diff --git a/src/lib/nostr/social.ts b/src/lib/nostr/social.ts
index 11f12f6..589bb5a 100644
--- a/src/lib/nostr/social.ts
+++ b/src/lib/nostr/social.ts
@@ -74,10 +74,11 @@ export async function fetchFollowSuggestions(myFollows: string[]): Promise<{ pub
 
 export async function fetchMentions(pubkey: string, since: number, limit = 50): Promise<NDKEvent[]> {
   const instance = getNDK();
+  // Use a longer timeout for #p queries — some relays are slow to index tag lookups
   const events = await fetchWithTimeout(
     instance,
     { kinds: [NDKKind.Text], "#p": [pubkey], since, limit },
-    FEED_TIMEOUT,
+    12000,
   );
   return Array.from(events).sort((a, b) => (b.created_at ?? 0) - (a.created_at ?? 0));
 }
diff --git a/src/stores/notifications.ts b/src/stores/notifications.ts
index 2f9b3a4..1fca5b2 100644
--- a/src/stores/notifications.ts
+++ b/src/stores/notifications.ts
@@ -100,10 +100,18 @@ export const useNotificationsStore = create<NotificationsState>((set, get) => ({
     set({ loading: true });
     try {
       const since = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) - 7 * 86400;
-      const events = await fetchMentions(pubkey, since, MAX_NOTIFICATIONS);
-      const others = events.filter((e) => e.pubkey !== pubkey);
+      let events = await fetchMentions(pubkey, since, MAX_NOTIFICATIONS);
+      let others = events.filter((e) => e.pubkey !== pubkey);
       debug.log("notif:fetch", events.length, "raw →", others.length, "others");
 
+      // Retry once if empty — relays may need more time for #p tag queries
+      if (others.length === 0) {
+        await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
+        events = await fetchMentions(pubkey, since, MAX_NOTIFICATIONS);
+        others = events.filter((e) => e.pubkey !== pubkey);
+        debug.log("notif:fetch retry →", others.length, "others");
+      }
+
       // Don't overwrite existing notifications with empty results (relay timeout/disconnect)
       const { readIds, notifications: existing } = get();
       if (others.length === 0 && existing.length > 0) {