diff --git a/frontend/src/services/bankSync.ts b/frontend/src/services/bankSync.ts
index c0df41b..de179f1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/bankSync.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/bankSync.ts
@@ -47,10 +47,10 @@ export const bankSyncApi = {
     api.put<LinkedAccountInfo>(`/bank-sync/linked-accounts/${linkedAccountId}`, data),
 
   syncNow: (connectionId: string) =>
-    api.post<SyncResult>(`/bank-sync/connections/${connectionId}/sync-now`),
+    api.post(`/bank-sync/connections/${connectionId}/sync-now`),
 
   syncAll: () =>
-    api.post<SyncResult>('/bank-sync/sync-all'),
+    api.post('/bank-sync/sync-all'),
 
   getSyncLogs: (connectionId?: string, limit = 50) =>
     api.get<SyncLogEntry[]>('/bank-sync/sync-logs', {
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/settings/SettingsView.vue b/frontend/src/views/settings/SettingsView.vue
index 7dfe909..8cd6ffb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/settings/SettingsView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/settings/SettingsView.vue
@@ -514,12 +514,13 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, reactive, computed, onMounted } from 'vue'
+import { ref, reactive, computed, onMounted, onUnmounted, watch } from 'vue'
 import { useAuthStore } from '@/stores/auth'
+import { useNotifications } from '@/composables/useNotifications'
 import { bankSyncApi } from '@/services/bankSync'
 import { accountsApi } from '@/services/accounts'
 import { aiCategorizationApi } from '@/services/aiCategorization'
-import type { SyncConnection, LinkedAccountInfo, Account, SyncLogEntry, PlaidCredentials, AiCategorizationSettings, OllamaConnectionTestResult } from '@/types'
+import type { SyncConnection, LinkedAccountInfo, Account, SyncLogEntry, PlaidCredentials, AiCategorizationSettings, OllamaConnectionTestResult, BankSyncNotification } from '@/types'
 
 const authStore = useAuthStore()
 
@@ -801,18 +802,27 @@ async function toggleConnection(conn: SyncConnection) {
 async function syncNow(conn: SyncConnection) {
   syncingConnections[conn.id] = true
   try {
-    const { data } = await bankSyncApi.syncNow(conn.id)
-    syncResultMessage.value = `Synced ${conn.institutionName}: ${data.transactionsImported} imported, ${data.transactionsSkipped} skipped`
-    showSyncResult.value = true
-    await loadConnections()
+    await bankSyncApi.syncNow(conn.id)
   } catch (err: any) {
+    syncingConnections[conn.id] = false
     errorMessage.value = err.response?.data?.error || 'Sync failed'
     showError.value = true
-  } finally {
-    syncingConnections[conn.id] = false
   }
 }
 
+// Handle sync results via SignalR notification
+const { notifications } = useNotifications()
+watch(notifications, (notifs) => {
+  const latest = notifs[0]
+  if (latest && !latest.read && latest.type === 'BankSyncComplete') {
+    const data = latest.data as BankSyncNotification
+    syncingConnections[data.connectionId] = false
+    syncResultMessage.value = `Synced ${data.institutionName}: ${data.transactionsImported} imported, ${data.transactionsSkipped} skipped`
+    showSyncResult.value = true
+    loadConnections()
+  }
+})
+
 function confirmDeleteConnection(conn: SyncConnection) {
   deleteTarget.value = conn
   showDeleteDialog.value = true
diff --git a/src/Purrse.Api/Controllers/BankSyncController.cs b/src/Purrse.Api/Controllers/BankSyncController.cs
index ae3b498..d624133 100644
--- a/src/Purrse.Api/Controllers/BankSyncController.cs
+++ b/src/Purrse.Api/Controllers/BankSyncController.cs
@@ -12,9 +12,16 @@ namespace Purrse.Api.Controllers;
 public class BankSyncController : ControllerBase
 {
     private readonly IBankSyncService _bankSyncService;
+    private readonly IServiceScopeFactory _scopeFactory;
+    private readonly ILogger<BankSyncController> _logger;
     private Guid UserId => Guid.Parse(User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)!);
 
-    public BankSyncController(IBankSyncService bankSyncService) => _bankSyncService = bankSyncService;
+    public BankSyncController(IBankSyncService bankSyncService, IServiceScopeFactory scopeFactory, ILogger<BankSyncController> logger)
+    {
+        _bankSyncService = bankSyncService;
+        _scopeFactory = scopeFactory;
+        _logger = logger;
+    }
 
     [HttpGet("connections")]
     public async Task<ActionResult<List<SyncConnectionResponse>>> GetConnections()
@@ -68,12 +75,32 @@ public class BankSyncController : ControllerBase
         => Ok(await _bankSyncService.UpdateLinkedAccountAsync(UserId, id, request));
 
     [HttpPost("connections/{id}/sync-now")]
-    public async Task<ActionResult<SyncResultResponse>> SyncNow(Guid id)
-        => Ok(await _bankSyncService.SyncNowAsync(UserId, id));
+    public IActionResult SyncNow(Guid id)
+    {
+        var userId = UserId;
+        _ = Task.Run(async () =>
+        {
+            using var scope = _scopeFactory.CreateScope();
+            var service = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IBankSyncService>();
+            try { await service.SyncNowAsync(userId, id); }
+            catch (Exception ex) { _logger.LogError(ex, "Background sync failed for connection {Id}", id); }
+        });
+        return Accepted();
+    }
 
     [HttpPost("sync-all")]
-    public async Task<ActionResult<SyncResultResponse>> SyncAll()
-        => Ok(await _bankSyncService.SyncAllAsync(UserId));
+    public IActionResult SyncAll()
+    {
+        var userId = UserId;
+        _ = Task.Run(async () =>
+        {
+            using var scope = _scopeFactory.CreateScope();
+            var service = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IBankSyncService>();
+            try { await service.SyncAllAsync(userId); }
+            catch (Exception ex) { _logger.LogError(ex, "Background sync-all failed for user {UserId}", userId); }
+        });
+        return Accepted();
+    }
 
     [HttpGet("sync-logs")]
     public async Task<ActionResult<List<SyncLogResponse>>> GetSyncLogs([FromQuery] Guid? connectionId, [FromQuery] int limit = 50)