diff --git a/src/app/api/notifications/route.ts b/src/app/api/notifications/route.ts
index 229d6d7..d79b8d6 100644
--- a/src/app/api/notifications/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/notifications/route.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { db, notifications } from '@/db';
 import { requireAuth } from '@/lib/auth';
-import { and, desc, eq, inArray, isNull } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { and, eq, inArray } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const markSchema = z.object({
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
             },
             orderBy: (notifications, { desc }) => [desc(notifications.createdAt)],
             limit,
+            with: {
+                post: {
+                    with: {
+                        author: true,
+                        media: true,
+                    },
+                },
+            },
         });
 
         // For remote actors missing avatar, fetch fresh data
@@ -108,8 +116,14 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
                 } : null,
                 post: row.postId ? {
                     id: row.postId,
-                    content: row.postContent,
-                    authorHandle: row.actorHandle, // The actor is the post author for likes/reposts
+                    content: row.post?.content || row.postContent,
+                    authorHandle: row.post?.author?.handle || null,
+                    media: row.post?.media.map((item) => ({
+                        url: item.url,
+                        mimeType: item.mimeType,
+                        altText: item.altText,
+                    })) || [],
+                    linkPreviewImage: row.post?.linkPreviewImage || null,
                 } : null,
             };
         });
diff --git a/src/app/notifications/page.tsx b/src/app/notifications/page.tsx
index 2583d82..99483a2 100644
--- a/src/app/notifications/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/notifications/page.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Link from 'next/link';
 import { useAuth } from '@/lib/contexts/AuthContext';
 import { getProfilePath } from '@/lib/utils/handle';
 import { AvatarImage } from '@/components/AvatarImage';
+import { getNotificationPostPreview } from '@/lib/notifications/post-preview';
 
 interface NotificationActor {
     id: string;
@@ -24,7 +25,14 @@ interface NotificationTarget {
 
 interface NotificationPost {
     id: string;
-    content: string;
+    content: string | null;
+    authorHandle: string | null;
+    media: Array<{
+        url: string;
+        mimeType: string | null;
+        altText: string | null;
+    }>;
+    linkPreviewImage: string | null;
 }
 
 interface Notification {
@@ -206,6 +214,9 @@ function NotificationItem({
     const isUnread = !notification.readAt;
     const actor = notification.actor;
     const actorProfilePath = actor ? getProfilePath(actor.handle) : '#';
+    const postPreview = notification.post
+        ? getNotificationPostPreview(notification.post)
+        : null;
 
     return (
         <div
@@ -244,20 +255,42 @@ function NotificationItem({
                     <Link
                         href={`/posts/${notification.post.id}`}
                         style={{
-                            display: 'block',
+                            display: 'flex',
+                            alignItems: 'center',
+                            gap: '10px',
                             marginTop: '8px',
-                            padding: '8px 12px',
+                            padding: '8px',
                             background: 'var(--background-secondary)',
                             borderRadius: '8px',
                             color: 'var(--foreground-secondary)',
                             fontSize: '14px',
                             textDecoration: 'none',
                             overflow: 'hidden',
+                        }}
+                        aria-label={`View liked post: ${postPreview?.label || 'View post'}`}
+                    >
+                        {postPreview?.imageUrl && (
+                            // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+                            <img
+                                src={postPreview.imageUrl}
+                                alt={postPreview.imageAlt}
+                                style={{
+                                    width: 52,
+                                    height: 52,
+                                    borderRadius: '6px',
+                                    objectFit: 'cover',
+                                    flexShrink: 0,
+                                }}
+                            />
+                        )}
+                        <span style={{
+                            minWidth: 0,
+                            overflow: 'hidden',
                             textOverflow: 'ellipsis',
                             whiteSpace: 'nowrap',
-                        }}
-                    >
-                        {notification.post.content}
+                        }}>
+                            {postPreview?.label || 'View post'}
+                        </span>
                     </Link>
                 )}
             </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.test.ts b/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbfd305
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { getNotificationPostPreview } from './post-preview';
+
+describe('getNotificationPostPreview', () => {
+    it('uses the post text when a caption is present', () => {
+        expect(getNotificationPostPreview({
+            content: 'The post that was liked',
+            media: [],
+            linkPreviewImage: null,
+        })).toMatchObject({
+            label: 'The post that was liked',
+            imageUrl: null,
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('identifies and previews a media-only image post', () => {
+        expect(getNotificationPostPreview({
+            content: '',
+            media: [{ url: 'https://media.example/photo.jpg', mimeType: 'image/jpeg', altText: 'Sunset' }],
+            linkPreviewImage: null,
+        })).toEqual({
+            label: 'Photo',
+            imageUrl: 'https://media.example/photo.jpg',
+            imageAlt: 'Sunset',
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('labels non-image media and counts additional attachments', () => {
+        expect(getNotificationPostPreview({
+            content: null,
+            media: [
+                { url: 'https://media.example/song.mp3', mimeType: 'audio/mpeg', altText: null },
+                { url: 'https://media.example/cover.jpg', mimeType: 'image/jpeg', altText: null },
+            ],
+            linkPreviewImage: null,
+        }).label).toBe('Audio + 1 more');
+    });
+
+    it('never renders an empty preview', () => {
+        expect(getNotificationPostPreview({
+            content: '   ',
+            media: [],
+            linkPreviewImage: null,
+        }).label).toBe('View post');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.ts b/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d491729
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/notifications/post-preview.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+interface NotificationPostMedia {
+    url: string;
+    mimeType: string | null;
+    altText: string | null;
+}
+
+interface NotificationPostPreviewInput {
+    content: string | null;
+    media: NotificationPostMedia[];
+    linkPreviewImage: string | null;
+}
+
+export interface NotificationPostPreview {
+    label: string;
+    imageUrl: string | null;
+    imageAlt: string;
+}
+
+function mediaTypeLabel(mimeType: string | null): string {
+    if (mimeType?.startsWith('image/')) return 'Photo';
+    if (mimeType?.startsWith('video/')) return 'Video';
+    if (mimeType?.startsWith('audio/')) return 'Audio';
+    return 'Media';
+}
+
+export function getNotificationPostPreview(
+    post: NotificationPostPreviewInput,
+): NotificationPostPreview {
+    const content = post.content?.trim();
+    const firstMedia = post.media[0];
+    const mediaLabel = firstMedia ? mediaTypeLabel(firstMedia.mimeType) : null;
+    const extraMediaCount = Math.max(0, post.media.length - 1);
+    const attachmentSuffix = extraMediaCount > 0 ? ` + ${extraMediaCount} more` : '';
+
+    return {
+        label: content || (mediaLabel ? `${mediaLabel}${attachmentSuffix}` : 'View post'),
+        imageUrl: firstMedia?.mimeType?.startsWith('image/')
+            ? firstMedia.url
+            : post.linkPreviewImage,
+        imageAlt: firstMedia?.altText || (mediaLabel ? `${mediaLabel} preview` : 'Post preview'),
+    };
+}