diff --git a/.agents/skills/codeatlas-ui/API.md b/.agents/skills/codeatlas-ui/API.md
index 87a2a243..f8dfa6b7 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/codeatlas-ui/API.md
+++ b/.agents/skills/codeatlas-ui/API.md
@@ -2336,11 +2336,15 @@ Parts: `ca-bottom-nav__more` `ca-bottom-nav__more-btn` `ca-bottom-nav__more-btn-
 | Prop | Type | Default | Notes |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | `notifications?` | `NotificationItem[]` | `[]` |  |
+| `open?` | `boolean` | `false` | `bind:` Bindable. Whether the panel is open. |
+| `onOpenChange?` | `(open: boolean) => void` |  | Called when the user opens or closes the panel, not when the parent sets open. |
+| `count?` | `number` |  | Unread total. Defaults to the unread notifications in the list. |
+| `loading?` | `boolean` | `false` | Shows loading text while keeping loaded notifications visible. |
 | `onRead?` | `(id: string) => void` |  |  |
 | `onReadAll?` | `() => void` |  |  |
 | `onClear?` | `() => void` |  |  |
 | `class?` | `string` | `''` |  |
-| `labels?` | `{ title?: string; markAll?: string; clear?: string; empty?: string; }` | `{}` | Label overrides for i18n. Defaults to English strings. |
+| `labels?` | `{ title?: string; markAll?: string; clear?: string; empty?: string; loading?: string; }` | `{}` | Label overrides for i18n. Defaults to English strings. |
 
 Snippets: `children`
 
diff --git a/.changeset/notification-bell-state.md b/.changeset/notification-bell-state.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68768037
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/notification-bell-state.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@codeatlasdev/ui": minor
+---
+
+Add bindable open state, user open-change callbacks, an independent unread count and loading feedback to NotificationBell for lazy notification lists. Announce unread count changes politely.
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBell.svelte b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBell.svelte
index 35b24b89..2acd8609 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBell.svelte
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBell.svelte
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
   import { notificationBell } from '../../i18n/groups/notificationBell.js';
   import { Bell } from '@lucide/svelte';
   import { uid } from '../../utils/index.js';
+  import { announce } from '../../utils/announce.js';
   import FloatingLayer from '../Popover/FloatingLayer.svelte';
   import { createTriggerProps, tabIntoPopup } from '../Popover/trigger.js';
   import Badge from '../Badge/Badge.svelte';
-  import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
+  import { type Snippet, untrack } from 'svelte';
   const t = useMessages(notificationBell);
 
   export interface NotificationItem {
@@ -20,6 +21,14 @@
 
   interface Props {
     notifications?: NotificationItem[];
+    /** Bindable. Whether the panel is open. */
+    open?: boolean;
+    /** Called when the user opens or closes the panel, not when the parent sets open. */
+    onOpenChange?: (open: boolean) => void;
+    /** Unread total. Defaults to the unread notifications in the list. */
+    count?: number;
+    /** Shows loading text while keeping loaded notifications visible. */
+    loading?: boolean;
     onRead?: (id: string) => void;
     onReadAll?: () => void;
     onClear?: () => void;
@@ -31,11 +40,16 @@
       markAll?: string;
       clear?:   string;
       empty?:   string;
+      loading?: string;
     };
   }
 
   let {
     notifications = [],
+    open = $bindable(false),
+    onOpenChange,
+    count,
+    loading = false,
     onRead,
     onReadAll,
     onClear,
@@ -44,20 +58,37 @@
     labels = {},
   }: Props = $props();
 
-  let unread = $derived(notifications.filter(n => !n.read).length);
+  let unread = $derived(count ?? notifications.filter(n => !n.read).length);
+  let lastUnread = untrack(() => unread);
+  $effect(() => {
+    const next = unread;
+    if (next === lastUnread) return;
+    lastUnread = next;
+    announce(t().notificationBell.label(next));
+  });
 
   const id = uid('notif');
-  let open = $state(false);
   let anchor = $state<HTMLElement | null>(null);
   let panel = $state<HTMLElement | null>(null);
 
+  // Restore focus before a closing panel removes its focused child.
+  $effect.pre(() => {
+    if (!open && panel?.contains(document.activeElement)) anchor?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+  });
+
+  function setOpen(next: boolean) {
+    if (next === open) return;
+    open = next;
+    onOpenChange?.(next);
+  }
+
   const makeTrigger = createTriggerProps((el) => (anchor = el));
   const triggerAttrs = $derived(
-    makeTrigger({ id: `${id}-trigger`, popup: 'dialog', open, controls: `${id}-panel`, onToggle: () => (open = !open), onKeydown: (e) => open && tabIntoPopup(e, panel) })
+    makeTrigger({ id: `${id}-trigger`, popup: 'dialog', open, controls: `${id}-panel`, onToggle: () => setOpen(!open), onKeydown: (e) => open && tabIntoPopup(e, panel) })
   );
 
   function close(restoreFocus: boolean) {
-    open = false;
+    setOpen(false);
     if (restoreFocus) anchor?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
   }
 </script>
@@ -107,8 +138,13 @@
         </div>
       </div>
 
+      {#if loading}
+        <div class="ca-notif-empty">{labels.loading ?? t().notificationBell.loading}</div>
+      {/if}
       {#if notifications.length === 0}
-        <div class="ca-notif-empty">{labels.empty ?? t().notificationBell.empty}</div>
+        {#if !loading}
+          <div class="ca-notif-empty">{labels.empty ?? t().notificationBell.empty}</div>
+        {/if}
       {:else}
         <ul class="ca-notif-list">
           {#each notifications as n}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.svelte.test.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.svelte.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c9c605c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.svelte.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { page, userEvent } from "vitest/browser";
+import { render } from "vitest-browser-svelte";
+import { checkA11y } from "../../../../tests/a11y";
+import { settled } from "../../../../tests/settled";
+import NotificationBell from "./NotificationBell.svelte";
+import Harness from "./NotificationBellState.test.svelte";
+
+const items = [
+	{ id: "a", title: "New invoice" },
+	{ id: "b", title: "Read receipt", read: true },
+];
+const trigger = () => page.getByRole("button", { name: /notifications$/i });
+const bound = () => page.getByRole("status", { name: "Bound open" });
+const live = () => document.querySelector('[data-ca-announcer="polite"]');
+
+afterEach(() => {
+	for (const el of document.querySelectorAll("[data-ca-announcer]")) el.remove();
+});
+
+describe("NotificationBell state", () => {
+	for (const mode of ["parent", "click"] as const) {
+		it.each([
+			{ count: 7, loading: true, items: [], label: "7 unread notifications" },
+			{ count: 7, loading: false, items: [], label: "7 unread notifications" },
+			{ count: 7, loading: true, items, label: "7 unread notifications" },
+			{ count: 7, loading: false, items, label: "7 unread notifications" },
+			{ count: undefined, loading: true, items: [], label: "Notifications" },
+			{ count: undefined, loading: false, items: [], label: "Notifications" },
+			{ count: undefined, loading: true, items, label: "1 unread notifications" },
+			{ count: undefined, loading: false, items, label: "1 unread notifications" },
+		])(`${mode}: combination %#`, async (row) => {
+			const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+			const screen = await render(Harness, { ...row, onOpenChange });
+			await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName(row.label);
+			await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
+			if (mode === "parent") await screen.rerender({ open: true });
+			else await trigger().click();
+			await expect.element(page.getByRole("dialog")).toBeVisible();
+			await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("open");
+			if (mode === "parent") expect(onOpenChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+			else expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(true);
+			if (row.loading)
+				await expect
+					.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true }))
+					.toBeVisible();
+			else
+				await expect
+					.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true }))
+					.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+			if (row.items.length)
+				await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" })).toBeVisible();
+			else if (!row.loading)
+				await expect.element(page.getByText("No notifications", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+			if (row.loading || row.items.length)
+				await expect
+					.element(page.getByText("No notifications", { exact: true }))
+					.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+			if (row.count === 7 || row.items.length)
+				await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mark all read" })).toBeVisible();
+			else
+				await expect
+					.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mark all read" }))
+					.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+			await userEvent.keyboard("{Escape}");
+			await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("closed");
+			await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveFocus();
+			expect(onOpenChange.mock.calls).toEqual(mode === "parent" ? [[false]] : [[true], [false]]);
+		});
+	}
+
+	it("parent updates count, including zero, and announces politely", async () => {
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { count: 7, items });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("7 unread notifications");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("7", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await screen.rerender({ count: 3 });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("3 unread notifications");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("3", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.poll(() => live()?.textContent).toBe("3 unread notifications");
+		expect(live()?.getAttribute("aria-live")).toBe("polite");
+		await screen.rerender({ count: 0, open: true });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("Notifications");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("3", { exact: true })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("7", { exact: true })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect
+			.element(page.getByRole("status", { name: /^\d+ notifications$/ }))
+			.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect
+			.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mark all read" }))
+			.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect.poll(() => live()?.textContent).toBe("Notifications");
+	});
+
+	it("user opens a lazy list, marks read, and finishes loading", async () => {
+		const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+		const onReadAll = vi.fn();
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { count: 7, lazy: true, onOpenChange, onReadAll });
+		await trigger().click();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("open");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(true);
+		await screen.rerender({ loading: false, items });
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" })).toBeVisible();
+		await expect
+			.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true }))
+			.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mark all read" }).click();
+		expect(onReadAll).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("Notifications");
+		await settled();
+		expect(
+			await checkA11y(document.querySelector(".ca-notif-panel") as HTMLElement)
+		).toHaveNoViolations();
+		await screen.rerender({ open: false });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("dialog")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(onOpenChange).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith(true);
+	});
+
+	it("trigger and outside dismiss update binding and callbacks", async () => {
+		const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+		await render(Harness, { onOpenChange });
+		await trigger().click();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("open");
+		await trigger().click();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("closed");
+		await trigger().click();
+		await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Outside", exact: true }).click();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("closed");
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Outside", exact: true })).toHaveFocus();
+		expect(onOpenChange.mock.calls).toEqual([[true], [false], [true], [false]]);
+	});
+
+	it("omitted props keep list counts, callbacks, and empty state", async () => {
+		const onRead = vi.fn();
+		const screen = await render(NotificationBell, { notifications: items, onRead });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("1 unread notifications");
+		await trigger().click();
+		await page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" }).click();
+		expect(onRead).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith("a");
+		await screen.rerender({ notifications: [] });
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("Notifications");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("No notifications", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+	});
+
+	it("parent close restores focus from a notification item", async () => {
+		const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { open: true, count: 7, items, onOpenChange });
+		const item = page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" });
+		await expect.element(item).toBeVisible();
+		(item.element() as HTMLElement).focus();
+		await expect.element(item).toHaveFocus();
+		await screen.rerender({ open: false });
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("dialog")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(onOpenChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveFocus();
+	});
+
+	it("parent close keeps focus already outside the panel", async () => {
+		const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { open: true, items, onOpenChange });
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("dialog")).toBeVisible();
+		const outside = page.getByRole("button", { name: "Outside", exact: true });
+		(outside.element() as HTMLElement).focus();
+		await expect.element(outside).toHaveFocus();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("open");
+		await screen.rerender({ open: false });
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("dialog")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect.element(outside).toHaveFocus();
+		expect(onOpenChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	});
+
+	it("lazy user close does not restart loading", async () => {
+		const onOpenChange = vi.fn();
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { lazy: true, onOpenChange });
+		await trigger().click();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await screen.rerender({ loading: false });
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("No notifications", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await trigger().click();
+		await expect.element(bound()).toHaveTextContent("closed");
+		expect(onOpenChange.mock.calls).toEqual([[true], [false]]);
+		await screen.rerender({ open: true });
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("No notifications", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await expect
+			.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true }))
+			.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		expect(onOpenChange.mock.calls).toEqual([[true], [false]]);
+	});
+
+	it("mark-all leaves the parent-owned count unchanged", async () => {
+		const onReadAll = vi.fn();
+		await render(Harness, { open: true, count: 7, lazy: false, onReadAll });
+		await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Mark all read" }).click();
+		expect(onReadAll).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		await expect.element(trigger()).toHaveAccessibleName("7 unread notifications");
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("7", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+	});
+
+	it("ending refresh clears loading with the same items", async () => {
+		const screen = await render(Harness, { open: true, items });
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" })).toBeVisible();
+		await screen.rerender({ loading: true });
+		await expect.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" })).toBeVisible();
+		await screen.rerender({ loading: false });
+		await expect
+			.element(page.getByText("Loading notifications...", { exact: true }))
+			.not.toBeInTheDocument();
+		await expect.element(page.getByRole("button", { name: "New invoice" })).toBeVisible();
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.test.svelte b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.test.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f934e600
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/components/NotificationBell/NotificationBellState.test.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+	import NotificationBell, { type NotificationItem } from "./NotificationBell.svelte";
+
+	interface Props {
+		items?: NotificationItem[];
+		open?: boolean;
+		count?: number;
+		loading?: boolean;
+		lazy?: boolean;
+		onOpenChange?: (open: boolean) => void;
+		onReadAll?: () => void;
+	}
+	let {
+		items = [], open = $bindable(false), count, loading = false, lazy = false,
+		onOpenChange, onReadAll,
+	}: Props = $props();
+</script>
+
+<button type="button">Outside</button>
+<NotificationBell
+	notifications={items}
+	bind:open
+	{count}
+	{loading}
+	onOpenChange={(next) => {
+		if (lazy && next) loading = true;
+		onOpenChange?.(next);
+	}}
+	onReadAll={() => {
+		if (lazy) count = 0;
+		onReadAll?.();
+	}}
+/>
+<output aria-label="Bound open">{open ? "open" : "closed"}</output>
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/groups/notificationBell.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/groups/notificationBell.ts
index 55ccba8b..c8aacfaf 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/groups/notificationBell.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/groups/notificationBell.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export const notificationBell = defineGroup("notificationBell", {
 		markAll: "Mark all read",
 		clear: "Clear",
 		empty: "No notifications",
+		loading: "Loading notifications...",
 	},
 	"pt-BR": {
 		label: (unread) =>
@@ -18,5 +19,6 @@ export const notificationBell = defineGroup("notificationBell", {
 		markAll: "Marcar todas como lidas",
 		clear: "Limpar",
 		empty: "Nenhuma notificação",
+		loading: "Carregando notificações...",
 	},
 });
diff --git a/site/src/content/docs/display/notification-bell.mdx b/site/src/content/docs/display/notification-bell.mdx
index 3cbf2e06..9d713102 100644
--- a/site/src/content/docs/display/notification-bell.mdx
+++ b/site/src/content/docs/display/notification-bell.mdx
@@ -19,17 +19,41 @@ import ControlledSrc from "~/demos/display/notification-bell/Controlled.svelte?r
 <NotificationBell notifications={items} onRead={markRead} onReadAll={markAll} onClear={clear} />
 ```
 
-The unread count is derived from `notifications` where `read` is falsy. The component is controlled: update your list in `onRead`, `onReadAll` and `onClear`. Every visible string can be replaced through `labels`. The panel is a popover layer anchored below the bell, aligned to its end edge, and closes on Escape or an outside press.
+The unread count defaults to the number of `notifications` where `read` is falsy. Pass `count` to show an independent unread total, including zero, while loading only part of the list. Update your list in `onRead`, `onReadAll` and `onClear`. Every visible string can be replaced through `labels`. The panel is a popover layer anchored below the bell, aligned to its end edge, and closes on Escape or an outside press. Escape returns focus to the trigger.
+
+Use `bind:open` to enable your list query only while the panel is open, and refresh `count` independently in the background. `onOpenChange` runs when the user opens or closes the panel; assigning `open` from code does not call it. Count changes update the trigger's accessible name and are announced politely.
+
+```svelte
+<script>
+  import { NotificationBell } from "@codeatlasdev/ui";
+
+  let open = $state(false);
+</script>
+
+<NotificationBell
+  bind:open
+  count={unread}
+  notifications={items}
+  loading={list.isFetching}
+  onOpenChange={(isOpen) => isOpen && refresh()}
+/>
+```
+
+While `loading` is true, the panel shows loading text instead of the empty state. Any loaded notifications remain visible during a refresh.
 
 <Demo title="Default" description={"With notifications and with an empty list."} src={DefaultSrc}><Default client:visible /></Demo>
 <Demo title="Controlled" description={"Mark items as read, mark all as read and clear the list."} src={ControlledSrc}><Controlled client:visible /></Demo>
 
 <Props rows={[
   { name: "notifications", type: "NotificationItem[]", default: "[]", description: "Items shown in the panel: `{ id, title, body?, time?, read?, variant? }`. `variant` is `'default' | 'info' | 'success' | 'warning' | 'error'`." },
+  { name: "open", type: "boolean", default: "false", description: "Bindable panel visibility." },
+  { name: "onOpenChange", type: "(open: boolean) => void", default: "undefined", description: "Called when the user opens or closes the panel, including dismissal. Not called for parent assignments." },
+  { name: "count", type: "number", default: "derived from notifications", description: "Independent unread total for the badge, accessible name and mark-all action. Zero overrides the list count." },
+  { name: "loading", type: "boolean", default: "false", description: "Shows loading text, suppresses the empty state and keeps loaded notifications visible." },
   { name: "onRead", type: "(id: string) => void", default: "undefined", description: "Called when an unread item is clicked. Items already read do not call it." },
   { name: "onReadAll", type: "() => void", default: "undefined", description: "Called by the mark all as read action." },
   { name: "onClear", type: "() => void", default: "undefined", description: "Called by the clear action." },
-  { name: "labels", type: "{ title?, markAll?, clear?, empty? }", default: "{}", description: "String overrides for i18n." },
+  { name: "labels", type: "{ title?, markAll?, clear?, empty?, loading? }", default: "{}", description: "String overrides for i18n." },
   { name: "class", type: "string", default: "''", description: "Extra class names." },
   { name: "children", type: "Snippet", default: "undefined", description: "Custom trigger content." },
 ]} />