diff --git a/src/lib/notifications.ts b/src/lib/notifications.ts
index 50f91850..da37e26c 100644
--- a/src/lib/notifications.ts
+++ b/src/lib/notifications.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export async function createNotification(
     resourceId,
     resourceType,
     actorId,
-    includeActor,
+    includeActor = true,
     issueTitle,
     machineName,
     formattedIssueId,
diff --git a/src/services/issues.test.ts b/src/services/issues.test.ts
index 1b5f97f4..020ad065 100644
--- a/src/services/issues.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/issues.test.ts
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ describe("Issue Service", () => {
           resourceId: issueId,
           resourceType: "issue",
           actorId,
-          includeActor: true,
           issueTitle: "Test Issue",
           machineName: "Test Machine",
           formattedIssueId: "MM-01",
@@ -144,7 +143,6 @@ describe("Issue Service", () => {
           resourceId: "issue-new",
           resourceType: "issue",
           actorId: "user-1",
-          includeActor: true,
           issueTitle: "New Issue",
           machineName: "Test Machine",
           formattedIssueId: "MM-01",
diff --git a/src/services/issues.ts b/src/services/issues.ts
index e1ea5859..adac906e 100644
--- a/src/services/issues.ts
+++ b/src/services/issues.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ export async function createIssue({
           resourceId: issue.id,
           resourceType: "issue",
           ...(reportedBy ? { actorId: reportedBy } : {}),
-          includeActor: true,
           issueTitle: title,
           machineName: updatedMachine.name,
           formattedIssueId: formatIssueId(machineInitials, issueNumber),
@@ -282,7 +281,6 @@ export async function updateIssueStatus({
           resourceId: issueId,
           resourceType: "issue",
           actorId: userId,
-          includeActor: true,
           issueTitle: currentIssue.title,
           machineName: currentIssue.machine.name,
           formattedIssueId: formatIssueId(
@@ -506,7 +504,6 @@ export async function assignIssue({
             resourceId: issueId,
             resourceType: "issue",
             actorId,
-            includeActor: true,
             issueTitle: currentIssue.title,
             machineName: currentIssue.machine.name,
             formattedIssueId: formatIssueId(
diff --git a/src/test/integration/database-queries.test.ts b/src/test/integration/database-queries.test.ts
index cb527548..0bd85c65 100644
--- a/src/test/integration/database-queries.test.ts
+++ b/src/test/integration/database-queries.test.ts
@@ -277,7 +277,8 @@ describe("Database Queries (PGlite)", () => {
           type: "new_issue",
           resourceId: issue.id,
           resourceType: "issue",
-          actorId: "some-other-user-id", // Actor is someone else
+          actorId: "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002", // Actor is someone else
+          includeActor: false, // Exclude actor to test global watch behavior
           issueTitle: "Test Issue",
           machineName: "Test Machine",
           issueContext: {
diff --git a/src/test/integration/notifications.test.ts b/src/test/integration/notifications.test.ts
index 29920799..8bfeff59 100644
--- a/src/test/integration/notifications.test.ts
+++ b/src/test/integration/notifications.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
-import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { eq, sql } from "drizzle-orm";
 import { createNotification } from "~/lib/notifications";
 import { sendEmail } from "~/lib/email/client";
 import { getTestDb, setupTestDb } from "~/test/setup/pglite";
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ describe("createNotification (Integration)", () => {
         resourceId: issue.id,
         resourceType: "issue",
         actorId: actor.id,
+        includeActor: false, // Explicitly test actor exclusion
         commentContent: "Test comment",
       },
       db
@@ -77,6 +78,53 @@ describe("createNotification (Integration)", () => {
     expect(sendEmail).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("should notify the actor by default", async () => {
+    const db = await getTestDb();
+
+    // Setup: Actor is also a watcher
+    const [actor] = await db
+      .insert(userProfiles)
+      .values(createTestUser())
+      .returning();
+    const [machine] = await db
+      .insert(machines)
+      .values(createTestMachine({ initials: "DEF" }))
+      .returning();
+    const [issue] = await db
+      .insert(issues)
+      .values(createTestIssue(machine.initials, { issueNumber: 1 }))
+      .returning();
+
+    await db.insert(issueWatchers).values({
+      issueId: issue.id,
+      userId: actor.id,
+    });
+
+    // Mock auth.users email for actor
+    await db.execute(
+      sql`INSERT INTO auth.users (id, email) VALUES (${actor.id}, 'actor@test.com')`
+    );
+
+    // Don't specify includeActor - should default to true
+    await createNotification(
+      {
+        type: "new_comment",
+        resourceId: issue.id,
+        resourceType: "issue",
+        actorId: actor.id,
+        commentContent: "Test comment",
+      },
+      db
+    );
+
+    // Verify actor receives notification (new default behavior)
+    const result = await db.query.notifications.findMany({
+      where: eq(notifications.userId, actor.id),
+    });
+    expect(result).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(result[0].type).toBe("new_comment");
+  });
+
   it("should respect main switches", async () => {
     const db = await getTestDb();
 
@@ -127,6 +175,7 @@ describe("createNotification (Integration)", () => {
         resourceId: issue.id,
         resourceType: "issue",
         actorId: actor.id,
+        includeActor: false, // Exclude actor to test recipient preferences
         commentContent: "Test comment",
       },
       db
@@ -186,6 +235,7 @@ describe("createNotification (Integration)", () => {
         resourceId: issue.id,
         resourceType: "issue",
         actorId: actor.id,
+        includeActor: false, // Exclude actor to test recipient granular toggles
         commentContent: "Test comment",
       },
       db