+      }
+
+      document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', function() {
+        if (!document.hidden) pollNotifications();
+      });
+
+      // Initial badge count, then start the poll cycle
       loadNotifications();
-      setInterval(loadNotifications, 60000);
+      scheduleNextPoll(POLL_INTERVAL);
     })();
 <?php endif ?>