diff --git a/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.tsx b/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.tsx
index 5267a413..688aa958 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.tsx
@@ -144,11 +144,13 @@ export const SidebarTaskItem = ({
   );
 
   const showTeamRow = showTeamName && !hideTeamName;
+  const unreadBackgroundClass =
+    unreadCount > 0 ? (isLight ? 'bg-blue-500/[0.03]' : 'bg-blue-500/[0.05]') : '';
 
   return (
     <button
       type="button"
-      className={`flex w-full cursor-pointer flex-col justify-center border-b px-2 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-surface-raised ${unreadCount > 0 ? (isLight ? 'bg-blue-500/[0.03]' : 'bg-blue-500/[0.08]') : ''} ${task.teamDeleted ? 'opacity-50' : ''}`}
+      className={`flex w-full cursor-pointer flex-col justify-center border-b px-2 py-1.5 text-left transition-colors hover:bg-surface-raised ${unreadBackgroundClass} ${task.teamDeleted ? 'opacity-50' : ''}`}
       style={{ borderColor: 'var(--color-border)' }}
       onClick={() => {
         if (!isRenaming) {
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8d6e1d92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+import React, { act } from 'react';
+import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import type { GlobalTask } from '../../../../src/shared/types';
+
+const storeState = {
+  openGlobalTaskDetail: vi.fn(),
+  teamByName: {} as Record<string, { members: unknown[] }>,
+};
+
+let unreadCountValue = 0;
+let isLightValue = false;
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/store', () => ({
+  useStore: (selector: (state: typeof storeState) => unknown) => selector(storeState),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/hooks/useUnreadCommentCount', () => ({
+  useUnreadCommentCount: () => unreadCountValue,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/hooks/useTheme', () => ({
+  useTheme: () => ({
+    theme: isLightValue ? 'light' : 'dark',
+    resolvedTheme: isLightValue ? 'light' : 'dark',
+    isDark: !isLightValue,
+    isLight: isLightValue,
+  }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/components/ui/tooltip', () => ({
+  Tooltip: ({ children }: React.PropsWithChildren) => React.createElement(React.Fragment, null, children),
+  TooltipTrigger: ({ children }: React.PropsWithChildren) =>
+    React.createElement(React.Fragment, null, children),
+  TooltipContent: ({ children }: React.PropsWithChildren) =>
+    React.createElement(React.Fragment, null, children),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/constants/teamColors', () => ({
+  getTeamColorSet: () => ({ text: '#fff', textLight: '#000' }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/utils/memberHelpers', () => ({
+  buildMemberColorMap: () => new Map<string, string>(),
+  REVIEW_STATE_DISPLAY: {
+    needsFix: { bg: 'bg-red-500/10', text: 'text-red-300', label: 'Needs fix' },
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/utils/projectColor', () => ({
+  nameColorSet: () => ({ text: '#fff' }),
+  projectColor: () => ({ text: '#fff' }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/renderer/utils/taskGrouping', () => ({
+  projectLabelFromPath: () => 'hookplex',
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/shared/utils/reviewState', () => ({
+  getTaskKanbanColumn: () => 'todo',
+}));
+
+vi.mock('zustand/react/shallow', () => ({
+  useShallow: <T,>(selector: T) => selector,
+}));
+
+vi.mock('lucide-react', () => {
+  const Icon = (props: React.SVGProps<SVGSVGElement>) => React.createElement('svg', props);
+  return {
+    CheckCircle2: Icon,
+    Circle: Icon,
+    Eye: Icon,
+    Loader2: Icon,
+    ShieldCheck: Icon,
+    Trash2: Icon,
+  };
+});
+
+import { SidebarTaskItem } from '../../../../src/renderer/components/sidebar/SidebarTaskItem';
+
+function makeTask(overrides: Partial<GlobalTask> = {}): GlobalTask {
+  return {
+    id: 'task-1',
+    displayId: 'task1',
+    teamName: 'alpha-team',
+    teamDisplayName: 'Alpha Team',
+    subject: 'Review docs',
+    description: '',
+    status: 'in_progress',
+    owner: 'alice',
+    createdAt: '2026-04-18T10:00:00.000Z',
+    updatedAt: '2026-04-18T10:10:00.000Z',
+    reviewState: 'none',
+    reviewNotes: [],
+    blockedBy: [],
+    blocks: [],
+    comments: [],
+    attachments: [],
+    workIntervals: [],
+    kanbanColumnId: null,
+    projectPath: '/workspace/hookplex',
+    ...overrides,
+  } as GlobalTask;
+}
+
+describe('SidebarTaskItem unread styling', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    unreadCountValue = 0;
+    isLightValue = false;
+    storeState.openGlobalTaskDetail.mockReset();
+    storeState.teamByName = {};
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    document.body.innerHTML = '';
+  });
+
+  it('uses the softened unread background tint in dark theme', async () => {
+    unreadCountValue = 2;
+    isLightValue = false;
+    vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
+
+    const host = document.createElement('div');
+    document.body.appendChild(host);
+    const root = createRoot(host);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(React.createElement(SidebarTaskItem, { task: makeTask() }));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    const button = host.querySelector('button');
+    expect(button?.className).toContain('bg-blue-500/[0.05]');
+    expect(button?.className).not.toContain('bg-blue-500/[0.08]');
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.unmount();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+  });
+});