diff --git a/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx b/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
index 908b3de..58dbea3 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import Link from 'next/link'
 import { usePathname, useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import {
   LayoutDashboard,
   Car,
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ interface BrandSettings {
   logoUrl: string | null
 }
 
+interface CompanySummary {
+  name: string
+  brand?: {
+    displayName?: string | null
+    logoUrl?: string | null
+  } | null
+}
+
 interface SidebarUser {
   displayName: string
   subtitle: string
@@ -81,6 +89,8 @@ const NAV_ITEMS = [
   { href: '/settings', key: 'settings', icon: Settings, minRole: 'OWNER' },
 ] as const
 
+const SIDEBAR_BRAND_KEY = 'dashboard_brand'
+
 const ROLE_RANK: Record<string, number> = { OWNER: 3, MANAGER: 2, AGENT: 1 }
 
 function hasMinRole(employeeRole: string, minRole: string): boolean {
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@ function notifyParent(message: Record<string, unknown>) {
 }
 
 export default function Sidebar() {
-  const { dict, language, setLanguage } = useDashboardI18n()
+  const { dict, language, setLanguage, theme } = useDashboardI18n()
   const isRtl = language === 'ar'
   const pathname = usePathname()
   const appPath = toDashboardAppPath(pathname)
@@ -110,8 +120,54 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
 
   useEffect(() => { setMounted(true) }, [])
 
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    try {
+      const cached = window.localStorage.getItem(SIDEBAR_BRAND_KEY)
+      if (!cached) return
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(cached) as Partial<BrandSettings>
+      if (typeof parsed.displayName === 'string' && parsed.displayName.trim()) {
+        setBrand({
+          displayName: parsed.displayName,
+          logoUrl: typeof parsed.logoUrl === 'string' ? parsed.logoUrl : null,
+        })
+      }
+    } catch {}
+  }, [])
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    apiFetch<BrandSettings>('/companies/me/brand').then(setBrand).catch(() => {})
+    const token = window.localStorage.getItem(EMPLOYEE_TOKEN_KEY)
+    if (!token) return
+
+    let cancelled = false
+
+    async function loadBrand() {
+      try {
+        const brandData = await apiFetch<BrandSettings | null>('/companies/me/brand')
+        if (cancelled) return
+        if (brandData?.displayName?.trim()) {
+          setBrand(brandData)
+          window.localStorage.setItem(SIDEBAR_BRAND_KEY, JSON.stringify(brandData))
+          return
+        }
+      } catch {}
+
+      try {
+        const company = await apiFetch<CompanySummary>('/companies/me')
+        if (cancelled) return
+
+        const resolvedBrand: BrandSettings = {
+          displayName: company.brand?.displayName?.trim() || company.name,
+          logoUrl: company.brand?.logoUrl ?? null,
+        }
+
+        setBrand(resolvedBrand)
+        window.localStorage.setItem(SIDEBAR_BRAND_KEY, JSON.stringify(resolvedBrand))
+      } catch {}
+    }
+
+    loadBrand()
+
+    return () => { cancelled = true }
   }, [])
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -218,7 +274,7 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
               <Car className="h-4 w-4 text-blue-950" />
             )}
           </div>
-          <span className="truncate text-sm font-bold tracking-wide text-white">
+          <span className={`truncate text-sm font-bold tracking-wide ${theme === 'light' ? 'text-blue-600' : 'text-white'}`}>
             {brand?.displayName ?? 'RentalDriveGo'}
           </span>
         </a>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx b/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
index c3cf8da..815526a 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
+++ b/apps/dashboard/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,23 @@ function computeInitials(name: string): string {
   return `${parts[0].slice(0, 1)}${parts[1].slice(0, 1)}`.toUpperCase()
 }
 
+function resolveSocketOrigin(): string | null {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return null
+
+  const configuredApiUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL
+  if (configuredApiUrl) {
+    try {
+      return new URL(configuredApiUrl, window.location.origin).origin
+    } catch {}
+  }
+
+  if (window.location.hostname === 'localhost' || window.location.hostname === '127.0.0.1') {
+    return 'http://localhost:4000'
+  }
+
+  return window.location.origin
+}
+
 export default function TopBar() {
   const { dict } = useDashboardI18n()
   const pathname = usePathname()
@@ -75,15 +92,31 @@ export default function TopBar() {
     const token = window.localStorage.getItem(EMPLOYEE_TOKEN_KEY)
     if (!token) return
 
-    const socketUrl = (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL ?? 'http://localhost:4000/api/v1').replace('/api/v1', '')
-    const socket = io(socketUrl, { auth: { token }, transports: ['websocket'] })
+    const socketOrigin = resolveSocketOrigin()
+    if (!socketOrigin) return
 
-    socket.on('notification', () => {
-      setUnreadCount((prev) => prev + 1)
-      window.dispatchEvent(new Event('notifications:updated'))
+    const socket = io(socketOrigin, {
+      autoConnect: false,
+      auth: { token },
+      transports: ['polling', 'websocket'],
     })
 
-    return () => { socket.disconnect() }
+    const handleNotification = () => {
+      setUnreadCount((prev) => prev + 1)
+      window.dispatchEvent(new Event('notifications:updated'))
+    }
+
+    socket.on('notification', handleNotification)
+
+    const connectTimer = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      socket.connect()
+    }, 0)
+
+    return () => {
+      window.clearTimeout(connectTimer)
+      socket.off('notification', handleNotification)
+      socket.disconnect()
+    }
   }, [])
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -177,7 +210,7 @@ export default function TopBar() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <header className="flex h-16 items-center justify-between border-b border-stone-200/80 bg-white/78 px-6 backdrop-blur-xl transition-colors dark:border-blue-900 dark:bg-blue-950/76">
+    <header className="relative z-[70] flex h-16 items-center justify-between border-b border-stone-200/80 bg-white/78 px-6 backdrop-blur-xl transition-colors dark:border-blue-900 dark:bg-blue-950/76">
       <h1 className="text-lg font-semibold text-blue-950 dark:text-stone-50">{title}</h1>
 
       <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
@@ -195,7 +228,7 @@ export default function TopBar() {
           </button>
 
           {showNotifs ? (
-            <div className="absolute right-0 top-full z-50 mt-2 w-80 rounded-[1.75rem] border border-stone-200/80 bg-white/95 p-4 shadow-[0_20px_60px_rgba(0,0,0,0.12)] backdrop-blur dark:border-blue-900 dark:bg-blue-950/95 dark:shadow-[0_20px_60px_rgba(0,0,0,0.35)]">
+            <div className="absolute right-0 top-full z-[80] mt-2 w-80 rounded-[1.75rem] border border-stone-200/80 bg-white/95 p-4 shadow-[0_20px_60px_rgba(0,0,0,0.12)] backdrop-blur dark:border-blue-900 dark:bg-blue-950/95 dark:shadow-[0_20px_60px_rgba(0,0,0,0.35)]">
               <div className="mb-2 flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
                 <p className="text-sm font-medium text-blue-950 dark:text-stone-100">{dict.notifications}</p>
                 <button