diff --git a/artifacts/tx-os/src/hooks/use-notifications-socket.ts b/artifacts/tx-os/src/hooks/use-notifications-socket.ts
index dc1acb0a..8975f3b1 100644
--- a/artifacts/tx-os/src/hooks/use-notifications-socket.ts
+++ b/artifacts/tx-os/src/hooks/use-notifications-socket.ts
@@ -154,8 +154,11 @@ export function useNotificationsSocket() {
         typeof payload.senderUserId === "number"
       ) {
         const rawKind = (payload as { kind?: unknown }).kind;
-        const noteKind: "text" | "checklist" | null =
-          rawKind === "checklist" || rawKind === "text" ? rawKind : null;
+        // Default missing/unknown kind to "text" — the legacy server
+        // emit (pre-checklist) didn't include `kind`, and the popup
+        // body's text branch is the safe fallback.
+        const noteKind: "text" | "checklist" =
+          rawKind === "checklist" ? "checklist" : "text";
         const rawItems = (payload as { items?: unknown }).items;
         const items = Array.isArray(rawItems)
           ? (rawItems as IncomingNotePayload["items"])