diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/services/chat_comments_service.py b/surfsense_backend/app/services/chat_comments_service.py
index fa26bf6d5..6f81c0158 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/services/chat_comments_service.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/services/chat_comments_service.py
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@ async def create_comment(
             thread_title=thread.title or "Untitled thread",
             author_id=str(user.id),
             author_name=author_name,
+            author_avatar_url=user.avatar_url,
+            author_email=user.email,
             content_preview=content_preview[:200],
             search_space_id=search_space_id,
         )
@@ -426,6 +428,8 @@ async def create_reply(
             thread_title=thread.title or "Untitled thread",
             author_id=str(user.id),
             author_name=author_name,
+            author_avatar_url=user.avatar_url,
+            author_email=user.email,
             content_preview=content_preview[:200],
             search_space_id=search_space_id,
         )
@@ -565,6 +569,8 @@ async def update_comment(
                 thread_title=thread.title or "Untitled thread",
                 author_id=str(user.id),
                 author_name=author_name,
+                author_avatar_url=user.avatar_url,
+                author_email=user.email,
                 content_preview=content_preview[:200],
                 search_space_id=search_space_id,
             )
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/services/notification_service.py b/surfsense_backend/app/services/notification_service.py
index 97e0f9457..5f7f568f6 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/services/notification_service.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/services/notification_service.py
@@ -634,6 +634,8 @@ class MentionNotificationHandler(BaseNotificationHandler):
         thread_title: str,
         author_id: str,
         author_name: str,
+        author_avatar_url: str | None,
+        author_email: str,
         content_preview: str,
         search_space_id: int,
     ) -> Notification:
@@ -650,6 +652,8 @@ class MentionNotificationHandler(BaseNotificationHandler):
             thread_title: Title of the chat thread
             author_id: ID of the comment author
             author_name: Display name of the comment author
+            author_avatar_url: Avatar URL of the comment author
+            author_email: Email of the comment author (for fallback initials)
             content_preview: First ~100 chars of the comment
             search_space_id: Search space ID
 
@@ -667,6 +671,8 @@ class MentionNotificationHandler(BaseNotificationHandler):
             "thread_title": thread_title,
             "author_id": author_id,
             "author_name": author_name,
+            "author_avatar_url": author_avatar_url,
+            "author_email": author_email,
             "content_preview": content_preview[:200],
         }
 
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/notifications/NotificationPopup.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/notifications/NotificationPopup.tsx
index 50deadf03..dff89ff6a 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/notifications/NotificationPopup.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/notifications/NotificationPopup.tsx
@@ -4,12 +4,32 @@ import { formatDistanceToNow } from "date-fns";
 import { AlertCircle, Bell, CheckCheck, CheckCircle2, Loader2 } from "lucide-react";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { convertRenderedToDisplay } from "@/components/chat-comments/comment-item/comment-item";
+import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { ScrollArea } from "@/components/ui/scroll-area";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
 import type { Notification } from "@/hooks/use-notifications";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
+/**
+ * Get initials from name or email for avatar fallback
+ */
+function getInitials(name: string | null | undefined, email: string | null | undefined): string {
+	if (name) {
+		return name
+			.split(" ")
+			.map((n) => n[0])
+			.join("")
+			.toUpperCase()
+			.slice(0, 2);
+	}
+	if (email) {
+		const localPart = email.split("@")[0];
+		return localPart.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase();
+	}
+	return "U";
+}
+
 interface NotificationPopupProps {
 	notifications: Notification[];
 	unreadCount: number;
@@ -66,6 +86,28 @@ export function NotificationPopup({
 	};
 
 	const getStatusIcon = (notification: Notification) => {
+		// For mentions, show the author's avatar with initials fallback
+		if (notification.type === "new_mention") {
+			const metadata = notification.metadata as {
+				author_name?: string;
+				author_avatar_url?: string | null;
+				author_email?: string;
+			};
+			const authorName = metadata?.author_name;
+			const avatarUrl = metadata?.author_avatar_url;
+			const authorEmail = metadata?.author_email;
+
+			return (
+				<Avatar className="h-6 w-6">
+					{avatarUrl && <AvatarImage src={avatarUrl} alt={authorName || "User"} />}
+					<AvatarFallback className="text-[10px] bg-primary/10 text-primary">
+						{getInitials(authorName, authorEmail)}
+					</AvatarFallback>
+				</Avatar>
+			);
+		}
+
+		// For other notification types, show status icons
 		const status = notification.metadata?.status as string | undefined;
 
 		switch (status) {
@@ -118,8 +160,8 @@ export function NotificationPopup({
 										!notification.read && "bg-accent/50"
 									)}
 								>
-									<div className="flex items-start gap-3 overflow-hidden">
-										<div className="flex-shrink-0 mt-0.5">{getStatusIcon(notification)}</div>
+									<div className="flex items-center gap-3 overflow-hidden">
+										<div className="flex-shrink-0">{getStatusIcon(notification)}</div>
 										<div className="flex-1 min-w-0 overflow-hidden">
 											<div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2 mb-1">
 												<p
diff --git a/surfsense_web/contracts/types/notification.types.ts b/surfsense_web/contracts/types/notification.types.ts
index afd4f1232..b2b39d26e 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/contracts/types/notification.types.ts
+++ b/surfsense_web/contracts/types/notification.types.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ export const newMentionMetadata = z.object({
 	thread_title: z.string(),
 	author_id: z.string(),
 	author_name: z.string(),
+	author_avatar_url: z.string().nullable().optional(),
+	author_email: z.string().optional(),
 	content_preview: z.string(),
 });