diff --git a/frontend/my-work.js b/frontend/my-work.js
index a75f3cf..10d354a 100644
--- a/frontend/my-work.js
+++ b/frontend/my-work.js
@@ -14,6 +14,25 @@ function issueDueState(dueDate, now) {
   };
 }
 
+function urgencyReason(item) {
+  if (!item?.is_assigned || item.kind !== 'issue') return '';
+  const priorityLabels = ['p0', 'priority-high', 'critical'];
+  const priorityLabel = (item.labels || []).find(label =>
+    priorityLabels.includes(String(label).toLowerCase())
+  );
+  if (priorityLabel) return priorityLabel + ' priority';
+  return ['Overdue', 'Due today'].includes(item.due_label) ? item.due_label : '';
+}
+
+function attentionReason(item) {
+  if (item?.has_update) return 'Unread update';
+  return urgencyReason(item) || (item?.is_review ? 'Needs your review' : '');
+}
+
+function needsAttention(item) {
+  return Boolean(item && (item.has_update || item.is_review || urgencyReason(item)));
+}
+
 function buildMyWork(data, now = new Date()) {
   const login = data.user?.login || '';
   const issues = (data.issues || []).map((item) => ({ ...item, kind: 'issue' }));
@@ -28,7 +47,7 @@ function buildMyWork(data, now = new Date()) {
     const assigned = (item.assignees || []).includes(login);
     const isReview = (item.work_reasons || []).includes('review_requested');
     const due = item.kind === 'issue' ? issueDueState(item.due_date, now) : null;
-    return {
+    const normalized = {
       ...item,
       key: (item.repository || 'unknown') + '#' + item.number,
       is_review: isReview,
@@ -41,6 +60,9 @@ function buildMyWork(data, now = new Date()) {
       _priority: priorityLabel ? 0 :
         (due && due.priority < 4 ? due.priority : (isReview ? 3 : (assigned ? 4 : 5))),
     };
+    normalized.needs_attention = needsAttention(normalized);
+    normalized.attention_reason = attentionReason(normalized);
+    return normalized;
   });
 
   const byKey = new Map(work.map((item) => [item.kind + ':' + item.key, item]));
@@ -50,6 +72,8 @@ function buildMyWork(data, now = new Date()) {
     const existing = byKey.get(subjectKind + ':' + key);
     if (existing) {
       existing.has_update = true;
+      existing.needs_attention = true;
+      existing.attention_reason = 'Unread update';
       existing.notification_id = update.id;
       existing.url = update.url || existing.url;
       existing.updated_at = update.updated_at || existing.updated_at;
@@ -64,6 +88,8 @@ function buildMyWork(data, now = new Date()) {
       is_review: false,
       is_assigned: false,
       has_update: true,
+      needs_attention: true,
+      attention_reason: 'Unread update',
       notification_id: update.id,
       reason: 'Unread update',
       _priority: 1,
@@ -84,7 +110,10 @@ function acknowledgeNotification(items, notificationId) {
     if (item.notification_id !== notificationId) return [item];
     if (item.kind === 'update') return [];
     const { notification_id, ...acknowledged } = item;
-    return [{ ...acknowledged, has_update: false }];
+    const next = { ...acknowledged, has_update: false };
+    if ('needs_attention' in item) next.needs_attention = needsAttention(next);
+    if ('attention_reason' in item) next.attention_reason = attentionReason(next);
+    return [next];
   });
 }
 
@@ -405,7 +434,7 @@ function createNotificationReplier({
 
 function filterMyWork(items, selectedFilter, selectedMilestone = 'all') {
   let filtered = items;
-  if (selectedFilter === 'attention') filtered = items.filter((item) => item.has_update || item.is_review);
+  if (selectedFilter === 'attention') filtered = items.filter(needsAttention);
   else if (selectedFilter === 'review') filtered = items.filter((item) => item.is_review);
   else if (selectedFilter === 'update') filtered = items.filter((item) => item.has_update);
   else if (selectedFilter !== 'all') filtered = items.filter((item) => item.kind === selectedFilter);
@@ -565,7 +594,7 @@ function summarizeMyWork(items) {
 function countMyWork(items) {
   return {
     all: items.length,
-    attention: items.filter((item) => item.has_update || item.is_review).length,
+    attention: items.filter(needsAttention).length,
     issue: items.filter((item) => item.kind === 'issue').length,
     pull: items.filter((item) => item.kind === 'pull' && !item.is_review).length,
     review: items.filter((item) => item.is_review).length,
diff --git a/frontend/service-worker.js b/frontend/service-worker.js
index ceefae1..a643139 100644
--- a/frontend/service-worker.js
+++ b/frontend/service-worker.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const BASE = new URL('./', self.location.href).pathname;
 importScripts(BASE + 'static/background-issue-sync.js');
-const CACHE = 'stackchain-dashboard-shell-v18';
+const CACHE = 'stackchain-dashboard-shell-v19';
 const OUTAGE_STATUSES = new Set([500, 502, 503, 504]);
 const SHELL = [
   BASE,
diff --git a/tests/test_my_work.py b/tests/test_my_work.py
index 6608f60..6910fbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_my_work.py
+++ b/tests/test_my_work.py
@@ -313,6 +313,58 @@ process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(queue.map(item => ({{title:item.title,reason
     ]
 
 
+def test_attention_includes_only_assigned_deadline_and_priority_critical_work():
+    payload = {
+        "user": {"login": "timmy"},
+        "issues": [
+            {"number": 1, "title": "Assigned P0", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": ["P0"], "assignees": ["timmy"], "due_date": "2026-08-10T23:59:59Z"},
+            {"number": 2, "title": "Assigned overdue", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": [], "assignees": ["timmy"], "due_date": "2026-08-06T23:59:59Z"},
+            {"number": 3, "title": "Assigned due today", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": [], "assignees": ["timmy"], "due_date": "2026-08-07T23:59:59Z"},
+            {"number": 4, "title": "Assigned future", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": [], "assignees": ["timmy"], "due_date": "2026-08-10T23:59:59Z"},
+            {"number": 5, "title": "Unassigned P0", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": ["critical"], "assignees": [], "due_date": "2026-08-10T23:59:59Z"},
+            {"number": 6, "title": "Unassigned overdue", "repository": "stackchain/api",
+             "labels": [], "assignees": [], "due_date": "2026-08-06T23:59:59Z"},
+        ],
+        "pull_requests": [
+            {"number": 7, "title": "Updated review", "repository": "stackchain/web",
+             "labels": [], "assignees": [], "work_reasons": ["review_requested"]},
+        ],
+        "notifications": [
+            {"id": 70, "number": 7, "repository": "stackchain/web", "unread": True,
+             "subject_type": "PullRequest", "url": "https://forge.example/web/pulls/7"},
+        ],
+    }
+    script = f"""
+const buildMyWork = require({json.dumps(str(MY_WORK))});
+const items = buildMyWork({json.dumps(payload)}, new Date('2026-08-07T12:00:00Z'));
+const attention = buildMyWork.filterMyWork(items, 'attention');
+process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify({{
+  titles: attention.map(item => item.title),
+  count: buildMyWork.countMyWork(items).attention,
+  reasons: Object.fromEntries(attention.map(item => [item.title, item.attention_reason])),
+}}));
+"""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["node", "-e", script], check=True, capture_output=True, text=True
+    )
+
+    assert json.loads(result.stdout) == {
+        "titles": ["Assigned P0", "Updated review", "Assigned overdue", "Assigned due today"],
+        "count": 4,
+        "reasons": {
+            "Assigned P0": "P0 priority",
+            "Updated review": "Unread update",
+            "Assigned overdue": "Overdue",
+            "Assigned due today": "Due today",
+        },
+    }
+
+
 def test_confirmed_issue_labels_replace_snapshot_and_reprioritize_queue():
     payload = {
         "user": {"login": "timmy"},
diff --git a/tests/test_service_worker.py b/tests/test_service_worker.py
index affb17f..bb5003c 100644
--- a/tests/test_service_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_service_worker.py
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ async function dispatchNotificationClick(route) {{
     return json.loads(completed.stdout)
 
 
-def test_session_resume_flow_ships_in_a_new_shell_cache():
+def test_deadline_attention_flow_ships_in_a_new_shell_cache():
     source = WORKER.read_text()
 
-    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v18" in source
+    assert "stackchain-dashboard-shell-v19" in source
 
 
 def test_background_sync_event_flushes_closed_app_issue_outbox_only_for_its_tag():