diff --git a/FuelBoard/ProximityMonitor.swift b/FuelBoard/ProximityMonitor.swift
index 99bb2d4..c298ff7 100644
--- a/FuelBoard/ProximityMonitor.swift
+++ b/FuelBoard/ProximityMonitor.swift
@@ -259,12 +259,25 @@ final class ProximityMonitor: NSObject, ObservableObject, @preconcurrency CLLoca
         }
         let identifier = UUID().uuidString
 
-        // Render the map FIRST, then deliver ONE notification with the map
-        // attached. (Earlier, delivering immediately and "replacing" via a
-        // second add() showed up as two notifications in LiveContainer — the
-        // replace-in-place contract isn't honoured there.) A timeout
-        // guarantees the alert still fires, without the map, if the snapshot
-        // hangs.
+        // Tie case: no map. A snapshot would only show one arbitrary station
+        // (the primary), which is misleading — the user must pick from the
+        // action buttons. Deliver immediately with the choice buttons.
+        if !ties.isEmpty {
+            self.registerTieCategory(identifier: identifier, ties: ties)
+            content.categoryIdentifier = "tie-\(identifier)"
+            mapStatus?("map: none (tie — pick a station)")
+            UNUserNotificationCenter.current().add(
+                UNNotificationRequest(identifier: identifier, content: content, trigger: nil)
+            )
+            return
+        }
+
+        // Single-station case: render the map FIRST, then deliver ONE
+        // notification with the map attached. (Earlier, delivering
+        // immediately and "replacing" via a second add() showed up as two
+        // notifications in LiveContainer — the replace-in-place contract
+        // isn't honoured there.) A timeout guarantees the alert still fires,
+        // without the map, if the snapshot hangs.
         mapStatus?("map: preparing…")
 
         let options = MKMapSnapshotter.Options()
@@ -280,10 +293,6 @@ final class ProximityMonitor: NSObject, ObservableObject, @preconcurrency CLLoca
         let deliver: (String) -> Void = { status in
             guard !finished else { return }
             finished = true
-            if !ties.isEmpty {
-                self.registerTieCategory(identifier: identifier, ties: ties)
-                content.categoryIdentifier = "tie-\(identifier)"
-            }
             mapStatus?(status)
             UNUserNotificationCenter.current().add(
                 UNNotificationRequest(identifier: identifier, content: content, trigger: nil)
@@ -491,14 +500,16 @@ final class ProximityMonitor: NSObject, ObservableObject, @preconcurrency CLLoca
     ///
     /// When the notification carried tie-choice action buttons, the tapped
     /// button's identifier ("tie_0", "tie_1", …) selects the corresponding
-    /// station from userInfo["tieStations"]; tapping the body itself falls
-    /// back to the primary station.
+    /// station from userInfo["tieStations"]. Tapping the body of a tie
+    /// notification does NOT open directions — nothing has been chosen yet;
+    /// only the option buttons make a choice.
     nonisolated func userNotificationCenter(
         _ center: UNUserNotificationCenter,
         didReceive response: UNNotificationResponse,
         withCompletionHandler completionHandler: @escaping () -> Void
     ) {
         let userInfo = response.notification.request.content.userInfo
+        let isTie = userInfo["tieStations"] != nil
         let name = userInfo["stationName"] as? String
         let lat = userInfo["stationLat"] as? Double
         let lng = userInfo["stationLng"] as? Double
@@ -511,11 +522,13 @@ final class ProximityMonitor: NSObject, ObservableObject, @preconcurrency CLLoca
                let tieLat = ties[index]["lat"] as? Double,
                let tieLng = ties[index]["lng"] as? Double {
                 openDirections(to: tieName, latitude: tieLat, longitude: tieLng)
-            } else if let name, let lat, let lng {
+            } else if !isTie, let name, let lat, let lng {
                 openDirections(to: name, latitude: lat, longitude: lng)
             }
+            // Tie body tap: intentionally no directions — the user must pick
+            // an option button to choose a station.
+            completionHandler()
         }
-        completionHandler()
     }
 
     /// Opens Apple Maps with driving directions to the station; falls back to