diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index a5eb0c5..2ad5582 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "rosterchirp-backend",
-  "version": "0.12.5",
+  "version": "0.12.6",
   "description": "RosterChirp backend server",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index b9ec2d3..868dd65 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 set -euo pipefail
 
-VERSION="${1:-0.12.5}"
+VERSION="${1:-0.12.6}"
 ACTION="${2:-}"
 REGISTRY="${REGISTRY:-}"
 IMAGE_NAME="rosterchirp"
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index ec8203e..0dfaca4 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "rosterchirp-frontend",
-  "version": "0.12.5",
+  "version": "0.12.6",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/frontend/public/sw.js b/frontend/public/sw.js
index 74e0e2e..66efcf8 100644
--- a/frontend/public/sw.js
+++ b/frontend/public/sw.js
@@ -1,35 +1,25 @@
 // ── Firebase Messaging (background push for Android PWA) ──────────────────────
-// Dynamically fetch Firebase config from backend to ensure consistency
+// Config must be hardcoded here — the SW is woken by push events before any
+// async fetch can resolve, so Firebase must be initialised synchronously.
 importScripts('https://www.gstatic.com/firebasejs/10.14.1/firebase-app-compat.js');
 importScripts('https://www.gstatic.com/firebasejs/10.14.1/firebase-messaging-compat.js');
 
-let FIREBASE_CONFIG = null;
-let VAPID_KEY = null;
+const FIREBASE_CONFIG = {
+  apiKey:            "AIzaSyDx191unzXFT4WA1OvkdbrIY_c57kgruAU",
+  authDomain:        "rosterchirp-push.firebaseapp.com",
+  projectId:         "rosterchirp-push",
+  storageBucket:     "rosterchirp-push.firebasestorage.app",
+  messagingSenderId: "126479377334",
+  appId:             "1:126479377334:web:280abdd135cf7e0c50d717"
+};
 
-// Fetch Firebase config and initialise messaging
+// Initialise Firebase synchronously so the push listener is ready immediately
 let messaging = null;
-let firebaseConfigPromise = fetch('/api/push/firebase-config')
-  .then(res => res.json())
-  .then(config => {
-    FIREBASE_CONFIG = {
-      apiKey: config.apiKey,
-      authDomain: config.authDomain || `${config.projectId}.firebaseapp.com`,
-      projectId: config.projectId,
-      storageBucket: config.storageBucket || `${config.projectId}.firebasestorage.app`,
-      messagingSenderId: config.messagingSenderId,
-      appId: config.appId
-    };
-    VAPID_KEY = config.vapidKey;
-    
-    if (FIREBASE_CONFIG.apiKey) {
-      firebase.initializeApp(FIREBASE_CONFIG);
-      messaging = firebase.messaging();
-      console.log('[SW] Firebase initialized with dynamic config');
-    }
-  })
-  .catch(err => {
-    console.warn('[SW] Failed to fetch Firebase config:', err);
-  });
+if (FIREBASE_CONFIG.apiKey !== '__FIREBASE_API_KEY__') {
+  firebase.initializeApp(FIREBASE_CONFIG);
+  messaging = firebase.messaging();
+  console.log('[SW] Firebase initialised');
+}
 
 // ── Cache ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 const CACHE_NAME = 'rosterchirp-v1';
@@ -81,49 +71,48 @@ function showRosterChirpNotification(data) {
 }
 
 // ── FCM background messages ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Wait for Firebase config to be loaded before setting up message handler
-firebaseConfigPromise.then(() => {
-  if (messaging) {
-    messaging.onBackgroundMessage((payload) => {
-      console.log('[SW] onBackgroundMessage received, data:', JSON.stringify(payload.data));
-      return showRosterChirpNotification(payload.data || {});
-    });
-  } else {
-    console.warn('[SW] Firebase messaging not initialised — push notifications disabled');
-  }
-});
+if (messaging) {
+  messaging.onBackgroundMessage((payload) => {
+    console.log('[SW] onBackgroundMessage received, data:', JSON.stringify(payload.data));
+    return showRosterChirpNotification(payload.data || {});
+  });
+} else {
+  console.warn('[SW] Firebase messaging not initialised — push notifications disabled');
+}
 
 // ── Raw push event (fallback for Android) ─────────────────────────────────────
-// Android Chrome sometimes doesn't properly trigger Firebase's onBackgroundMessage
-// This fallback ensures notifications are displayed even if Firebase SDK fails
+// Only runs when Firebase messaging is NOT yet initialised (e.g. push arrives
+// before firebaseConfigPromise resolves). If Firebase IS ready it already has
+// its own push listener registered and will call onBackgroundMessage — running
+// this handler too would show the notification twice.
 self.addEventListener('push', (event) => {
-  console.log('[SW] push event received, hasData:', !!event.data, 'text:', event.data?.text?.()?.slice(0, 120));
-  
-  // Try to handle the push event directly as a fallback
-  if (event.data) {
+  console.log('[SW] push event received, hasData:', !!event.data, 'messaging ready:', !!messaging);
+
+  // Firebase compat SDK handles it via onBackgroundMessage — skip to avoid double notification.
+  if (messaging) return;
+
+  if (!event.data) return;
+
+  event.waitUntil((async () => {
     try {
       const data = event.data.json();
-      console.log('[SW] Push data parsed:', JSON.stringify(data));
-      
-      // If this is a Firebase message with data payload, show notification
+      console.log('[SW] Push fallback — data parsed:', JSON.stringify(data));
       if (data.data || (data.title && data.body)) {
-        const notificationData = data.data || data;
-        return showRosterChirpNotification(notificationData);
+        await showRosterChirpNotification(data.data || data);
       }
     } catch (e) {
-      console.warn('[SW] Failed to parse push data:', e);
-      // Try to show a basic notification with the raw text
+      console.warn('[SW] Push fallback — failed to parse push data:', e);
       const text = event.data.text();
       if (text) {
-        return self.registration.showNotification('RosterChirp', {
-          body: text.slice(0, 100),
-          icon: '/icons/icon-192.png',
+        await self.registration.showNotification('RosterChirp', {
+          body:  text.slice(0, 100),
+          icon:  '/icons/icon-192.png',
           badge: '/icons/icon-192-maskable.png',
-          tag: 'rosterchirp-fallback',
+          tag:   'rosterchirp-fallback',
         });
       }
     }
-  }
+  })());
 });
 
 // ── Notification click ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────