diff --git a/app/api/inspections.py b/app/api/inspections.py
index be84e47..69b69b9 100644
--- a/app/api/inspections.py
+++ b/app/api/inspections.py
@@ -401,7 +401,18 @@ def create_inspection():
                 f'#{inspection.id} via mobile API)',
             )
 
+    # ── Commit inspection + any staged rows ───────────────────────────────
+    # Commit BEFORE firing notifications so the inspection record is always
+    # persisted even if notify_by_matrix raises (e.g. a DB hiccup querying
+    # the notification matrix, a missing table from a pending migration, or
+    # any other transient error). Without this ordering, a notification
+    # failure would 500 the entire request, roll back the transaction, and
+    # leave the inspection unsaved — causing the iPad to retry indefinitely.
+    db.session.commit()
+
     # ── Notifications ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    # Best-effort: log and continue on any failure. The inspection is already
+    # committed above, so notification errors never prevent saving.
     if status == 'completed':
         score_display = f'{overall_score:.1f}%' if overall_score is not None else 'N/A'
         try:
@@ -411,21 +422,27 @@ def create_inspection():
         except RuntimeError:
             inspection_link = f'/inspections/{inspection.id}'
 
-        notify_by_matrix(
-            event_type       = 'inspection_completed',
-            title            = f'Inspection #{inspection.id} Completed (Mobile)',
-            body             = (
-                f'{user.username} completed an inspection at '
-                f'{facility.name} using the "{template.name}" template. '
-                f'Overall score: {score_display}.'
-            ),
-            link             = inspection_link,
-            inspection_id    = inspection.id,
-            facility_id      = facility_id,
-            exclude_user_ids = {user.id},
-        )
-
-    db.session.commit()
+        try:
+            notify_by_matrix(
+                event_type       = 'inspection_completed',
+                title            = f'Inspection #{inspection.id} Completed (Mobile)',
+                body             = (
+                    f'{user.username} completed an inspection at '
+                    f'{facility.name} using the "{template.name}" template. '
+                    f'Overall score: {score_display}.'
+                ),
+                link             = inspection_link,
+                inspection_id    = inspection.id,
+                facility_id      = facility_id,
+                exclude_user_ids = {user.id},
+            )
+            db.session.commit()   # persist notification rows added by notify()
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logger.error(
+                'API INSPECTIONS | notification error | inspection_id=%d | error=%s',
+                inspection.id, exc,
+            )
+            db.session.rollback()  # discard any partial notification rows
 
     # ── Post-commit audit logging ──────────────────────────────────────────
     # All log_action() calls must come AFTER db.session.commit() because