diff --git a/qa/audit_idle_poll.mjs b/qa/audit_idle_poll.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31f58fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qa/audit_idle_poll.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// Idle-poll audit. User explicitly complained "way too many GETs / non-stop".
+// For each scene: visit, settle, then watch network for 30s with no user input.
+// Pass if total requests in that 30s window is reasonable (<= 5).
+// The topbar identity-hydration + chat/queue badge polls at 60s, so a 30s
+// window should see at most 1 such fire.
+import { chromium } from "playwright";
+
+const URL = "https://canvas.flow-master.ai/";
+const args = ["--host-resolver-rules=MAP canvas.flow-master.ai 65.21.71.186", "--ignore-certificate-errors"];
+
+const SCENES = [
+  { chip: null, label: "landing" },
+  { chip: /Approvals queue/, label: "approvals" },
+  { chip: /^Documents$/, label: "documents" },
+  { chip: /Procurement Hub/, label: "procurement_hub" },
+  { chip: /Attendance Map/, label: "geo" },
+  { chip: /Command Assistant/, label: "assistant" },
+  { chip: /Team Chat/, label: "chat" },
+  { chip: /What is FlowMaster/, label: "explainer" },
+];
+
+const IDLE_WINDOW_MS = 30_000;
+const MAX_REQ_PER_WINDOW = 5;
+
+const results = [];
+function record(name, ok, detail = "") {
+  results.push({ name, ok, detail });
+  console.log(`${ok ? "PASS" : "FAIL"}  ${name}${detail ? "  — " + detail : ""}`);
+}
+
+const b = await chromium.launch({ headless: true, args });
+const ctx = await b.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 } });
+const p = await ctx.newPage();
+
+await p.goto(URL, { waitUntil: "networkidle" });
+await p.waitForTimeout(800);
+await p.locator(".persona-chip", { hasText: /Mariana/ }).click();
+await p.locator(".dev-login-btn").click();
+await p.waitForSelector(".hero-actions", { timeout: 15000 });
+await p.waitForFunction(() => document.querySelectorAll(".hub-chip").length >= 8, undefined, { timeout: 15000 }).catch(() => {});
+
+for (const s of SCENES) {
+  if (s.chip) {
+    await p.goto(URL, { waitUntil: "networkidle" }).catch(() => {});
+    await p.waitForSelector(".hub-chip", { timeout: 15000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await p.locator(".hub-chip", { hasText: s.chip }).click().catch(() => {});
+    await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+  }
+
+  // Settle period — the scene's initial fetch burst should complete here.
+  await p.waitForLoadState("networkidle").catch(() => {});
+  await p.waitForTimeout(1500);
+
+  // Now record every request fired for the next IDLE_WINDOW_MS.
+  const requests = [];
+  const onReq = (req) => {
+    const u = req.url();
+    if (/\/api\/|\/internal\//.test(u)) {
+      requests.push({ method: req.method(), url: u.replace("https://canvas.flow-master.ai", "") });
+    }
+  };
+  p.on("request", onReq);
+  await p.waitForTimeout(IDLE_WINDOW_MS);
+  p.off("request", onReq);
+
+  const ok = requests.length <= MAX_REQ_PER_WINDOW;
+  const summary = requests.length
+    ? `${requests.length} reqs · ${requests.slice(0, 3).map((r) => `${r.method} ${r.url.slice(0, 50)}`).join(", ")}${requests.length > 3 ? "…" : ""}`
+    : "0 reqs · quiet";
+  record(`idle_${s.label}_quiet_at_30s`, ok, summary);
+}
+
+await b.close();
+const fails = results.filter((r) => !r.ok);
+console.log(`\n=== idle audit: ${results.length - fails.length}/${results.length} passed ===`);
+if (fails.length) {
+  console.log("FAILED:");
+  fails.forEach((f) => console.log(`  - ${f.name}: ${f.detail}`));
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 3dd1c09..25c025d 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ 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 [chatThreadCount, setChatThreadCount] = useState(0);
   const [queueCount, setQueueCount] = useState(0);
   const tenantId = useApp((s) => s.tenantId);
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -91,24 +91,8 @@ export default function App() {
           apiMod.workItems().catch(() => []),
         ]);
         if (cancelled) return;
-        const readMap: Record<string, string> = (() => {
-          try { return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(`fm.canvas.chat.read.${userEmail}`) || "{}"); } catch { return {}; }
-        })();
-        let unread = 0;
-        for (const t of threads) {
-          try {
-            const msgs = await chatApi.listMessages(t._key);
-            const last = msgs[msgs.length - 1];
-            if (!last) continue;
-            if (last.author_email === userEmail) continue;
-            const readAt = readMap[t._key];
-            if (!readAt || last.created_at > readAt) unread++;
-          } catch { /* ignore */ }
-        }
-        if (!cancelled) {
-          setChatUnread(unread);
-          setQueueCount(items.filter((it) => (it as any).tenant_id === tenantId).length);
-        }
+        setChatThreadCount(threads.length);
+        setQueueCount(items.filter((it) => (it as any).tenant_id === tenantId).length);
       } catch { /* ignore */ }
     };
     void refresh();
@@ -143,7 +127,7 @@ export default function App() {
             </button>
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "chat"} className={`tab${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>}
+              {chatThreadCount > 0 && <span className="tab-badge tab-badge-amber">{chatThreadCount > 99 ? "99+" : chatThreadCount}</span>}
             </button>
             <button role="tab" aria-selected={scene === "agent"} className={`tab${scene === "agent" ? " tab-sel" : ""}`} onClick={() => setScene("agent")}>
               <Bot size={13} /> Assistant