diff --git a/apps/server/src/engine/routes.ts b/apps/server/src/engine/routes.ts
index 139bf61c5..9096c08c9 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/engine/routes.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/engine/routes.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export function agentRoutes(service: AgentService): Hono<{ Variables: { owner: s
     return c.json(identity);
   });
   app.get("/notifications", async (c) =>
-    c.json((await service.snapshot(c.get("owner"))).notifications),
+    c.json(await service.db.list<AgentNotification>(c.get("owner"), "notifications")),
   );
   app.post("/notifications/:id/read", async (c) => {
     const notification = await service.db.compareAndSwap<AgentNotification>(
diff --git a/tests/agent-api.test.ts b/tests/agent-api.test.ts
index c3b58a34a..4de0cdfe8 100644
--- a/tests/agent-api.test.ts
+++ b/tests/agent-api.test.ts
@@ -254,6 +254,15 @@ test("idea dismissal survives refresh and concurrent acceptance creates one goal
   await read(`/tasks/${results[0].taskId}/control`, { action: "cancel" });
 });
 
+test("notification reads do not load the full agent workspace", async (t) => {
+  t.mock.method(server.agent, "snapshot", async () => {
+    throw new Error("notifications route must not call snapshot");
+  });
+  const response = await request("/notifications");
+  assert.equal(response.status, 200, await response.clone().text());
+  assert.ok(Array.isArray(await response.json()));
+});
+
 test("sample monitor saves its baseline and deduplicates notifications for repeated changes", async () => {
   await read("/sample-page", { text: "No tables available" });
   const monitor = await read<Monitor>(