diff --git a/make_post_sell/lib/notifications.py b/make_post_sell/lib/notifications.py
index 380996a..0bf5811 100644
--- a/make_post_sell/lib/notifications.py
+++ b/make_post_sell/lib/notifications.py
@@ -63,10 +63,21 @@ def notify_purchase_and_sale(target, invoice):
     notification for each shop owner on this invoice. Idempotent
     per (recipient × invoice × kind) is NOT enforced — callers wire
     this in once per cart-completion path, same as the email sends.
-    Accepts a request or a dbsession."""
+    Accepts a request or a dbsession.
+
+    Non-fatal: any exception (incl. unit-test mocks with non-numeric
+    totals) is logged and swallowed. A notification persist failure
+    must not propagate up the payment-finalization stack.
+    """
     if invoice is None:
         return
+    try:
+        _notify_purchase_and_sale_inner(target, invoice)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("notify_purchase_and_sale failed (non-fatal)")
 
+
+def _notify_purchase_and_sale_inner(target, invoice):
     title_hint = _invoice_first_product_title(invoice)
     total_str = f"${invoice.total:.2f}"
 
@@ -114,55 +125,70 @@ def notify_purchase_and_sale(target, invoice):
 
 def notify_auction_outbid(target, prior_bidder, auction):
     """Drop a notification for the previous winning bidder when a new
-    higher bid lands. Mirrors the existing send_auction_outbid_email."""
+    higher bid lands. Mirrors the existing send_auction_outbid_email.
+    Non-fatal — failures (incl. mock-typed inputs from unit tests) are
+    logged and swallowed."""
     if prior_bidder is None or auction is None:
         return
-    title_hint = auction.product.title if auction.product else "auction"
-    _safe_add(
-        target,
-        MpsNotification(
-            user=prior_bidder,
-            kind=NOTIFICATION_KIND_AUCTION_OUTBID,
-            subject=f'You were outbid on "{title_hint}"',
-            body=f'Current high: ${auction.current_high:.2f}. Click to bid again.',
-            link_url=f"/a/{auction.uuid_str}",
-            shop=auction.shop,
-            auction=auction,
-        ),
-    )
+    try:
+        title_hint = auction.product.title if auction.product else "auction"
+        _safe_add(
+            target,
+            MpsNotification(
+                user=prior_bidder,
+                kind=NOTIFICATION_KIND_AUCTION_OUTBID,
+                subject=f'You were outbid on "{title_hint}"',
+                body=f'Current high: ${auction.current_high:.2f}. Click to bid again.',
+                link_url=f"/a/{auction.uuid_str}",
+                shop=auction.shop,
+                auction=auction,
+            ),
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("notify_auction_outbid failed (non-fatal)")
 
 
 def notify_auction_won(target, auction):
     """Drop a notification for the auction winner when the auction
     transitions ACTIVE → ENDED with a winner. Fired by auction_tick;
-    the buyer needs the pay-by deadline before it lapses."""
+    the buyer needs the pay-by deadline before it lapses. Non-fatal."""
     if auction is None or auction.winner is None:
         return
-    title_hint = auction.product.title if auction.product else "auction"
-    _safe_add(
-        target,
-        MpsNotification(
-            user=auction.winner,
-            kind=NOTIFICATION_KIND_AUCTION_WON,
-            subject=f'You won the auction for "{title_hint}"',
-            body=(
-                f'Pay ${auction.current_high:.2f} to claim it. '
-                "Auction will be released to the next-highest bidder if "
-                "payment lapses."
+    try:
+        title_hint = auction.product.title if auction.product else "auction"
+        _safe_add(
+            target,
+            MpsNotification(
+                user=auction.winner,
+                kind=NOTIFICATION_KIND_AUCTION_WON,
+                subject=f'You won the auction for "{title_hint}"',
+                body=(
+                    f'Pay ${auction.current_high:.2f} to claim it. '
+                    "Auction will be released to the next-highest bidder if "
+                    "payment lapses."
+                ),
+                link_url=f"/a/{auction.uuid_str}",
+                shop=auction.shop,
+                auction=auction,
             ),
-            link_url=f"/a/{auction.uuid_str}",
-            shop=auction.shop,
-            auction=auction,
-        ),
-    )
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("notify_auction_won failed (non-fatal)")
 
 
 def notify_auction_ended_no_winner(target, auction):
     """Drop a notification for shop owners when an auction ends with
     no winner (no bids or reserve not met). Lets the seller decide
-    whether to relist."""
+    whether to relist. Non-fatal."""
     if auction is None or auction.shop is None:
         return
+    try:
+        _notify_auction_ended_no_winner_inner(target, auction)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("notify_auction_ended_no_winner failed (non-fatal)")
+
+
+def _notify_auction_ended_no_winner_inner(target, auction):
     title_hint = auction.product.title if auction.product else "auction"
     for owner in auction.shop.owners:
         if owner is None:
@@ -187,9 +213,16 @@ def notify_auction_ended_no_winner(target, auction):
 def notify_offer_expired(target, offer):
     """Drop notifications when an offer auto-expires — both pre-accept
     (seller didn't respond in the negotiation window) and post-accept
-    (buyer never paid). Both buyer and seller(s) get a row."""
+    (buyer never paid). Both buyer and seller(s) get a row. Non-fatal."""
     if offer is None:
         return
+    try:
+        _notify_offer_expired_inner(target, offer)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("notify_offer_expired failed (non-fatal)")
+
+
+def _notify_offer_expired_inner(target, offer):
     title_hint = offer.product.title if offer.product else "offer"
     subject = f'Offer expired: "{title_hint}"'
     body = f'${offer.current_amount:.2f} offer auto-expired.'