diff --git a/docs/buzz-help.md b/docs/buzz-help.md
index 0581e07edf..89b640522e 100644
--- a/docs/buzz-help.md
+++ b/docs/buzz-help.md
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ the interface unless an available tool actually supports that action.
   Mute suppresses notifications for messages that do not mention you; mentions can still notify
   you. Unmute restores ordinary unread emphasis and dots. Manual **Mark as unread**
   can still make the name bold. Muted rows show no unread dots, including thread
-  dots; muting does not mark messages or threads as read.
+  dots; muting does not mark messages or threads as read. On macOS, a muted
+  channel lights the Dock dot only for messages that need your attention, such
+  as mentions, or when you mark it unread; muted DMs and Solo chats still light it.
 - **Manage members** shows **General** access first in the member list. **Public**
   lets people in the community read and new people participate; **View only**
   lets them read; **Private** limits access to people added to the channel.
diff --git a/docs/notifications.md b/docs/notifications.md
index 65dc58e064..d66b5c258c 100644
--- a/docs/notifications.md
+++ b/docs/notifications.md
@@ -200,7 +200,12 @@ observed unread messages (including thread replies) or explicit channel-unread
 intent. It is not an exact message count or evidence of complete history. Unknown
 and observed-zero both omit the dot. Existing bounded evidence/read-state owns
 startup and updates; this projection adds no relay reads, network subscriptions,
-or storage. Channel mute does not remove retained unread evidence from this community-wide dot, so muted ordinary backlog can keep it on while the channel's ordinary sidebar cues are quiet. Personal space, account/session changes, access loss and host disposal
+or storage. Each channel counts only when the sidebar treats it as unread: confirmed
+channel mute quiets ordinary backlog, while manual unread and observed attention
+(mentions, broadcasts and replies in the viewer's conversations) still light the dot. Muted DMs and Solo chats keep
+lighting it, as they keep their sidebar unread state. Mute and unmute recompute the
+dot without a new message; a pending mute change, or preferences not yet loaded,
+quiet nothing. Personal space, account/session changes, access loss and host disposal
 clear or recompute the indicator. Disabling Channels does not stop host ownership.
 Desktop alert preferences do not alter this unread indicator.
 
diff --git a/src/bundled/channels/UnreadBadge.tsx b/src/bundled/channels/UnreadBadge.tsx
index 6a3e8b9a57..0877176600 100644
--- a/src/bundled/channels/UnreadBadge.tsx
+++ b/src/bundled/channels/UnreadBadge.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import {
   useSyncExternalStore,
   type ReactNode,
 } from "react";
+import {
+  channelUnread,
+  confirmedMute,
+} from "../../features/channels/channel-unread";
 import type { RelaySession } from "../../features/relay/session";
 import styles from "./Channels.module.css";
 
@@ -24,12 +28,11 @@ export function ordinaryUnread(
   );
 }
 
-/** Observe only confirmed preferences; optimistic menu intents do not quiet unread. */
 export function useConfirmedMute(session: RelaySession, channelId: string) {
-  const get = useCallback(() => {
-    const snapshot = session.sidebarPreferences.snapshot();
-    return !snapshot.cached && !!snapshot.data?.muted.includes(channelId);
-  }, [session, channelId]);
+  const get = useCallback(
+    () => confirmedMute(session.sidebarPreferences.snapshot(), channelId),
+    [session, channelId],
+  );
   return useSyncExternalStore(session.sidebarPreferences.subscribe, get, get);
 }
 
@@ -69,9 +72,7 @@ export function useUnreadState(
   const muted = useConfirmedMute(session, channelId);
   const count = snapshot.observedCount;
   const manual = snapshot.manual !== "none";
-  const unread =
-    manual ||
-    ((count ?? 0) > 0 && (dm || !muted || (snapshot.attentionCount ?? 0) > 0));
+  const unread = channelUnread(snapshot, !dm && muted);
   const ordinary = ordinaryUnread(snapshot, dm, muted);
   const threadCount = activity.items?.length ?? 0;
   return {
diff --git a/src/features/channels/channel-unread.ts b/src/features/channels/channel-unread.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d10010a3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/channels/channel-unread.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import type { RelaySession } from "../relay/session";
+import type { UnreadSnapshot } from "../relay/unread";
+
+type PreferencesSnapshot = ReturnType<
+  RelaySession["sidebarPreferences"]["snapshot"]
+>;
+
+/** Only confirmed preferences count; optimistic menu intents do not quiet unread. */
+export function confirmedMute(
+  preferences: PreferencesSnapshot,
+  channelId: string,
+) {
+  return !preferences.cached && !!preferences.data?.muted.includes(channelId);
+}
+
+/** A row's unread state: mute quiets ordinary backlog, never manual unread or attention. */
+export function channelUnread(snapshot: UnreadSnapshot, muted: boolean) {
+  return (
+    snapshot.manual !== "none" ||
+    ((snapshot.observedCount ?? 0) > 0 &&
+      (!muted || (snapshot.attentionCount ?? 0) > 0))
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.test.ts b/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.test.ts
index eea7131811..4b4b81203a 100644
--- a/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { Communities } from "../communities/service";
 import { createRelaySession } from "../relay/session";
 import type { RelayEvent } from "../relay/events";
 import { readJournal, type ReadJournal } from "../relay/read-state-storage";
+import { createSidebarPreferencesStore } from "../relay/sidebar-preferences-store";
 import { keypair, message, metadata, roster, signed } from "../relay/testing";
 import { bindUnreadIndicator } from "./indicator-unread";
 
@@ -100,6 +101,37 @@ function setup() {
     },
   };
 }
+/** Confirms "room" muted; the returned setter replaces the confirmed list. */
+async function withMute(
+  h: ReturnType<typeof setup>,
+  channelType?: "dm" | "solo",
+) {
+  let muted = ["room"];
+  const preferences = createSidebarPreferencesStore({
+    available: true,
+    read: async () => ({ sections: [], assignments: {}, starred: [], muted }),
+  });
+  cleanups.push(() => preferences.dispose());
+  await preferences.queries.refresh();
+  const original = h.session;
+  h.relayState.session = {
+    ...original,
+    sidebarPreferences: preferences.queries,
+    channels: {
+      ...original.channels,
+      list: () => ({
+        ...original.channels.list(),
+        channels: original.channels
+          .list()
+          .channels.map((c) => (channelType ? { ...c, channelType } : c)),
+      }),
+    },
+  };
+  return async (next: string[]) => {
+    muted = next;
+    await preferences.queries.refresh();
+  };
+}
 const target = { kind: "channel", channelId: "room" } as const;
 it("starts clear for unknown evidence; projects arrivals and explicit read clearing without new reads", async () => {
   const h = setup();
@@ -239,3 +271,47 @@ it("stays off for coordination between agents and lights for the next message to
   h.emit([message(h.peer, "room", "Done", 12)]);
   expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
 });
+
+it("keeps confirmed-muted backlog off the Dock; unmute and re-mute flip it without new messages", async () => {
+  const h = setup();
+  h.grant();
+  const setMuted = await withMute(h);
+  h.bind();
+  h.emit([message(h.peer, "room", "muted backlog", 11)]);
+  expect(h.session.unread.snapshot(target).observedCount).toBe(1);
+  expect(h.project.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+  await setMuted([]);
+  expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
+  await setMuted(["room"]);
+  expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(false);
+});
+
+it("lights a muted channel for attention and manual unread", async () => {
+  const h = setup();
+  h.grant();
+  await withMute(h);
+  h.bind();
+  h.emit([message(h.peer, "room", "ordinary", 11)]);
+  expect(h.project.mock.calls).toEqual([[false]]);
+  const mention = message(h.peer, "room", "mention", 12, [
+    ["p", h.viewer.pubkey],
+  ]);
+  h.emit([mention]);
+  expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
+  await h.session.unread.markThrough(target, mention.id);
+  expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(false);
+  await h.session.unread.markUnreadLocal(target);
+  expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
+});
+
+it.each(["dm", "solo"] as const)(
+  "keeps muted %s backlog on the Dock, as the sidebar does",
+  async (channelType) => {
+    const h = setup();
+    h.grant();
+    await withMute(h, channelType);
+    h.bind();
+    h.emit([message(h.peer, "room", "arrival", 11)]);
+    expect(h.project).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
+  },
+);
diff --git a/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.ts b/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.ts
index 5d81ad0455..aaec602570 100644
--- a/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.ts
+++ b/src/features/notifications/indicator-unread.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { channelUnread, confirmedMute } from "../channels/channel-unread";
 import type { Communities } from "../communities/service";
 import type { RelaySession } from "../relay/session";
 
@@ -10,17 +11,21 @@ export function bindUnreadIndicator(
   let session: RelaySession | undefined;
   let identity = "";
   let previous: boolean | undefined;
-  let stopRoster = () => {};
+  let detach = () => {};
   const channels = new Map<string, () => void>();
+  // DMs and Solo chats keep unread emphasis when muted, as in the sidebar.
+  const mutable = new Set<string>();
   const publish = (unread: boolean) => {
     if (unread === previous) return;
     previous = unread;
     project(unread);
   };
   const clear = () => {
-    stopRoster();
+    detach();
+    detach = () => {};
     for (const stop of channels.values()) stop();
     channels.clear();
+    mutable.clear();
   };
   const update = () => {
     if (closed) return;
@@ -44,31 +49,31 @@ export function bindUnreadIndicator(
     const valid = () => !closed && session === owned && identity === next;
     const changed = () => {
       if (!valid()) return;
+      const preferences = owned.sidebarPreferences.snapshot();
       publish(
-        [...channels.keys()].some((channelId) => {
-          const snapshot = owned.unread.snapshot({
-            kind: "channel",
-            channelId,
-          });
-          return (
-            snapshot.manual !== "none" || (snapshot.observedCount ?? 0) > 0
-          );
-        }),
+        [...channels.keys()].some((channelId) =>
+          channelUnread(
+            owned.unread.snapshot({ kind: "channel", channelId }),
+            mutable.has(channelId) && confirmedMute(preferences, channelId),
+          ),
+        ),
       );
     };
     const roster = () => {
       if (!valid()) return;
-      const ids = new Set(
-        owned.channels
-          .list()
-          .channels.filter(
-            (channel) =>
-              !channel.huddle &&
-              !channel.metadataPending &&
-              channel.members?.includes(viewer),
-          )
-          .map((channel) => channel.id),
-      );
+      const accessible = owned.channels
+        .list()
+        .channels.filter(
+          (channel) =>
+            !channel.huddle &&
+            !channel.metadataPending &&
+            channel.members?.includes(viewer),
+        );
+      const ids = new Set(accessible.map((channel) => channel.id));
+      mutable.clear();
+      for (const channel of accessible)
+        if (channel.channelType !== "dm" && channel.channelType !== "solo")
+          mutable.add(channel.id);
       for (const [id, stop] of channels) {
         if (ids.has(id)) continue;
         stop();
@@ -83,7 +88,12 @@ export function bindUnreadIndicator(
       }
       changed();
     };
-    stopRoster = owned.channels.subscribeList(roster);
+    const stopList = owned.channels.subscribeList(roster);
+    const stopPreferences = owned.sidebarPreferences.subscribe(changed);
+    detach = () => {
+      stopList();
+      stopPreferences();
+    };
     roster();
   };
   const stop = communities.subscribe(update);