diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index f12b5b2..ea8312f 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -117,6 +117,33 @@ A summary of what shipped is fine and welcome — but in
 autonomous mode, follow it with the next dispatch, not a
 question.
 
+### Notifications
+
+The user has push notifications wired (Telegram). Use
+`PushNotification` ONLY when there is something I genuinely
+want from them — i.e. exactly the bounce-back triggers above:
+
+- A real design judgement I have not made myself (architectural
+  fork, multiple substantive options none clearly default).
+- A genuinely unexpected event that changes the project's
+  direction (fundamental design flaw, dependency failure,
+  invariant violation, refuting bench result).
+- An explicit checkpoint the user asked for.
+
+**Do NOT notify** for: shipping iters that completed cleanly,
+routine progress, "just FYI" status, or summaries when nothing
+needs their input. The Telegram message is a poke; an
+unnecessary one accumulates as noise. Err toward not sending.
+
+When notifying, the message body should be the actionable
+summary: what I need from them, in one short line. Skip the
+"hi, I" framing — just the gist. The user will see it on phone
+and likely respond either via Telegram or by returning to the
+session.
+
+The default mode is autonomous. The notification is the
+exception, not the rule.
+
 ## Iter cycle
 
 Work is organised into **iters** — tightly scoped commits that