feat(inbox): t-paliad-249 Slice A backend — project_event feed + read cursor (m/paliad#80)

Substrate changes that turn /inbox from approvals-only into the
unified notification surface m asked for.

- Migration 126: paliad.users.inbox_seen_at (high-watermark read cursor;
  pending approval_requests bypass it per design §3).
- KnownProjectEventKinds gains note_created, our_side_changed,
  deadline_updated/deleted, deadlines_imported. New
  InboxProjectEventKinds curated subset (head's Q1=A lock).
- InboxSystemView spans [approval_request, project_event]; defaults to
  past 30 days, newest first, row_action="inbox".
- view_service.allowedProjectEventKinds drops *_approval_* audits when
  ApprovalRequest is also in spec.Sources (no double-count).
- RunSpec resolves the caller's inbox_seen_at once and threads it
  through viewSpecBounds; runProjectEvents excludes self-authored
  events and rows older than the cursor when unread_only is set.
  Decided approval_requests follow the cursor; pending always survives.
- ApprovalService.UnseenInboxCountForUser (unified badge count) +
  MarkInboxSeen + InboxSeenAt service methods.
- GET /api/inbox/count returns the unified count; new
  POST /api/inbox/mark-all-seen advances the cursor (optional up_to=).

Tests cover the InboxSystemView shape, the audit-dedup helper, the
isApprovalAuditKind matcher, and the no-narrow-no-approvals nil path.

internal/db/migrations/126_users_inbox_seen_at.down.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-- t-paliad-249 — drop inbox read cursor.
+
+ALTER TABLE paliad.users
+    DROP COLUMN IF EXISTS inbox_seen_at;

internal/db/migrations/126_users_inbox_seen_at.up.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+-- t-paliad-249 — /inbox overhaul, Slice A.
+-- Add a per-user high-watermark read cursor for the inbox feed
+-- (approval requests + curated project_events). The cursor advances
+-- only when the user POSTs to /api/inbox/mark-all-seen. NULL means
+-- "never visited" → every row counts as unread on first paint.
+--
+-- Note on the carve-out enforced in service code: pending
+-- approval_requests count toward the inbox's unread state regardless
+-- of this column. The cursor narrows the project_event source only,
+-- so a stale cursor never buries a high-value pending approval.
+--
+-- Design ref: docs/design-inbox-overhaul-2026-05-25.md §3.
+
+ALTER TABLE paliad.users
+    ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS inbox_seen_at timestamptz NULL;
+
+COMMENT ON COLUMN paliad.users.inbox_seen_at IS
+    'High-watermark cursor for the /inbox feed. project_events newer '
+    'than this timestamp are unread for the caller; NULL = never '
+    'visited (everything unread). Pending approval_requests bypass '
+    'this column and stay unread until decided.';

internal/handlers/approvals.go

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"net/http"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 
@@ -221,6 +222,16 @@ func handleListInboxMine(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 // GET /api/inbox/count — bell badge count for the sidebar.
+//
+// Since t-paliad-249 (Slice A) the count is the **unified** unread
+// count: pending approval requests (regardless of cursor) +
+// curated project_events (InboxProjectEventKinds) on visible
+// projects whose created_at is newer than users.inbox_seen_at. See
+// ApprovalService.UnseenInboxCountForUser for the contract.
+//
+// The legacy approval-only count is still reachable via
+// PendingCountForUser inside the dashboard widget — that path
+// doesn't go through this endpoint.
 func handleInboxCount(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if !requireDB(w) {
 		return
@@ -229,7 +240,7 @@ func handleInboxCount(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if !ok {
 		return
 	}
-	n, err := dbSvc.approval.PendingCountForUser(r.Context(), uid)
+	n, err := dbSvc.approval.UnseenInboxCountForUser(r.Context(), uid)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeServiceError(w, err)
 		return
@@ -237,6 +248,57 @@ func handleInboxCount(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, map[string]int{"count": n})
 }
 
+// POST /api/inbox/mark-all-seen — advance the caller's inbox read
+// cursor (paliad.users.inbox_seen_at). Optional body
+// `{"up_to": "<iso8601>"}` pins the advance to the timestamp of the
+// newest row the client actually saw — handy when a second tab made
+// the inbox grow between the read and the click. Missing body =>
+// advance to now().
+//
+// Returns the new cursor as `{"inbox_seen_at": "<iso8601>"}` so the
+// client can keep its local state in sync.
+func handleInboxMarkAllSeen(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if !requireDB(w) {
+		return
+	}
+	uid, ok := requireUser(w, r)
+	if !ok {
+		return
+	}
+	var body struct {
+		UpTo string `json:"up_to"`
+	}
+	if r.Body != nil && r.ContentLength > 0 {
+		if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil {
+			writeJSON(w, http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]string{"error": "invalid JSON"})
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	var upTo time.Time
+	if body.UpTo != "" {
+		parsed, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, body.UpTo)
+		if err != nil {
+			writeJSON(w, http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]string{"error": "up_to must be RFC3339"})
+			return
+		}
+		upTo = parsed
+	}
+	if err := dbSvc.approval.MarkInboxSeen(r.Context(), uid, upTo); err != nil {
+		writeServiceError(w, err)
+		return
+	}
+	cur, err := dbSvc.approval.InboxSeenAt(r.Context(), uid)
+	if err != nil {
+		writeServiceError(w, err)
+		return
+	}
+	resp := map[string]any{}
+	if cur != nil {
+		resp["inbox_seen_at"] = cur.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
+	}
+	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, resp)
+}
+
 // parseInboxFilter pulls common filter knobs off the query string.
 //
 // Status / EntityType pass through validation: an unrecognised value is

internal/handlers/handlers.go

@@ -671,6 +671,7 @@ func Register(mux *http.ServeMux, client *auth.Client, giteaAPIToken string, svc
 		protected.HandleFunc("GET /api/inbox/pending-mine", handleListInboxPendingMine)
 		protected.HandleFunc("GET /api/inbox/mine", handleListInboxMine)
 		protected.HandleFunc("GET /api/inbox/count", handleInboxCount)
+		protected.HandleFunc("POST /api/inbox/mark-all-seen", handleInboxMarkAllSeen)
 		protected.HandleFunc("GET /api/approval-requests/{id}", handleGetApprovalRequest)
 		protected.HandleFunc("POST /api/approval-requests/{id}/approve", handleApproveApprovalRequest)
 		protected.HandleFunc("POST /api/approval-requests/{id}/reject", handleRejectApprovalRequest)

internal/services/approval_service.go

@@ -1607,6 +1607,95 @@ func (s *ApprovalService) PendingCountForUser(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid
 	return n, nil
 }
 
+// UnseenInboxCountForUser returns the unified inbox badge count
+// (t-paliad-249, Slice A):
+//
+//   - pending approval_requests where the caller is qualified to
+//     approve (same predicate as PendingCountForUser); these count
+//     regardless of users.inbox_seen_at — pending approvals never
+//     fall behind the cursor.
+//   - project_events with event_type ∈ InboxProjectEventKinds whose
+//     created_at > users.inbox_seen_at (NULL cursor → every row is
+//     unseen) on visible projects, EXCLUDING the caller's own events
+//     (you don't get notified about your own actions) and excluding
+//     the `*_approval_*` audit duplicates of approval_request rows.
+//
+// One round-trip; UNION ALL across two SELECTs so the two halves can
+// use their own indexes.
+func (s *ApprovalService) UnseenInboxCountForUser(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID) (int, error) {
+	inboxKinds := InboxProjectEventKinds
+	q := `SELECT COALESCE(SUM(c), 0) FROM (
+	    SELECT COUNT(*) AS c
+	      FROM paliad.approval_requests ar
+	      JOIN paliad.projects p ON p.id = ar.project_id
+	     WHERE ar.status = 'pending'
+	       AND ar.requested_by <> $1
+	       AND ` + approvalEligibilitySQL + `
+	    UNION ALL
+	    SELECT COUNT(*) AS c
+	      FROM paliad.project_events pe
+	      JOIN paliad.projects p ON p.id = pe.project_id
+	      LEFT JOIN paliad.users  u ON u.id = $1
+	     WHERE pe.event_type = ANY($2)
+	       AND (pe.created_by IS DISTINCT FROM $1)
+	       AND (u.inbox_seen_at IS NULL OR pe.created_at > u.inbox_seen_at)
+	       AND ` + visibilityPredicatePositional("p", 1) + `
+	) sub`
+	var n int
+	if err := s.db.GetContext(ctx, &n, q, callerID, pq.Array(inboxKinds)); err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("unseen inbox count: %w", err)
+	}
+	return n, nil
+}
+
+// MarkInboxSeen advances the caller's inbox read cursor.
+// If `upTo` is zero, advances to now(); otherwise advances to upTo
+// (used by the client to pin to the newest visible row so a stray
+// second tab doesn't lose items between the read and the click).
+//
+// The cursor only moves forward — calls with upTo < current are
+// no-ops so a stale tab can't rewind.
+func (s *ApprovalService) MarkInboxSeen(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID, upTo time.Time) error {
+	var (
+		q    string
+		args []any
+	)
+	if upTo.IsZero() {
+		q = `UPDATE paliad.users
+		        SET inbox_seen_at = now()
+		      WHERE id = $1
+		        AND (inbox_seen_at IS NULL OR inbox_seen_at < now())`
+		args = []any{callerID}
+	} else {
+		q = `UPDATE paliad.users
+		        SET inbox_seen_at = $2
+		      WHERE id = $1
+		        AND (inbox_seen_at IS NULL OR inbox_seen_at < $2)`
+		args = []any{callerID, upTo.UTC()}
+	}
+	if _, err := s.db.ExecContext(ctx, q, args...); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("mark inbox seen: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// InboxSeenAt returns the caller's current inbox read cursor, or nil
+// if the user has never marked the inbox as seen. Used by the inbox
+// run path to overlay the unread_only predicate (t-paliad-249, §3 of
+// the design doc).
+func (s *ApprovalService) InboxSeenAt(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID) (*time.Time, error) {
+	var t sql.NullTime
+	q := `SELECT inbox_seen_at FROM paliad.users WHERE id = $1`
+	if err := s.db.GetContext(ctx, &t, q, callerID); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("inbox seen lookup: %w", err)
+	}
+	if !t.Valid {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	v := t.Time
+	return &v, nil
+}
+
 // ============================================================================
 // Policy CRUD — paliad.approval_policies (t-paliad-138 + t-paliad-154).
 //

internal/services/filter_spec.go

@@ -44,12 +44,20 @@ var AllSources = []DataSource{
 const SpecVersion = 1
 
 // FilterSpec is the top-level filter description.
+//
+// UnreadOnly (t-paliad-249) is an inbox-specific overlay: when true,
+// project_event rows older than the caller's inbox_seen_at cursor are
+// dropped. Pending approval_request rows always survive (the cursor
+// can't bury an in-flight approval, per the design doc §3 carve-out).
+// Set by the bar's `unread_only` axis on /inbox; other surfaces leave
+// it false and the spec is a no-op.
 type FilterSpec struct {
 	Version    int                       `json:"version"`
 	Sources    []DataSource              `json:"sources"`
 	Scope      ScopeSpec                 `json:"scope"`
 	Time       TimeSpec                  `json:"time"`
 	Predicates map[DataSource]Predicates `json:"predicates,omitempty"`
+	UnreadOnly bool                      `json:"unread_only,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // ScopeSpec narrows which projects contribute rows. Resolved at query
@@ -192,11 +200,58 @@ var KnownProjectEventKinds = []string{
 	"deadline_created",
 	"deadline_completed",
 	"deadline_reopened",
+	"deadline_updated",
+	"deadline_deleted",
+	"deadlines_imported",
 	"appointment_created",
 	"appointment_updated",
 	"appointment_deleted",
 	"approval_decided",
 	"member_role_changed",
+	"note_created",
+	"our_side_changed",
+}
+
+// InboxProjectEventKinds is the curated sub-list surfaced by default on
+// /inbox (t-paliad-249, Slice A; head pick Q1=A on 2026-05-25).
+//
+// What's in:
+//   - Lifecycle moves the team should notice: project_archived,
+//     project_reparented, project_type_changed.
+//   - Deadline / appointment authoring across the visible scope.
+//   - Notes (`note_created`) and party-side flips
+//     (`our_side_changed`).
+//   - `member_role_changed` — Slice A surfaces it for everyone who can
+//     see the project; Slice B narrows to "role change affects the
+//     viewer or someone above them in the project tree" (head's
+//     refinement #1).
+//
+// What's out:
+//   - All `*_approval_*` event_types — duplicates of approval_request
+//     rows. View-service drops them automatically when ApprovalRequest
+//     is also in spec.Sources (see view_service.allowedProjectEventKinds).
+//   - `status_changed`, `project_created` — too granular / authoring
+//     noise.
+//   - `checklist_*` — low signal; surfaces on the project's checklist
+//     tab instead.
+//
+// Design ref: docs/design-inbox-overhaul-2026-05-25.md §2 + §12.
+var InboxProjectEventKinds = []string{
+	"project_archived",
+	"project_reparented",
+	"project_type_changed",
+	"deadline_created",
+	"deadline_completed",
+	"deadline_reopened",
+	"deadline_updated",
+	"deadline_deleted",
+	"deadlines_imported",
+	"appointment_created",
+	"appointment_updated",
+	"appointment_deleted",
+	"note_created",
+	"our_side_changed",
+	"member_role_changed",
 }
 
 // validApprovalStatuses are the legal values for entity-side approval_status

internal/services/render_spec.go

@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ const (
 	RowActionNavigate       ListRowAction = "navigate"
 	RowActionCompleteToggle ListRowAction = "complete_toggle"
 	RowActionApprove        ListRowAction = "approve"
+	RowActionInbox          ListRowAction = "inbox"
 	RowActionNone           ListRowAction = "none"
 )
 
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ var KnownRowActions = []ListRowAction{
 	RowActionNavigate,
 	RowActionCompleteToggle,
 	RowActionApprove,
+	RowActionInbox,
 	RowActionNone,
 }
 

internal/services/system_views.go

@@ -100,40 +100,48 @@ func EventsSystemView() SystemView {
 	}
 }
 
-// InboxSystemView returns the SystemView definition for /inbox — the
-// 4-eye approval surface. The bar's approval_viewer_role chip
-// cluster narrows to "Zur Genehmigung" / "Eigene Anfragen" /
-// "Alle sichtbaren". Default is "any_visible" so the page lands on
-// a populated view for every user (m's 2026-05-08 22:08 dogfood:
-// "the inbox somehow does not show nothing no more" — the prior
-// default was approver_eligible, which is empty for users who only
-// SUBMIT requests and have nothing to approve themselves).
+// InboxSystemView returns the SystemView definition for /inbox.
 //
-// RowAction = RowActionApprove → shape-list.ts renders the approval
-// row layout (entity title + diff + approve/reject/revoke buttons)
-// and the surface wires action handlers via the rendered data-attrs.
+// t-paliad-249 (Slice A, 2026-05-25) widened the inbox from
+// approval-requests-only to a project-events feed PLUS approval
+// requests. Sources is [ApprovalRequest, ProjectEvent]; the project
+// rail is narrowed to InboxProjectEventKinds (curated set, head pick
+// Q1=A). The `*_approval_*` audit events are de-duplicated against
+// the approval_request rows by view_service.allowedProjectEventKinds.
+//
+// Time window defaults to last 30 days; the bar's time-axis chip
+// can widen or narrow. Sort is newest-first — different from the
+// pre-249 ascending default; m's inbox metaphor is "what just
+// happened", not "what's coming up".
+//
+// RowAction = RowActionInbox → shape-list.ts dispatches per
+// row.kind: approval rows get the approve/reject/revoke layout,
+// project_event rows get a navigate-style stream row.
 func InboxSystemView() SystemView {
 	return SystemView{
 		Slug: "inbox",
 		Name: "Inbox",
 		Filter: FilterSpec{
 			Version: SpecVersion,
-			Sources: []DataSource{SourceApprovalRequest},
+			Sources: []DataSource{SourceApprovalRequest, SourceProjectEvent},
 			Scope:   ScopeSpec{Projects: ScopeProjects{Mode: ScopeAllVisible}},
-			Time:    TimeSpec{Horizon: HorizonAny, Field: FieldAuto},
+			Time:    TimeSpec{Horizon: HorizonPast30d, Field: FieldAuto},
 			Predicates: map[DataSource]Predicates{
 				SourceApprovalRequest: {ApprovalRequest: &ApprovalRequestPredicates{
 					ViewerRole: "any_visible",
 					Status:     []string{"pending"},
 				}},
+				SourceProjectEvent: {ProjectEvent: &ProjectEventPredicates{
+					EventTypes: InboxProjectEventKinds,
+				}},
 			},
 		},
 		Render: RenderSpec{
 			Shape: ShapeList,
 			List: &ListConfig{
 				Density:   DensityComfortable,
-				Sort:      SortDateAsc,
-				RowAction: RowActionApprove,
+				Sort:      SortDateDesc,
+				RowAction: RowActionInbox,
 			},
 		},
 	}

internal/services/system_views_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package services
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+)
 
 // Pure-Go tests for the SystemView registry. Each system view's specs
 // must self-validate; the slugs must be reserved.
@@ -45,3 +48,63 @@ func TestReservedSlugs_NonReservedAccepted(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// InboxSystemView shape — t-paliad-249
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestInboxSystemView_Sources(t *testing.T) {
+	sv := InboxSystemView()
+	if !slices.Contains(sv.Filter.Sources, SourceApprovalRequest) {
+		t.Errorf("InboxSystemView must include SourceApprovalRequest, got %v", sv.Filter.Sources)
+	}
+	if !slices.Contains(sv.Filter.Sources, SourceProjectEvent) {
+		t.Errorf("InboxSystemView must include SourceProjectEvent, got %v", sv.Filter.Sources)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInboxSystemView_DefaultsToPast30d(t *testing.T) {
+	sv := InboxSystemView()
+	if sv.Filter.Time.Horizon != HorizonPast30d {
+		t.Errorf("default horizon must be past_30d, got %q", sv.Filter.Time.Horizon)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInboxSystemView_RowActionInbox(t *testing.T) {
+	sv := InboxSystemView()
+	if sv.Render.List == nil {
+		t.Fatal("InboxSystemView must define a list config")
+	}
+	if sv.Render.List.RowAction != RowActionInbox {
+		t.Errorf("row_action must be inbox, got %q", sv.Render.List.RowAction)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInboxSystemView_CuratedProjectEventKinds(t *testing.T) {
+	sv := InboxSystemView()
+	preds := sv.Filter.Predicates[SourceProjectEvent]
+	if preds.ProjectEvent == nil {
+		t.Fatal("InboxSystemView must narrow project_event predicates")
+	}
+	got := preds.ProjectEvent.EventTypes
+	if len(got) != len(InboxProjectEventKinds) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %d curated kinds, got %d", len(InboxProjectEventKinds), len(got))
+	}
+	for _, k := range got {
+		if slices.Contains([]string{"status_changed", "project_created"}, k) {
+			t.Errorf("inbox must NOT include noisy kind %q", k)
+		}
+		// No *_approval_* audit duplicates either — view_service dedups
+		// at query time but the curated list shouldn't carry them.
+		if isApprovalAuditKind(k) {
+			t.Errorf("inbox curated list must not include audit-dup %q", k)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInboxSystemView_NewestFirst(t *testing.T) {
+	sv := InboxSystemView()
+	if sv.Render.List == nil || sv.Render.List.Sort != SortDateDesc {
+		t.Errorf("inbox must sort newest-first by default, got %q", sv.Render.List.Sort)
+	}
+}

internal/services/view_service.go

@@ -83,6 +83,15 @@ func (s *EventService) RunSpec(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID, spec Filte
 	rows := make([]ViewRow, 0, 256)
 	bounds := computeViewSpecBounds(time.Now().UTC(), spec.Time)
 
+	if spec.UnreadOnly && approval != nil {
+		cursor, err := approval.InboxSeenAt(ctx, userID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("inbox cursor lookup: %w", err)
+		}
+		bounds.unreadOnly = true
+		bounds.inboxSeenAt = cursor
+	}
+
 	for _, src := range spec.Sources {
 		switch src {
 		case SourceDeadline:
@@ -148,9 +157,16 @@ func (s *EventService) RunSpec(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID, spec Filte
 
 // viewSpecBounds carries the resolved [from, to) window the spec
 // translates into. Either bound can be nil (open-ended).
+//
+// inboxSeenAt is set by RunSpec when spec.UnreadOnly=true: the caller's
+// users.inbox_seen_at cursor pre-resolved once so each source-runner can
+// overlay it without re-querying the users table. nil means "never
+// visited" — every row is unread.
 type viewSpecBounds struct {
-	from *time.Time
-	to   *time.Time
+	from        *time.Time
+	to          *time.Time
+	unreadOnly  bool
+	inboxSeenAt *time.Time
 }
 
 func computeViewSpecBounds(now time.Time, ts TimeSpec) viewSpecBounds {
@@ -345,6 +361,11 @@ func (s *EventService) runAppointments(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID, sp
 // runProjectEvents queries paliad.project_events with the visibility
 // predicate. The audit table doesn't have a service wrapper today; we
 // run our own SQL bounded by the spec.
+//
+// Inbox semantics (t-paliad-249) kick in when bounds.unreadOnly is set:
+// the caller's own events are excluded (you don't notify yourself) and
+// rows older than bounds.inboxSeenAt are dropped. Cursor lookup happens
+// once in RunSpec — runProjectEvents only consumes the resolved value.
 func (s *EventService) runProjectEvents(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID, spec FilterSpec, bounds viewSpecBounds) ([]ViewRow, error) {
 	conds := []string{visibilityPredicatePositional("p", 1)}
 	args := []any{userID}
@@ -366,6 +387,14 @@ func (s *EventService) runProjectEvents(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID, s
 		args = append(args, spec.Scope.Projects.IDs)
 		conds = append(conds, fmt.Sprintf("pe.project_id = ANY($%d)", len(args)))
 	}
+	if bounds.unreadOnly {
+		// Inbox mode: hide the caller's own actions (no self-notify).
+		conds = append(conds, "pe.created_by IS DISTINCT FROM $1")
+		if bounds.inboxSeenAt != nil {
+			args = append(args, *bounds.inboxSeenAt)
+			conds = append(conds, fmt.Sprintf("pe.created_at > $%d", len(args)))
+		}
+	}
 
 	q := `
 		SELECT pe.id, pe.project_id, pe.event_type, pe.title, pe.description,
@@ -520,6 +549,15 @@ func (s *EventService) runApprovalRequests(ctx context.Context, userID uuid.UUID
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Inbox unread-only carve-out (t-paliad-249, design §3):
+		// pending requests always survive; decided rows are subject to
+		// the cursor like any other audit-style item.
+		if bounds.unreadOnly && r.Status != RequestStatusPending {
+			if bounds.inboxSeenAt != nil && !eventDate.After(*bounds.inboxSeenAt) {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+
 		title := approvalRowTitle(r)
 		subtitle := approvalRowSubtitle(r)
 		detail, _ := json.Marshal(r) // request view already carries everything the UI needs
@@ -646,15 +684,46 @@ func allowedAppointmentTypes(spec FilterSpec) map[string]bool {
 
 // allowedProjectEventKinds returns the slice of project_event.event_type
 // values the spec narrows to, or nil for "all known kinds".
+//
+// Inbox de-dup (t-paliad-249): when the spec also fans out
+// SourceApprovalRequest, every `*_approval_*` audit event is dropped
+// — the approval_request row itself is the canonical signal, and we
+// don't want both rows showing up side-by-side. The drop applies to
+// both the explicit caller list and the implicit "all kinds" path.
 func allowedProjectEventKinds(spec FilterSpec) []string {
 	preds, ok := spec.Predicates[SourceProjectEvent]
-	if !ok || preds.ProjectEvent == nil {
+	dedupApprovals := slices.Contains(spec.Sources, SourceApprovalRequest)
+
+	var requested []string
+	switch {
+	case ok && preds.ProjectEvent != nil && len(preds.ProjectEvent.EventTypes) > 0:
+		requested = preds.ProjectEvent.EventTypes
+	case dedupApprovals:
+		// No explicit narrowing, but ApprovalRequest is in sources —
+		// rebuild the implicit "all" list so we can subtract approvals.
+		requested = KnownProjectEventKinds
+	default:
 		return nil
 	}
-	if len(preds.ProjectEvent.EventTypes) == 0 {
-		return nil
+
+	if !dedupApprovals {
+		return requested
 	}
-	return preds.ProjectEvent.EventTypes
+	filtered := make([]string, 0, len(requested))
+	for _, k := range requested {
+		if isApprovalAuditKind(k) {
+			continue
+		}
+		filtered = append(filtered, k)
+	}
+	return filtered
+}
+
+// isApprovalAuditKind matches the `*_approval_*` audit event_types that
+// every approval mutation emits alongside the approval_request row.
+// Dropped from inbox project_event reads (see allowedProjectEventKinds).
+func isApprovalAuditKind(kind string) bool {
+	return strings.Contains(kind, "_approval_") || kind == "approval_decided"
 }
 
 // allowedRequestStatuses returns nil for "no narrowing" (or "single value

internal/services/view_service_inbox_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package services
+
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// t-paliad-249 — Slice A. Ensures the *_approval_* audit kinds are
+// dropped from the project_event read path when ApprovalRequest is
+// also fanning out, so the same fact isn't shown twice in /inbox.
+
+func TestAllowedProjectEventKinds_DedupsApprovalAudits(t *testing.T) {
+	spec := FilterSpec{
+		Version: SpecVersion,
+		Sources: []DataSource{SourceApprovalRequest, SourceProjectEvent},
+		Predicates: map[DataSource]Predicates{
+			SourceProjectEvent: {ProjectEvent: &ProjectEventPredicates{
+				EventTypes: []string{
+					"deadline_created",
+					"deadline_approval_requested",
+					"appointment_approval_approved",
+					"approval_decided",
+					"note_created",
+				},
+			}},
+		},
+	}
+	got := allowedProjectEventKinds(spec)
+	if slices.Contains(got, "deadline_approval_requested") {
+		t.Errorf("must drop deadline_approval_requested, got %v", got)
+	}
+	if slices.Contains(got, "appointment_approval_approved") {
+		t.Errorf("must drop appointment_approval_approved, got %v", got)
+	}
+	if slices.Contains(got, "approval_decided") {
+		t.Errorf("must drop approval_decided, got %v", got)
+	}
+	if !slices.Contains(got, "deadline_created") {
+		t.Errorf("must keep deadline_created, got %v", got)
+	}
+	if !slices.Contains(got, "note_created") {
+		t.Errorf("must keep note_created, got %v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAllowedProjectEventKinds_NoDedupWhenApprovalsAbsent(t *testing.T) {
+	spec := FilterSpec{
+		Version: SpecVersion,
+		Sources: []DataSource{SourceProjectEvent},
+		Predicates: map[DataSource]Predicates{
+			SourceProjectEvent: {ProjectEvent: &ProjectEventPredicates{
+				EventTypes: []string{
+					"deadline_created",
+					"deadline_approval_requested",
+				},
+			}},
+		},
+	}
+	got := allowedProjectEventKinds(spec)
+	if !slices.Contains(got, "deadline_approval_requested") {
+		t.Errorf("Verlauf-style spec without approvals source should keep audit kinds, got %v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAllowedProjectEventKinds_NilWhenNoPredicateAndNoDedup(t *testing.T) {
+	spec := FilterSpec{
+		Version: SpecVersion,
+		Sources: []DataSource{SourceProjectEvent},
+	}
+	if got := allowedProjectEventKinds(spec); got != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected nil (all kinds), got %v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAllowedProjectEventKinds_FillsImplicitListWhenDedup(t *testing.T) {
+	// When approvals are in sources but the caller didn't explicitly
+	// narrow EventTypes, the helper must materialise the curated set
+	// minus audit duplicates so the WHERE clause filters them out.
+	spec := FilterSpec{
+		Version: SpecVersion,
+		Sources: []DataSource{SourceApprovalRequest, SourceProjectEvent},
+	}
+	got := allowedProjectEventKinds(spec)
+	if got == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected explicit kind list, got nil")
+	}
+	for _, k := range got {
+		if isApprovalAuditKind(k) {
+			t.Errorf("audit kind %q leaked through dedup", k)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIsApprovalAuditKind(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := map[string]bool{
+		"deadline_approval_requested":       true,
+		"appointment_approval_approved":     true,
+		"appointment_approval_rejected":     true,
+		"deadline_approval_changes_suggested": true,
+		"approval_decided":                  true,
+		"deadline_created":                  false,
+		"note_created":                      false,
+		"our_side_changed":                  false,
+		"project_archived":                  false,
+	}
+	for kind, want := range cases {
+		if got := isApprovalAuditKind(kind); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("isApprovalAuditKind(%q) = %v, want %v", kind, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+}