diff --git a/app/repository.py b/app/repository.py
index 665d047..5cafc07 100644
--- a/app/repository.py
+++ b/app/repository.py
@@ -580,7 +580,10 @@ class MessageRepository:
             SELECT m.conversation_key,
                    COUNT(*) as unread_count,
                    MAX(m.received_at) as last_message_time,
-                   SUM(CASE WHEN ? <> '' AND INSTR(m.text, ?) > 0 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) > 0 as has_mention
+                   SUM(CASE
+                           WHEN ? <> '' AND INSTR(LOWER(m.text), LOWER(?)) > 0 THEN 1
+                           ELSE 0
+                       END) > 0 as has_mention
             FROM messages m
             JOIN channels c ON m.conversation_key = c.key
             WHERE m.type = 'CHAN' AND m.outgoing = 0
@@ -602,7 +605,10 @@ class MessageRepository:
             SELECT m.conversation_key,
                    COUNT(*) as unread_count,
                    MAX(m.received_at) as last_message_time,
-                   SUM(CASE WHEN ? <> '' AND INSTR(m.text, ?) > 0 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) > 0 as has_mention
+                   SUM(CASE
+                           WHEN ? <> '' AND INSTR(LOWER(m.text), LOWER(?)) > 0 THEN 1
+                           ELSE 0
+                       END) > 0 as has_mention
             FROM messages m
             JOIN contacts ct ON m.conversation_key = ct.public_key
             WHERE m.type = 'PRIV' AND m.outgoing = 0
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index d560f52..402707e 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ class TestReadStateEndpoints:
         )
         await conn.execute(
             "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
-            ("CHAN", "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1", "Bob: @[TestUser] hey", 1002, 0),
+            ("CHAN", "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1", "Bob: @[testuser] hey", 1002, 0),
         )
         await conn.execute(
             "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ class TestReadStateEndpoints:
         # Insert 1 unread DM
         await conn.execute(
             "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
-            ("PRIV", "abcd" * 16, "hi there", 1005, 0),
+            ("PRIV", "abcd" * 16, "hi @[TeStUsEr] there", 1005, 0),
         )
         await conn.commit()
 
@@ -691,8 +691,9 @@ class TestReadStateEndpoints:
             assert result["counts"]["channel-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1"] == 2
             assert result["mentions"]["channel-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1"] is True
 
-            # Contact: 1 unread
+            # Contact: 1 unread with mention (also case-insensitive)
             assert result["counts"][f"contact-{'abcd' * 16}"] == 1
+            assert result["mentions"][f"contact-{'abcd' * 16}"] is True
 
             # Last message times should include all conversations
             assert "channel-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1" in result["last_message_times"]