diff --git a/src/contexts/NotificationContext.jsx b/src/contexts/NotificationContext.jsx
index e4d1fda..5a6638a 100644
--- a/src/contexts/NotificationContext.jsx
+++ b/src/contexts/NotificationContext.jsx
@@ -98,10 +98,10 @@ export function NotificationProvider({ children }) {
     }
   }, [user]);
 
-  // Unlock audio playback on the first real user interaction.
-  // Browsers block audio from timer callbacks unless the element was previously
-  // "touched" inside a gesture handler — this one-time listener does exactly that.
+  // Unlock audio playback only for authenticated sessions.
+  // This avoids any audio interaction while logged out (e.g. anonymous/incognito tabs).
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!user?.id) return;
     const events = ['click', 'keydown', 'pointerdown'];
     const handler = () => {
       unlockAudio();
@@ -109,11 +109,12 @@ export function NotificationProvider({ children }) {
     };
     events.forEach(e => window.addEventListener(e, handler, { once: true }));
     return () => events.forEach(e => window.removeEventListener(e, handler));
-  }, []);
+  }, [user?.id]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     activeUserId.current = user?.id ?? null;
     if (!user) {
+      _audioUnlocked = false;
       setNotifications([]);
       setUnreadCount(0);
       seenIds.current = new Set();