diff --git a/src-tauri/src/notify.rs b/src-tauri/src/notify.rs
index 2500e26..1cfc57a 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/notify.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/notify.rs
@@ -9,14 +9,16 @@ use crate::patterns::MatchedEvent;
 static PENDING: Mutex<Vec<MatchedEvent>> = Mutex::new(vec![]);
 
 pub fn dispatch<R: Runtime>(app: &AppHandle<R>, event: MatchedEvent) {
-    let level = {
-        let state = app.state::<AppState>();
-        let config = state.config.lock().unwrap();
-        config.display.notification_level.clone()
-    };
+    let level = app
+        .state::<AppState>()
+        .config
+        .lock()
+        .map(|c| c.display.notification_level.clone())
+        .unwrap_or_default();
 
-    if let Ok(mut pending) = PENDING.lock() {
-        pending.push(event.clone());
+    match PENDING.lock() {
+        Ok(mut pending) => pending.push(event.clone()),
+        Err(e) => log::warn!("notify: pending queue lock poisoned — event dropped: {e}"),
     }
 
     match level {
@@ -48,3 +50,36 @@ pub fn take_pending() -> Vec<MatchedEvent> {
         .map(|mut v| std::mem::take(&mut *v))
         .unwrap_or_default()
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn make_event(id: &str) -> MatchedEvent {
+        MatchedEvent {
+            pattern_id: id.into(),
+            title: "Title".into(),
+            body: "Body".into(),
+            severity: "warn".into(),
+            timestamp: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn take_pending_drains_queue() {
+        // Ensure clean state — drain any events from other tests sharing the static
+        let _ = take_pending();
+
+        if let Ok(mut q) = PENDING.lock() {
+            q.push(make_event("a"));
+            q.push(make_event("b"));
+        }
+
+        let first = take_pending();
+        assert_eq!(first.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(first[0].pattern_id, "a");
+
+        let second = take_pending();
+        assert!(second.is_empty(), "queue must be empty after drain");
+    }
+}