diff --git a/includes/class-tmdo-logger.php b/includes/class-tmdo-logger.php
index 1ceff62..4d7785f 100644
--- a/includes/class-tmdo-logger.php
+++ b/includes/class-tmdo-logger.php
@@ -77,15 +77,16 @@ class TMDO_Logger {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Log a NOTICE-level event — alias of info() for callers that want a stronger
-	 * level intent. Same routing (error_log only).
+	 * Log a NOTICE-level event: always written to the PHP error log (unlike
+	 * info()), for the audit trail of operator actions such as mode changes
+	 * and snapshot deletions.
 	 *
-	 * @param string $event   Event name.
-	 * @param array  $context Structured context.
+	 * @param string               $event   Event name.
+	 * @param array<string, mixed> $context Structured context.
 	 * @return void
 	 */
 	public static function notice( string $event, array $context = array() ): void {
-		self::info( $event, $context );
+		error_log( sprintf( '[WPDO][NOTICE][%s] %s', $event, $context ? wp_json_encode( $context, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE ) : '' ) );
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php b/includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php
index fa79a90..78494fa 100644
--- a/includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php
+++ b/includes/engine/class-tmdo-mode-manager.php
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ final class TMDO_Mode_Manager {
 		$entered[ $entity_type ] = time();
 		update_option( self::OPT_ENTERED_AT, $entered, false );
 
-		TMDO_Logger::info(
+		TMDO_Logger::notice(
 			'bridge_mode_changed',
 			array(
 				'entity_type' => $entity_type,
diff --git a/includes/snapshots/class-tmdo-snapshot-manager.php b/includes/snapshots/class-tmdo-snapshot-manager.php
index a4ec226..b654de4 100644
--- a/includes/snapshots/class-tmdo-snapshot-manager.php
+++ b/includes/snapshots/class-tmdo-snapshot-manager.php
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ class TMDO_Snapshot_Manager {
 		}
 		$table   = $wpdb->prefix . self::TABLE_SLUG;
 		$deleted = $wpdb->delete( $table, array( 'snapshot_id' => $snapshot_id ), array( '%s' ) ); // phpcs:ignore WordPress.DB
-		TMDO_Logger::info( 'snapshot_deleted', array( 'snapshot_id' => $snapshot_id ) );
+		TMDO_Logger::notice( 'snapshot_deleted', array( 'snapshot_id' => $snapshot_id ) );
 		return false !== $deleted;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/LoggerTest.php b/tests/unit/LoggerTest.php
index b4f9578..6b76817 100644
--- a/tests/unit/LoggerTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/LoggerTest.php
@@ -145,13 +145,10 @@ class LoggerTest extends TestCase {
 		return $out;
 	}
 
-	public function test_info_and_notice_stay_out_of_the_log_unless_debug_logging_is_on(): void {
+	public function test_info_stays_out_of_the_log_unless_debug_logging_is_on(): void {
 		$GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['tmdo_log_info'] = array();
 
-		$this->assertSame( '', $this->logged( static function () {
-			WPDO_Logger::info( 'cache_flushed' );
-			WPDO_Logger::notice( 'mode_changed' );
-		} ) );
+		$this->assertSame( '', $this->logged( static fn() => WPDO_Logger::info( 'cache_flushed' ) ) );
 
 		add_filter( 'tmdo_log_info', static fn() => true );
 		try {
@@ -161,6 +158,12 @@ class LoggerTest extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public function test_notices_are_always_logged_for_the_audit_trail(): void {
+		$GLOBALS['_wp_filter_callbacks']['tmdo_log_info'] = array();
+
+		$this->assertStringContainsString( '[WPDO][NOTICE][bridge_mode_changed]', $this->logged( static fn() => WPDO_Logger::notice( 'bridge_mode_changed', array( 'to' => 'dual_write' ) ) ) );
+	}
+
 	public function test_warnings_are_always_logged(): void {
 		$this->assertStringContainsString( '[WPDO][WARN][odd_return]', $this->logged( static fn() => WPDO_Logger::warning( 'odd_return' ) ) );
 	}