diff --git a/api_accounts.py b/api_accounts.py
index 09664f2..07a6cab 100644
--- a/api_accounts.py
+++ b/api_accounts.py
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ async def push_test(
         "url": f"{BASE}/alerts",
         "tag": "thermograph-test",
     }
-    sent, pruned = 0, 0
+    sent, pruned, failed = 0, 0, 0
     for row in rows:
         info = {"endpoint": row.endpoint, "keys": {"p256dh": row.p256dh, "auth": row.auth}}
         # pywebpush blocks on network I/O — keep it off the event loop.
@@ -302,6 +302,10 @@ async def push_test(
         elif result == "gone":
             await session.delete(row)
             pruned += 1
+        else:
+            failed += 1
     if pruned:
         await session.commit()
-    return {"devices": len(rows), "sent": sent, "pruned": pruned}
+    # `failed` (delivery rejected — e.g. VAPID key mismatch) is surfaced so the client
+    # can tell "request accepted" apart from "actually delivered".
+    return {"devices": len(rows), "sent": sent, "pruned": pruned, "failed": failed}
diff --git a/push.py b/push.py
index 64ee963..7b6c58a 100644
--- a/push.py
+++ b/push.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import logging
 import os
 import threading
 
+import audit
+
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import ec
 from pywebpush import WebPushException, webpush
@@ -114,8 +116,14 @@ def send(subscription_info: dict, payload: dict) -> str:
         status = getattr(getattr(e, "response", None), "status_code", None)
         if status in (404, 410):
             return "gone"          # endpoint retired — caller should delete it
+        # 401/403 = VAPID key mismatch, etc. Record it where it's visible (the errors
+        # JSONL / dashboard), not just the system journal.
         log.warning("web push failed (status=%s): %s", status, e)
+        audit.log_event("error", {"phase": "push", "status": status,
+                                  "endpoint": (subscription_info.get("endpoint") or "")[:120]})
         return "error"
-    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - network/encoding errors must not propagate
+    except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 - network/encoding errors must not propagate
         log.warning("web push send raised", exc_info=True)
+        audit.log_event("error", {"phase": "push", "error": repr(e),
+                                  "endpoint": (subscription_info.get("endpoint") or "")[:120]})
         return "error"
diff --git a/tests/test_api_accounts.py b/tests/test_api_accounts.py
index 9209dfb..efbc916 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_accounts.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_accounts.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def test_push_subscribe_upsert_test_unsubscribe(monkeypatch):
 
     r = c.post(f"{V2}/push/test")
     assert r.status_code == 202
-    assert r.json() == {"devices": 1, "sent": 1, "pruned": 0}
+    assert r.json() == {"devices": 1, "sent": 1, "pruned": 0, "failed": 0}
     assert sent == [_SUB["endpoint"]]
 
     assert c.request("DELETE", f"{V2}/push/subscribe",
@@ -148,6 +148,19 @@ def test_push_test_prunes_gone_endpoint(monkeypatch):
     _login(c, "push-gone@example.com")
     assert c.post(f"{V2}/push/subscribe", json=_SUB).status_code == 201
     r = c.post(f"{V2}/push/test")
-    assert r.json() == {"devices": 1, "sent": 0, "pruned": 1}
+    assert r.json() == {"devices": 1, "sent": 0, "pruned": 1, "failed": 0}
     # the gone endpoint was removed, so a second pass sees no devices
     assert c.post(f"{V2}/push/test").json()["devices"] == 0
+
+
+def test_push_test_reports_failed_delivery(monkeypatch):
+    # A rejected delivery (e.g. VAPID mismatch) must be reported, not silently dropped:
+    # the endpoint keeps returning 202 but with sent:0 / failed:N so the client can tell.
+    import push
+    monkeypatch.setattr(push, "send", lambda info, payload: "error")
+    c = _client()
+    _login(c, "push-fail@example.com")
+    assert c.post(f"{V2}/push/subscribe", json=_SUB).status_code == 201
+    r = c.post(f"{V2}/push/test")
+    assert r.status_code == 202
+    assert r.json() == {"devices": 1, "sent": 0, "pruned": 0, "failed": 1}