diff --git a/docs/notifications.md b/docs/notifications.md
index 19304a1..72590ec 100644
--- a/docs/notifications.md
+++ b/docs/notifications.md
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@ The in-app activity feed shows a chronological list of notifications via the `Ac
 
 All notification types are stored in the `notifications` database table with read/unread tracking. The bottom navigation shows an unread badge count. Users can dismiss individual notifications via the `DELETE /api/notifications/[id]` endpoint.
 
-### Auto-Clear Behavior
+### Read / Dismiss Behavior
 
-Certain user actions automatically delete related notifications to keep the activity feed clean:
-- **Watching a clip** deletes any `new_clip` notification for that clip
-- **Viewing comments** on a clip deletes `comment`, `reply`, and `mention` notifications for that clip
+Notifications persist in the activity feed until the user explicitly dismisses them with the `X` button. Opening the activity feed or interacting with a clip only marks notifications as **read** (removing the unread tint and badge); the rows remain visible:
+- **Opening the activity feed** marks all unread notifications as read.
+- **Watching a clip** marks that clip's `reaction` notifications as read (after a 3s dwell).
+- **Viewing comments** on a clip marks that clip's `comment`, `reply`, and `mention` notifications as read.
+
+Manual deletion (single-row `DELETE /api/notifications/[id]`) is the only path that removes a notification from the feed.
 
 ### API Endpoints
 
diff --git a/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte b/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
index 19434db..2e3a280 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@
 			fetch('/api/notifications/mark-read', {
 				method: 'POST',
 				headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-				body: JSON.stringify({ clipId: clip.id, type: 'reaction', delete: true })
+				body: JSON.stringify({ clipId: clip.id, type: 'reaction' })
 			})
 				.then(() => fetchUnreadCount())
 				.catch(() => {});
diff --git a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/viewed/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/viewed/+server.ts
index 6f6e63f..5ff6233 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/viewed/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/viewed/+server.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { json } from '@sveltejs/kit';
 import type { RequestHandler } from './$types';
 import { db } from '$lib/server/db';
 import { commentViews, notifications } from '$lib/server/db/schema';
-import { eq, and, inArray } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { eq, and, inArray, isNull } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import { withClipAuth } from '$lib/server/api-utils';
 
 export const POST: RequestHandler = withClipAuth(async ({ params }, { user }) => {
@@ -24,14 +24,17 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = withClipAuth(async ({ params }, { user }) =>
 		await db.insert(commentViews).values({ clipId, userId, viewedAt: now });
 	}
 
-	// Auto-clear comment/reply/mention notifications now that the user has viewed comments
+	// Mark comment/reply/mention notifications as read (but keep them in the
+	// activity feed — users dismiss them manually with the X button).
 	await db
-		.delete(notifications)
+		.update(notifications)
+		.set({ readAt: now })
 		.where(
 			and(
 				eq(notifications.userId, userId),
 				eq(notifications.clipId, clipId),
-				inArray(notifications.type, ['comment', 'reply', 'mention'])
+				inArray(notifications.type, ['comment', 'reply', 'mention']),
+				isNull(notifications.readAt)
 			)
 		);
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/favorite/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/favorite/+server.ts
index c7ef89e..cdc16a1 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/favorite/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/favorite/+server.ts
@@ -62,15 +62,17 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = withClipAuth(async ({ params }, { user, clip
 				})
 				.run();
 
-			// Also create ❤️ reaction if one doesn't already exist
-			const existingReaction = tx
+			// Only create a paired ❤️ reaction if this user has NO reaction yet.
+			// If they already reacted with any emoji (e.g. 🔥), preserve their
+			// chosen reaction — the favorite saves the clip without overwriting
+			// what they expressed. This also keeps the "one reaction per user
+			// per clip" invariant the comments view relies on.
+			const existingAnyReaction = tx
 				.select()
 				.from(reactions)
-				.where(
-					and(eq(reactions.clipId, clipId), eq(reactions.userId, userId), eq(reactions.emoji, '❤️'))
-				)
+				.where(and(eq(reactions.clipId, clipId), eq(reactions.userId, userId)))
 				.get();
-			if (!existingReaction) {
+			if (!existingAnyReaction) {
 				tx.insert(reactions)
 					.values({
 						id: uuid(),