diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/handleContentData.spec.js b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/handleContentData.spec.js
index 6fe5d3891..1effeb5d6 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/handleContentData.spec.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/handleContentData.spec.js
@@ -1,12 +1,36 @@
-import { GraphQLClient } from 'graphql-request'
-import { host, login, gql } from '../../jest/helpers'
+import { gql } from '../../jest/helpers'
 import Factory from '../../seed/factories'
+import { createTestClient } from 'apollo-server-testing'
+import { neode, getDriver } from '../../bootstrap/neo4j'
+import createServer from '../../server'
 
 const factory = Factory()
-let client
+const driver = getDriver()
+const instance = neode()
+let server
+let query
+let mutate
+let user
+let authenticatedUser
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+  const createServerResult = createServer({
+    context: () => {
+      return {
+        user: authenticatedUser,
+        neode: instance,
+        driver,
+      }
+    },
+  })
+  server = createServerResult.server
+  const createTestClientResult = createTestClient(server)
+  query = createTestClientResult.query
+  mutate = createTestClientResult.mutate
+})
 
 beforeEach(async () => {
-  await factory.create('User', {
+  user = await instance.create('User', {
     id: 'you',
     name: 'Al Capone',
     slug: 'al-capone',
@@ -19,8 +43,8 @@ afterEach(async () => {
   await factory.cleanDatabase()
 })
 
-describe('currentUser { notifications }', () => {
-  const query = gql`
+describe('notifications', () => {
+  const notificationQuery = gql`
     query($read: Boolean) {
       currentUser {
         notifications(read: $read, orderBy: createdAt_desc) {
@@ -34,77 +58,54 @@ describe('currentUser { notifications }', () => {
   `
 
   describe('authenticated', () => {
-    let headers
     beforeEach(async () => {
-      headers = await login({
-        email: 'test@example.org',
-        password: '1234',
-      })
-      client = new GraphQLClient(host, {
-        headers,
-      })
+      authenticatedUser = user
     })
 
     describe('given another user', () => {
-      let authorClient
-      let authorParams
-      let authorHeaders
-
+      let author
       beforeEach(async () => {
-        authorParams = {
+        author = await instance.create('User', {
           email: 'author@example.org',
           password: '1234',
           id: 'author',
-        }
-        await factory.create('User', authorParams)
-        authorHeaders = await login(authorParams)
+        })
       })
 
       describe('who mentions me in a post', () => {
-        let post
         const title = 'Mentioning Al Capone'
         const content =
           'Hey <a class="mention" data-mention-id="you" href="/profile/you/al-capone">@al-capone</a> how do you do?'
 
         beforeEach(async () => {
           const createPostMutation = gql`
-            mutation($title: String!, $content: String!) {
-              CreatePost(title: $title, content: $content) {
+            mutation($id: ID, $title: String!, $content: String!) {
+              CreatePost(id: $id, title: $title, content: $content) {
                 id
                 title
                 content
               }
             }
           `
-          authorClient = new GraphQLClient(host, {
-            headers: authorHeaders,
+          authenticatedUser = await author.toJson()
+          await mutate({
+            mutation: createPostMutation,
+            variables: { id: 'p47', title, content },
           })
-          const { CreatePost } = await authorClient.request(createPostMutation, {
-            title,
-            content,
-          })
-          post = CreatePost
+          authenticatedUser = await user.toJson()
         })
 
         it('sends you a notification', async () => {
           const expectedContent =
             'Hey <a class="mention" data-mention-id="you" href="/profile/you/al-capone" target="_blank">@al-capone</a> how do you do?'
-          const expected = {
-            currentUser: {
-              notifications: [
-                {
-                  read: false,
-                  post: {
-                    content: expectedContent,
-                  },
-                },
-              ],
+          const expected = expect.objectContaining({
+            data: {
+              currentUser: { notifications: [{ read: false, post: { content: expectedContent } }] },
             },
-          }
+          })
+          const { query } = createTestClient(server)
           await expect(
-            client.request(query, {
-              read: false,
-            }),
+            query({ query: notificationQuery, variables: { read: false } }),
           ).resolves.toEqual(expected)
         })
 
@@ -132,41 +133,33 @@ describe('currentUser { notifications }', () => {
                 }
               }
             `
-            authorClient = new GraphQLClient(host, {
-              headers: authorHeaders,
-            })
-            await authorClient.request(updatePostMutation, {
-              id: post.id,
-              title: post.title,
-              content: updatedContent,
+            authenticatedUser = await author.toJson()
+            await mutate({
+              mutation: updatePostMutation,
+              variables: {
+                id: 'p47',
+                title,
+                content: updatedContent,
+              },
             })
+            authenticatedUser = await user.toJson()
           })
 
           it('creates exactly one more notification', async () => {
             const expectedContent =
               '<br>One more mention to<br><a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you" target="_blank"><br>@al-capone<br></a><br>and again:<br><a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you" target="_blank"><br>@al-capone<br></a><br>and again<br><a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you" target="_blank"><br>@al-capone<br></a><br>'
-            const expected = {
-              currentUser: {
-                notifications: [
-                  {
-                    read: false,
-                    post: {
-                      content: expectedContent,
-                    },
-                  },
-                  {
-                    read: false,
-                    post: {
-                      content: expectedContent,
-                    },
-                  },
-                ],
+            const expected = expect.objectContaining({
+              data: {
+                currentUser: {
+                  notifications: [
+                    { read: false, post: { content: expectedContent } },
+                    { read: false, post: { content: expectedContent } },
+                  ],
+                },
               },
-            }
+            })
             await expect(
-              client.request(query, {
-                read: false,
-              }),
+              query({ query: notificationQuery, variables: { read: false } }),
             ).resolves.toEqual(expected)
           })
         })
@@ -204,46 +197,40 @@ describe('Hashtags', () => {
   `
 
   describe('authenticated', () => {
-    let headers
     beforeEach(async () => {
-      headers = await login({
-        email: 'test@example.org',
-        password: '1234',
-      })
-      client = new GraphQLClient(host, {
-        headers,
-      })
+      authenticatedUser = await user.toJson()
     })
 
     describe('create a Post with Hashtags', () => {
       beforeEach(async () => {
-        await client.request(createPostMutation, {
-          postId,
-          postTitle,
-          postContent,
+        await mutate({
+          mutation: createPostMutation,
+          variables: {
+            postId,
+            postTitle,
+            postContent,
+          },
         })
       })
 
-      it('both Hashtags are created with the "id" set to thier "name"', async () => {
+      it('both Hashtags are created with the "id" set to their "name"', async () => {
         const expected = [
-          {
-            id: 'Democracy',
-            name: 'Democracy',
-          },
-          {
-            id: 'Liberty',
-            name: 'Liberty',
-          },
+          { id: 'Democracy', name: 'Democracy' },
+          { id: 'Liberty', name: 'Liberty' },
         ]
         await expect(
-          client.request(postWithHastagsQuery, postWithHastagsVariables),
-        ).resolves.toEqual({
-          Post: [
-            {
-              tags: expect.arrayContaining(expected),
+          query({ query: postWithHastagsQuery, variables: postWithHastagsVariables }),
+        ).resolves.toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            data: {
+              Post: [
+                {
+                  tags: expect.arrayContaining(expected),
+                },
+              ],
             },
-          ],
-        })
+          }),
+        )
       })
 
       describe('afterwards update the Post by removing a Hashtag, leaving a Hashtag and add a Hashtag', () => {
@@ -261,31 +248,28 @@ describe('Hashtags', () => {
         `
 
         it('only one previous Hashtag and the new Hashtag exists', async () => {
-          await client.request(updatePostMutation, {
-            postId,
-            postTitle,
-            updatedPostContent,
+          await mutate({
+            mutation: updatePostMutation,
+            variables: {
+              postId,
+              postTitle,
+              updatedPostContent,
+            },
           })
 
           const expected = [
-            {
-              id: 'Elections',
-              name: 'Elections',
-            },
-            {
-              id: 'Liberty',
-              name: 'Liberty',
-            },
+            { id: 'Elections', name: 'Elections' },
+            { id: 'Liberty', name: 'Liberty' },
           ]
           await expect(
-            client.request(postWithHastagsQuery, postWithHastagsVariables),
-          ).resolves.toEqual({
-            Post: [
-              {
-                tags: expect.arrayContaining(expected),
+            query({ query: postWithHastagsQuery, variables: postWithHastagsVariables }),
+          ).resolves.toEqual(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+              data: {
+                Post: [{ tags: expect.arrayContaining(expected) }],
               },
-            ],
-          })
+            }),
+          )
         })
       })
     })
diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.js b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.js
index d08309f0b..e245e84b5 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.js
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ import cheerio from 'cheerio'
 export default function(content) {
   if (!content) return []
   const $ = cheerio.load(content)
-  let userIds = $('a.mention[data-mention-id]')
+  const userIds = $('a.mention[data-mention-id]')
     .map((_, el) => {
       return $(el).attr('data-mention-id')
     })
     .get()
-  userIds = userIds.map(id => id.trim()).filter(id => !!id)
   return userIds
+    .map(id => id.trim())
+    .filter(id => !!id)
+    .filter((id, index, allIds) => allIds.indexOf(id) === index)
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.spec.js b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.spec.js
index a631b64a3..9865eab0d 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.spec.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/handleHtmlContent/notifications/extractMentionedUsers.spec.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ const contentEmptyMentions =
   '<p>Something inspirational about <a href="/profile/u2" data-mention-id="" target="_blank">@bob-der-baumeister</a> and <a href="/profile/u3/jenny-rostock" class="mention" data-mention-id target="_blank">@jenny-rostock</a>.</p>'
 const contentWithPlainLinks =
   '<p>Something inspirational about <a class="mention" href="/profile/u2" target="_blank">@bob-der-baumeister</a> and <a href="/profile/u3" target="_blank">@jenny-rostock</a>.</p>'
+const contentWithDuplicateIds =
+  'One more mention to <a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you"> @al-capone </a> and again: <a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you"> @al-capone </a> and again <a data-mention-id="you" class="mention" href="/profile/you"> @al-capone </a>'
 
 describe('extractMentionedUsers', () => {
   describe('content undefined', () => {
@@ -18,6 +20,10 @@ describe('extractMentionedUsers', () => {
     expect(extractMentionedUsers(contentWithPlainLinks)).toEqual([])
   })
 
+  it('removes duplicates', () => {
+    expect(extractMentionedUsers(contentWithDuplicateIds)).toEqual(['you'])
+  })
+
   describe('given a link with .mention class and `data-mention-id` attribute ', () => {
     it('extracts ids', () => {
       expect(extractMentionedUsers(contentWithMentions)).toEqual(['u3'])
diff --git a/backend/src/models/Notification.js b/backend/src/models/Notification.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8690b8c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/models/Notification.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import uuid from 'uuid/v4'
+
+module.exports = {
+  id: { type: 'uuid', primary: true, default: uuid },
+  createdAt: { type: 'string', isoDate: true, default: () => new Date().toISOString() },
+  read: { type: 'boolean', default: false },
+  user: {
+    type: 'relationship',
+    relationship: 'NOTIFIED',
+    target: 'User',
+    direction: 'out',
+  },
+  post: {
+    type: 'relationship',
+    relationship: 'NOTIFIED',
+    target: 'Post',
+    direction: 'in',
+  },
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/models/User.js b/backend/src/models/User.js
index 3dfcef06a..fa578f8ad 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/User.js
+++ b/backend/src/models/User.js
@@ -77,4 +77,10 @@ module.exports = {
     target: 'User',
     direction: 'out',
   },
+  notifications: {
+    type: 'relationship',
+    relationship: 'NOTIFIED',
+    target: 'Notification',
+    direction: 'in',
+  },
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/models/index.js b/backend/src/models/index.js
index b8dc451d7..6f6b300f8 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/models/index.js
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ export default {
   EmailAddress: require('./EmailAddress.js'),
   SocialMedia: require('./SocialMedia.js'),
   Post: require('./Post.js'),
+  Notification: require('./Notification.js'),
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/types/schema.gql b/backend/src/schema/types/schema.gql
index 41fe8f4e6..b8e5f5290 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/types/schema.gql
+++ b/backend/src/schema/types/schema.gql
@@ -50,14 +50,6 @@ type Statistics {
   countShouts: Int!
 }
 
-type Notification {
-  id: ID!
-  read: Boolean
-  user: User @relation(name: "NOTIFIED", direction: "OUT")
-  post: Post @relation(name: "NOTIFIED", direction: "IN")
-  createdAt: String
-}
-
 type Location {
   id: ID!
   name: String!
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/types/type/Notification.gql b/backend/src/schema/types/type/Notification.gql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4bc16fec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/schema/types/type/Notification.gql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+type Notification {
+  id: ID!
+  read: Boolean
+  user: User @relation(name: "NOTIFIED", direction: "OUT")
+  post: Post @relation(name: "NOTIFIED", direction: "IN")
+  createdAt: String
+}