diff --git a/docs/messaging/notifications.mdx b/docs/messaging/notifications.mdx
index 1d76291dbe..b2bab82188 100644
--- a/docs/messaging/notifications.mdx
+++ b/docs/messaging/notifications.mdx
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ could open a specific screen for example). The API provides two APIs for handlin
 - `getInitialNotification`: When the application is opened from a quit state.
 - `onNotificationOpenedApp`: When the application is running, but in the background.
 
+These fire for the **default notification open** (user taps the notification body). They do **not** fire for
+custom notification-category actions or dismiss; those interactions need a dedicated response API (tracked
+internally — do not route custom-action navigation through opened/initial).
+
 To handle both scenarios, the code can be executed during setup. For example, using [React Navigation](https://reactnavigation.org/)
 we can set an initial route when the app is opened from a quit state, and push to a new screen when the app is in a background state:
 
diff --git a/packages/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+UNUserNotificationCenter.m b/packages/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+UNUserNotificationCenter.m
index 4e98d2f176..cf9301ebbc 100644
--- a/packages/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+UNUserNotificationCenter.m
+++ b/packages/messaging/ios/RNFBMessaging/RNFBMessaging+UNUserNotificationCenter.m
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ - (void)userNotificationCenter:(UNUserNotificationCenter *)center
     didReceiveNotificationResponse:(UNNotificationResponse *)response
              withCompletionHandler:(void (^)(void))completionHandler {
   NSDictionary *remoteNotification = response.notification.request.content.userInfo;
-  if (remoteNotification[@"gcm.message_id"]) {
+  if ([[response actionIdentifier] isEqualToString:UNNotificationDefaultActionIdentifier] &&
+      remoteNotification[@"gcm.message_id"]) {
     NSDictionary *notificationDict =
         [RNFBMessagingSerializer remoteMessageUserInfoToDict:remoteNotification];
     [[RNFBRCTEventEmitter shared] sendEventWithName:@"messaging_notification_opened"
@@ -160,10 +161,13 @@ - (void)userNotificationCenter:(UNUserNotificationCenter *)center
     _initialNotification = notificationDict;
   }
 
-  if (_originalDelegate != nil && originalDelegateRespondsTo.didReceiveNotificationResponse) {
-    [_originalDelegate userNotificationCenter:center
-               didReceiveNotificationResponse:response
-                        withCompletionHandler:completionHandler];
+  // _originalDelegate is weak — capture strong local before nil-check + message
+  // (same race as willPresent; otherwise completionHandler may never run).
+  id<UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate> strongOriginalDelegate = _originalDelegate;
+  if (strongOriginalDelegate != nil && originalDelegateRespondsTo.didReceiveNotificationResponse) {
+    [strongOriginalDelegate userNotificationCenter:center
+                    didReceiveNotificationResponse:response
+                             withCompletionHandler:completionHandler];
   } else {
     completionHandler();
   }
@@ -171,8 +175,9 @@ - (void)userNotificationCenter:(UNUserNotificationCenter *)center
 
 - (void)userNotificationCenter:(UNUserNotificationCenter *)center
     openSettingsForNotification:(nullable UNNotification *)notification {
-  if (_originalDelegate != nil && originalDelegateRespondsTo.openSettingsForNotification) {
-    [_originalDelegate userNotificationCenter:center openSettingsForNotification:notification];
+  id<UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate> strongOriginalDelegate = _originalDelegate;
+  if (strongOriginalDelegate != nil && originalDelegateRespondsTo.openSettingsForNotification) {
+    [strongOriginalDelegate userNotificationCenter:center openSettingsForNotification:notification];
   } else {
     NSDictionary *notificationDict = [RNFBMessagingSerializer notificationToDict:notification];
     [[RNFBRCTEventEmitter shared] sendEventWithName:@"messaging_settings_for_notification_opened"