diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index a195a50..3dd1c09 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // App shell — scene switcher + top bar + command palette + console + toaster.
-import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useApp, scenarioById } from "./state/store";
 import Landing from "./scenes/Landing";
 import MissionControl from "./scenes/MissionControl";
@@ -76,6 +76,46 @@ export default function App() {
 
   const liveAge = liveFetchedAt ? `${Math.max(0, Math.floor((Date.now() - liveFetchedAt) / 1000))}s ago` : null;
 
+  const [chatUnread, setChatUnread] = useState(0);
+  const [queueCount, setQueueCount] = useState(0);
+  const tenantId = useApp((s) => s.tenantId);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isAuthed || !tenantId || !userEmail) return;
+    let cancelled = false;
+    const refresh = async () => {
+      try {
+        const { chatApi } = await import("./lib/chatApi");
+        const { api: apiMod } = await import("./lib/api");
+        const [threads, items] = await Promise.all([
+          chatApi.listThreads(userEmail).catch(() => []),
+          apiMod.workItems().catch(() => []),
+        ]);
+        if (cancelled) return;
+        const readMap: Record<string, string> = (() => {
+          try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(`fm.canvas.chat.read.${userEmail}`) || "{}"); } catch { return {}; }
+        })();
+        let unread = 0;
+        for (const t of threads) {
+          try {
+            const msgs = await chatApi.listMessages(t._key);
+            const last = msgs[msgs.length - 1];
+            if (!last) continue;
+            if (last.author_email === userEmail) continue;
+            const readAt = readMap[t._key];
+            if (!readAt || last.created_at > readAt) unread++;
+          } catch { /* ignore */ }
+        }
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setChatUnread(unread);
+          setQueueCount(items.filter((it) => (it as any).tenant_id === tenantId).length);
+        }
+      } catch { /* ignore */ }
+    };
+    void refresh();
+    const id = window.setInterval(refresh, 60_000);
+    return () => { cancelled = true; window.clearInterval(id); };
+  }, [isAuthed, tenantId, userEmail]);
+
   return (
     <div className={`shell shell-${scene}`}>
       {scene !== "landing" && scene !== "login" && scene !== "sso-callback" && (
@@ -91,6 +131,10 @@ export default function App() {
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "mission"} className={`tab${scene === "mission" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("mission")}>
               <Layers size={13} /> Mission
             </button>
+            <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "approvals"} className={`tab${scene === "approvals" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("approvals")}>
+              <Layers size={13} /> Approvals
+              {queueCount > 0 && <span className="tab-badge">{queueCount > 99 ? "99+" : queueCount}</span>}
+            </button>
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "history"} className={`tab${scene === "history" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("history")}>
               <HistoryIcon size={13} /> Runs
             </button>
@@ -99,6 +143,7 @@ export default function App() {
             </button>
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "chat"} className={`tab${scene === "chat" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("chat")}>
               <Bot size={13} /> Chat
+              {chatUnread > 0 && <span className="tab-badge tab-badge-amber">{chatUnread > 99 ? "99+" : chatUnread}</span>}
             </button>
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "agent"} className={`tab${scene === "agent" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("agent")}>
               <Bot size={13} /> Assistant
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index 0e91037..1dc9ca0 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -2225,3 +2225,15 @@ select.studio-input { background: var(--bp-paper); }
   .wizard-body { padding: 0 12px 12px; }
   .wizard-preview { position: static; max-height: none; }
 }
+
+.tab-badge {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
+  margin-left: 4px;
+  min-width: 18px; padding: 0 5px; height: 16px;
+  background: var(--bp-navy); color: var(--bp-paper);
+  font-family: var(--bp-mono); font-size: 9px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1;
+}
+.tab-badge-amber { background: var(--bp-amber); color: var(--bp-paper); }
+@media (max-width: 700px) {
+  .tab-badge { min-width: 14px; height: 12px; font-size: 8px; padding: 0 3px; }
+}