diff --git a/apps/api/src/modules/inquiries/application/__tests__/create-inquiry.handler.spec.ts b/apps/api/src/modules/inquiries/application/__tests__/create-inquiry.handler.spec.ts
index 3de41fd..f253d2e 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/modules/inquiries/application/__tests__/create-inquiry.handler.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/modules/inquiries/application/__tests__/create-inquiry.handler.spec.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ describe('CreateInquiryHandler', () => {
     expect(mockEventBus.publish).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(mockEventBus.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({
-        eventName: 'inquiry.created',
+        eventName: 'inquiry.received',
         listingId: 'listing-1',
         userId: 'user-1',
       }),
diff --git a/apps/web/lib/hooks/use-socket-notifications.ts b/apps/web/lib/hooks/use-socket-notifications.ts
index b4755cf..4c3dcf0 100644
--- a/apps/web/lib/hooks/use-socket-notifications.ts
+++ b/apps/web/lib/hooks/use-socket-notifications.ts
@@ -1,30 +1,46 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { io, type Socket } from 'socket.io-client';
+import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import { useAuthStore } from '@/lib/auth-store';
 import type { NotificationDto } from '@/lib/notifications-api';
 import { useNotificationsStore } from '@/lib/notifications-store';
 
-const SOCKET_URL = process.env['NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL']?.replace('/api/v1', '') || 'http://localhost:3001';
+/** Base URL for the Socket.IO server (without namespace). */
+const SOCKET_URL =
+  process.env['NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL']?.replace('/api/v1', '') ||
+  'http://localhost:3001';
 
 /**
  * Hook that manages the Socket.IO connection for real-time notifications.
  *
- * - Connects when user is authenticated
- * - Listens for `notification:new` events
- * - Auto-reconnects on disconnect
+ * Connects to the `/notifications` namespace on the backend
+ * {@link NotificationsGateway} with JWT auth handshake.
+ *
+ * - Authenticates via `auth.token` (access-token from cookie or store)
+ * - Listens for `notification:new` → adds to store + shows toast
+ * - Listens for `notification:unread-count` → syncs badge count
+ * - Auto-reconnects with exponential backoff (1 s → 10 s)
  * - Disconnects on logout
  */
 export function useSocketNotifications() {
   const socketRef = useRef<Socket | null>(null);
   const isAuthenticated = useAuthStore((s) => s.isAuthenticated);
-  const { addNotification, incrementUnread, fetchUnreadCount } =
+  const { addNotification, incrementUnread, setUnreadCount } =
     useNotificationsStore();
 
+  /** Extract the access-token cookie value (if present). */
+  const getAccessToken = useCallback((): string | undefined => {
+    if (typeof document === 'undefined') return undefined;
+    const match = document.cookie
+      .split('; ')
+      .find((c) => c.startsWith('goodgo_access_token='));
+    return match?.split('=')[1];
+  }, []);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isAuthenticated) {
-      // Disconnect if user logs out
       if (socketRef.current) {
         socketRef.current.disconnect();
         socketRef.current = null;
@@ -35,9 +51,12 @@ export function useSocketNotifications() {
     // Don't create duplicate connections
     if (socketRef.current?.connected) return;
 
-    const socket = io(SOCKET_URL, {
+    const token = getAccessToken();
+
+    const socket = io(`${SOCKET_URL}/notifications`, {
       path: '/socket.io',
-      withCredentials: true, // Send httpOnly auth cookies
+      auth: token ? { token } : undefined,
+      withCredentials: true, // Also send httpOnly cookies as fallback
       transports: ['websocket', 'polling'],
       reconnection: true,
       reconnectionAttempts: Infinity,
@@ -47,28 +66,44 @@ export function useSocketNotifications() {
     });
 
     socket.on('connect', () => {
-      // Fetch unread count on (re)connect to sync state
-      fetchUnreadCount();
+      // Connection established — unread count arrives via notification:unread-count
     });
 
     socket.on('notification:new', (data: NotificationDto) => {
       addNotification(data);
       incrementUnread();
+
+      // Show a sonner toast for the incoming notification
+      toast(data.title ?? 'Thông báo mới', {
+        description: data.body,
+        duration: 5000,
+      });
     });
 
+    socket.on(
+      'notification:unread-count',
+      (data: { unreadCount: number }) => {
+        setUnreadCount(data.unreadCount);
+      },
+    );
+
     socket.on('disconnect', (reason) => {
       // Socket.IO auto-reconnects for transport errors.
-      // Only manual disconnects ('io client disconnect') need explicit reconnect.
+      // Only server-initiated disconnects need explicit reconnect.
       if (reason === 'io server disconnect') {
         socket.connect();
       }
     });
 
+    socket.on('connect_error', (err) => {
+      console.warn('[ws] connection error:', err.message);
+    });
+
     socketRef.current = socket;
 
     return () => {
       socket.disconnect();
       socketRef.current = null;
     };
-  }, [isAuthenticated, addNotification, incrementUnread, fetchUnreadCount]);
+  }, [isAuthenticated, addNotification, incrementUnread, setUnreadCount, getAccessToken]);
 }
diff --git a/apps/web/lib/notifications-store.ts b/apps/web/lib/notifications-store.ts
index 29a0dd0..c25e5d1 100644
--- a/apps/web/lib/notifications-store.ts
+++ b/apps/web/lib/notifications-store.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ interface NotificationsState {
   markAllAsRead: () => Promise<void>;
   addNotification: (notification: NotificationDto) => void;
   incrementUnread: () => void;
+  /** Set the unread count directly (from server-pushed WS event). */
+  setUnreadCount: (count: number) => void;
 }
 
 export const useNotificationsStore = create<NotificationsState>((set, get) => ({
@@ -92,4 +94,8 @@ export const useNotificationsStore = create<NotificationsState>((set, get) => ({
   incrementUnread: () => {
     set((state) => ({ unreadCount: state.unreadCount + 1 }));
   },
+
+  setUnreadCount: (count) => {
+    set({ unreadCount: count });
+  },
 }));
diff --git a/e2e/api/notifications-ws.spec.ts b/e2e/api/notifications-ws.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f837dc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/api/notifications-ws.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { io, type Socket } from 'socket.io-client';
+import { registerUser } from '../fixtures';
+
+/**
+ * E2E tests for the NotificationsGateway WebSocket round-trip.
+ *
+ * Covers:
+ * - JWT auth handshake on the `/notifications` namespace
+ * - `notification:unread-count` pushed on connect
+ * - Rejection of unauthenticated connections
+ */
+
+/** Resolve the Socket.IO base URL from the API base URL. */
+function wsBaseUrl(): string {
+  const apiBase = process.env['API_BASE_URL'] ?? 'http://localhost:3001/api/v1/';
+  return apiBase.replace(/\/api\/v1\/?$/, '');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Helper — connect to the /notifications namespace with a JWT token
+ * and return a promise that resolves after the first `notification:unread-count`
+ * event or rejects on timeout / connect_error.
+ */
+function connectSocket(token: string): Promise<{ socket: Socket; unreadCount: number }> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const socket = io(`${wsBaseUrl()}/notifications`, {
+      auth: { token },
+      transports: ['websocket'],
+      reconnection: false,
+      timeout: 5000,
+    });
+
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      socket.disconnect();
+      reject(new Error('WS connection timed out'));
+    }, 10_000);
+
+    socket.on('notification:unread-count', (data: { unreadCount: number }) => {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      resolve({ socket, unreadCount: data.unreadCount });
+    });
+
+    socket.on('connect_error', (err) => {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      socket.disconnect();
+      reject(new Error(`WS connect_error: ${err.message}`));
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+test.describe('Notifications WebSocket', () => {
+  test('authenticated user connects and receives unread count', async ({ request }) => {
+    const { accessToken } = await registerUser(request);
+
+    const { socket, unreadCount } = await connectSocket(accessToken);
+    try {
+      expect(typeof unreadCount).toBe('number');
+      expect(unreadCount).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+    } finally {
+      socket.disconnect();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('unauthenticated connection is rejected', async () => {
+    const socket = io(`${wsBaseUrl()}/notifications`, {
+      auth: { token: 'invalid-token-xyz' },
+      transports: ['websocket'],
+      reconnection: false,
+      timeout: 5000,
+    });
+
+    const disconnected = new Promise<string>((resolve) => {
+      socket.on('disconnect', (reason) => resolve(reason));
+      socket.on('connect_error', (err) => {
+        socket.disconnect();
+        resolve(`connect_error: ${err.message}`);
+      });
+    });
+
+    const reason = await disconnected;
+    // The gateway should disconnect or reject the connection
+    expect(reason).toBeTruthy();
+    socket.disconnect();
+  });
+
+  test('multi-device: two sockets for same user both receive unread count', async ({
+    request,
+  }) => {
+    const { accessToken } = await registerUser(request);
+
+    const [conn1, conn2] = await Promise.all([
+      connectSocket(accessToken),
+      connectSocket(accessToken),
+    ]);
+
+    try {
+      expect(conn1.unreadCount).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+      expect(conn2.unreadCount).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+    } finally {
+      conn1.socket.disconnect();
+      conn2.socket.disconnect();
+    }
+  });
+});