diff --git a/src/background.ts b/src/background.ts
index c25caa9b..074a4138 100644
--- a/src/background.ts
+++ b/src/background.ts
@@ -586,6 +586,41 @@ async function resetThemeOfTheMonthDisabledFor366Upgrade(
   }
 }
 
+/** 3.7.0: Close no longer marks entries seen — clear legacy dismissal keys. */
+const THEME_OF_THE_MONTH_RELOAD_VERSION = "3.7.0";
+
+async function resetThemeOfTheMonthDismissalFor370Upgrade(
+  previousVersion: string,
+): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    const currRaw = browser.runtime.getManifest().version;
+    const prev = semver.coerce(previousVersion);
+    const curr = semver.coerce(currRaw);
+    if (
+      prev == null ||
+      curr == null ||
+      semver.lt(curr, THEME_OF_THE_MONTH_RELOAD_VERSION) ||
+      !semver.lt(prev, THEME_OF_THE_MONTH_RELOAD_VERSION)
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    await browser.storage.local.set({
+      themeOfTheMonthLastSeenId: undefined,
+      themeOfTheMonthDismissedMonth: undefined,
+    });
+
+    console.info(
+      `[BetterSEQTA+] Migration ${THEME_OF_THE_MONTH_RELOAD_VERSION}: Theme of the Month shows again until dismissed for the month (from ${previousVersion}).`,
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.warn(
+      "[BetterSEQTA+] Theme of the Month 3.7.0 dismissal migration failed:",
+      e,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 browser.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(function (event) {
   browser.storage.local.remove(["justupdated"]);
   browser.storage.local.remove(["data"]);
@@ -597,6 +632,7 @@ browser.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(function (event) {
   if (event.reason === "update" && event.previousVersion) {
     void migrateGlobalSearchDefaultsFor365Upgrade(event.previousVersion);
     void resetThemeOfTheMonthDisabledFor366Upgrade(event.previousVersion);
+    void resetThemeOfTheMonthDismissalFor370Upgrade(event.previousVersion);
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/src/seqta/utils/Openers/OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup.ts b/src/seqta/utils/Openers/OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup.ts
index c6a609ac..03ac2e0b 100644
--- a/src/seqta/utils/Openers/OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup.ts
+++ b/src/seqta/utils/Openers/OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup.ts
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ export async function fetchThemeOfTheMonth(): Promise<ThemeOfTheMonthEntry | nul
   }
 }
 
-/** True when we have a new monthly entry the user hasn't dismissed yet. */
+/** True when the current month's entry should appear in the startup queue. */
 export function shouldShowThemeOfTheMonth(entry: ThemeOfTheMonthEntry | null): boolean {
   if (!entry || settingsState.themeOfTheMonthDisabled) return false;
-  return settingsState.themeOfTheMonthLastSeenId !== entry.id;
+  return settingsState.themeOfTheMonthDismissedMonth !== entry.month;
 }
 
 function escapeHTML(str: string): string {
@@ -108,18 +108,9 @@ async function resolvePopupHeroImageUrl(entry: ThemeOfTheMonthEntry): Promise<st
   return fallback || null;
 }
 
-function closeThemeOfTheMonthCard(
-  card: HTMLElement,
-  onDismissed?: () => void,
-  markSeen = true,
-) {
+function closeThemeOfTheMonthCard(card: HTMLElement, onDismissed?: () => void) {
   if (card.classList.contains("themeOfTheMonthCardClosing")) return;
 
-  if (markSeen) {
-    const entryId = card.dataset.entryId;
-    if (entryId) settingsState.themeOfTheMonthLastSeenId = entryId;
-  }
-
   card.classList.add("themeOfTheMonthCardClosing");
   window.setTimeout(() => {
     card.remove();
@@ -165,7 +156,7 @@ export async function OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup(
       <div class="themeOfTheMonthCardConfirm" hidden>
         <div class="themeOfTheMonthCardConfirmInner">
           <h3>Don't show again?</h3>
-          <p>You can re-enable Theme of the Month from BetterSEQTA+ settings.</p>
+          <p>You won't see this month's announcement again until next month. Re-enable monthly popups in BetterSEQTA+ settings.</p>
           <div class="themeOfTheMonthCardConfirmActions">
             <button type="button" class="themeOfTheMonthCardConfirmCancel">Cancel</button>
             <button type="button" class="themeOfTheMonthCardConfirmAccept">Don't show again</button>
@@ -175,14 +166,13 @@ export async function OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup(
     </aside>
   `).firstChild as HTMLElement;
 
-  card.dataset.entryId = entry.id;
   const autoCloseTimeout = window.setTimeout(() => {
     closeThemeOfTheMonthCard(card, onDismissed);
   }, 12000);
 
-  const dismiss = (markSeen = true) => {
+  const dismiss = () => {
     window.clearTimeout(autoCloseTimeout);
-    closeThemeOfTheMonthCard(card, onDismissed, markSeen);
+    closeThemeOfTheMonthCard(card, onDismissed);
   };
 
   card.addEventListener("mouseenter", () => window.clearTimeout(autoCloseTimeout), { once: true });
@@ -216,7 +206,7 @@ export async function OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup(
   });
 
   card.querySelector(".themeOfTheMonthCardConfirmAccept")?.addEventListener("click", () => {
-    settingsState.themeOfTheMonthDisabled = true;
+    settingsState.themeOfTheMonthDismissedMonth = entry.month;
     dismiss();
   });
 
@@ -225,7 +215,7 @@ export async function OpenThemeOfTheMonthPopup(
 
 /**
  * Dev helper: fetch the current month's entry and show the popup immediately,
- * even if the user has already dismissed it this month.
+ * even if the user dismissed it for this calendar month.
  */
 export async function showThemeOfTheMonthPopupNow(): Promise<void> {
   const entry = await fetchThemeOfTheMonth();
@@ -236,7 +226,7 @@ export async function showThemeOfTheMonthPopupNow(): Promise<void> {
     return;
   }
 
-  settingsState.themeOfTheMonthLastSeenId = undefined;
+  settingsState.themeOfTheMonthDismissedMonth = undefined;
 
   if (document.getElementById("whatsnewbk")) {
     await closePopup();
diff --git a/src/seqta/utils/Openers/StartupPopupQueue.ts b/src/seqta/utils/Openers/StartupPopupQueue.ts
index 391c4a68..de10ee8b 100644
--- a/src/seqta/utils/Openers/StartupPopupQueue.ts
+++ b/src/seqta/utils/Openers/StartupPopupQueue.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type QueueStep = (goNext: () => void) => void;
 
 /**
  * Runs startup modals in order: What's New (if the extension just updated),
- * Theme of the Month (when a new monthly entry hasn't been seen), then shows
+ * Theme of the Month (when the user hasn't dismissed this calendar month), then shows
  * the SEQTA Engage toast (once, non-blocking).
  */
 export async function runStartupPopupQueue() {
diff --git a/src/types/storage.ts b/src/types/storage.ts
index d859d5f5..28e3f229 100644
--- a/src/types/storage.ts
+++ b/src/types/storage.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ export interface SettingsState {
   engageParentsAnnouncementShown?: boolean;
   /** One-time announcement: BS Cloud automatic settings sync (last in startup popup queue). */
   bsCloudAutoSyncAnnouncementShown?: boolean;
-  /** ID of the last Theme of the Month entry shown to the user (shows once per new entry). */
+  /**
+   * Calendar month (`YYYY-MM`) for which the user dismissed the Theme of the Month
+   * popup via "Don't show again" (not a normal Close).
+   */
+  themeOfTheMonthDismissedMonth?: string;
+  /** @deprecated Migrated away; no longer read. */
   themeOfTheMonthLastSeenId?: string;
   /** Permanently disables Theme of the Month startup prompts. */
   themeOfTheMonthDisabled?: boolean;