diff --git a/lib/core/services/push_notification_service.dart b/lib/core/services/push_notification_service.dart
index ef451bd..1316a56 100644
--- a/lib/core/services/push_notification_service.dart
+++ b/lib/core/services/push_notification_service.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart';
@@ -27,7 +28,38 @@ class PushNotificationService {
   bool _initialized = false;
 
   /// Callback when user taps a notification — set by the app to navigate.
-  void Function(String? actionUrl)? onNotificationTap;
+  /// Receives the full FCM data payload so the app can route by `type`
+  /// (e.g. 'message' → open chat) instead of only relying on `actionUrl`.
+  ///
+  /// When this setter is assigned and a pending tap was buffered (because the
+  /// terminated-state tap fired before the app UI was ready), the buffered
+  /// tap is replayed immediately.
+  void Function(Map<String, dynamic> data)? _onNotificationTap;
+  Map<String, dynamic>? _pendingTap;
+
+  set onNotificationTap(void Function(Map<String, dynamic> data)? handler) {
+    _onNotificationTap = handler;
+    // Replay any buffered tap once a listener is attached
+    if (handler != null && _pendingTap != null) {
+      final buffered = _pendingTap!;
+      _pendingTap = null;
+      // Defer to next microtask so the caller's initState finishes first
+      Future.microtask(() => handler(buffered));
+    }
+  }
+
+  void Function(Map<String, dynamic> data)? get onNotificationTap =>
+      _onNotificationTap;
+
+  void _dispatchTap(Map<String, dynamic> data) {
+    final handler = _onNotificationTap;
+    if (handler != null) {
+      handler(data);
+    } else {
+      // No listener yet — buffer for replay once one attaches
+      _pendingTap = data;
+    }
+  }
 
   /// The conversation ID currently being viewed — suppress message push
   /// notifications for this conversation to avoid self-notifications.
@@ -116,7 +148,17 @@ class PushNotificationService {
       ),
       onDidReceiveNotificationResponse: (response) {
         final payload = response.payload;
-        onNotificationTap?.call(payload);
+        if (payload == null || payload.isEmpty) {
+          _dispatchTap(const {});
+          return;
+        }
+        try {
+          final data = jsonDecode(payload) as Map<String, dynamic>;
+          _dispatchTap(data);
+        } catch (_) {
+          // Legacy payloads may be a bare actionUrl string
+          _dispatchTap({'actionUrl': payload});
+        }
       },
     );
   }
@@ -200,15 +242,16 @@ class PushNotificationService {
             icon: '@mipmap/ic_launcher',
           ),
         ),
-        payload: message.data['actionUrl'],
+        // Encode the full FCM data as JSON so the tap handler can route
+        // by `type` (e.g. open the specific chat for message notifications).
+        payload: jsonEncode(message.data),
       );
     }
   }
 
   void _onMessageOpenedApp(RemoteMessage message) {
     debugPrint('[FCM] Notification tap: ${message.data}');
-    final actionUrl = message.data['actionUrl'] as String?;
-    onNotificationTap?.call(actionUrl);
+    _dispatchTap(Map<String, dynamic>.from(message.data));
   }
 
   /// Unregister FCM token from backend (call on logout).
diff --git a/lib/core/widgets/app_shell.dart b/lib/core/widgets/app_shell.dart
index edf42e7..13cfbc2 100644
--- a/lib/core/widgets/app_shell.dart
+++ b/lib/core/widgets/app_shell.dart
@@ -20,18 +20,69 @@ class _AppShellState extends State<AppShell> {
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
     // Wire push notification taps to GoRouter navigation
-    PushNotificationService().onNotificationTap = (actionUrl) {
+    PushNotificationService().onNotificationTap = (data) {
       if (!mounted) return;
-      if (actionUrl == null || actionUrl.isEmpty) {
+      debugPrint('[AppShell] Notification tap: $data');
+
+      // Extract the conversationId from every possible source — FCM payloads
+      // from different backends/versions may use different keys, and the
+      // link/actionUrl may carry it as a query parameter instead.
+      final convId = _extractConversationId(data);
+      final type = (data['type'] as String?)?.toLowerCase();
+      final link = (data['link'] as String?) ?? (data['actionUrl'] as String?);
+      final looksLikeMessage = type == 'message' ||
+          (link != null && link.contains('/message'));
+
+      if (looksLikeMessage && convId != null && convId.isNotEmpty) {
+        debugPrint('[AppShell] → /messages/chat/$convId');
+        context.go('/messages/chat/$convId');
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (type == 'connection_request' || type == 'connection_response') {
         context.go('/notifications');
         return;
       }
-      // Translate web routes to mobile routes
-      final mobileRoute = _translateRoute(actionUrl);
+
+      // Fall back to actionUrl translation (web-style URLs)
+      if (link == null || link.isEmpty) {
+        context.go('/notifications');
+        return;
+      }
+      final mobileRoute = _translateRoute(link);
+      debugPrint('[AppShell] → $mobileRoute (from link=$link)');
       context.go(mobileRoute);
     };
   }
 
+  /// Try every known source for a conversation id — direct keys, or
+  /// query parameters on the link/actionUrl.
+  String? _extractConversationId(Map<String, dynamic> data) {
+    // Direct keys (backend sends `conversationId`)
+    for (final key in const [
+      'conversationId',
+      'conversation_id',
+      'convId',
+      'chatId',
+    ]) {
+      final v = data[key];
+      if (v is String && v.isNotEmpty) return v;
+    }
+    // Query parameter on the link or actionUrl
+    for (final key in const ['link', 'actionUrl']) {
+      final raw = data[key];
+      if (raw is String && raw.isNotEmpty) {
+        try {
+          final uri = Uri.parse(raw);
+          final qp = uri.queryParameters['conversationId'] ??
+              uri.queryParameters['conversation_id'];
+          if (qp != null && qp.isNotEmpty) return qp;
+        } catch (_) {}
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
   /// Translate web-style actionUrl to mobile route.
   String _translateRoute(String url) {
     final uri = Uri.parse(url);
diff --git a/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart b/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
index 4b0efdf..7c8b07c 100644
--- a/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
+++ b/lib/features/messaging/data/socket_service.dart
@@ -59,8 +59,23 @@ class SocketService {
       return;
     }
 
+    // Already fully connected with the same token — no-op.
     if (_socket?.connected == true && _currentToken == token) return;
 
+    // A socket already exists for this same token but isn't connected yet
+    // (either in-flight or temporarily disconnected). Don't dispose and
+    // recreate — that kills the in-flight attempt and causes a race when
+    // `connect()` is called twice in quick succession (e.g. once from the
+    // auth provider on app launch and once from chat_screen's
+    // ensureConnected() after a notification tap). Just kick it to connect.
+    if (_socket != null && _currentToken == token) {
+      _intentionalDisconnect = false;
+      if (_socket!.connected != true) {
+        _socket!.connect();
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
     _currentToken = token;
     _intentionalDisconnect = false;