diff --git a/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/endpoint-map.md b/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/endpoint-map.md
index 9358f67..a79ef43 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/endpoint-map.md
+++ b/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/endpoint-map.md
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ Choose `listCollectionItems` when the caller needs the referenced item versions,
 | Browse/filter badge definitions | `app.certified.badge.listBadgeDefinitions` | Use publisher/type filters and pagination. |
 | Search badge definitions | `app.certified.badge.searchBadgeDefinitions` | `search` is required; use for text discovery, not status checking. |
 | Load one award and its response status | `app.certified.badge.getBadgeAward` | Exact award AT-URI in `uri`; includes `responseStatus` (`accepted`, `rejected`, or `unanswered`) and nullable recipient response. |
-| Browse/filter awards | `app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards` | Use when the award URI is not known or multiple awards are needed; the result includes response status. |
+| Browse/filter awards | `app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards` | Use when the award URI is not known or multiple awards are needed; the result includes response status. Set `includeTotal=true` to get `totalCount`: award records matching all filters before cursor and limit, not deduplicated, also on empty pages (use `limit=1` for a count-only request). |
 | Load one raw response record | `app.certified.badge.getBadgeResponse` | Exact response AT-URI in `uri`. |
 | List raw responses for an award | `app.certified.badge.listBadgeResponses` | Optional `badgeAward` filter; use to inspect response records, not as a substitute for the award's derived status. |
 
diff --git a/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/openapi.json b/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/openapi.json
index f8d03a6..d5c956e 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/openapi.json
+++ b/.agents/skills/hypercerts-api/references/openapi.json
@@ -783,6 +783,13 @@
             "required": false,
             "description": "Opaque cursor from the previous page.",
             "schema": { "type": "string" }
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "includeTotal",
+            "in": "query",
+            "required": false,
+            "description": "When true, the output includes totalCount.",
+            "schema": { "type": "boolean", "default": false }
           }
         ],
         "responses": {
@@ -4471,6 +4478,11 @@
           "cursor": {
             "type": "string",
             "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page; omitted when pagination is complete."
+          },
+          "totalCount": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "minimum": 0,
+            "description": "Number of badge award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit are applied. Not deduplicated. Only returned when includeTotal is true."
           }
         }
       },
diff --git a/.changeset/badge-award-total-count.md b/.changeset/badge-award-total-count.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0335964
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/badge-award-total-count.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@hypercerts-org/happyview-modules': minor
+'@hypercerts-org/api': minor
+---
+
+- `app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards` accepts `includeTotal`. When it is `true`, the output includes `totalCount`: the number of award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit, not deduplicated. It is also returned on empty pages.
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 15774c8..cc2a05a 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ The HTTP gate fails if it discovers no suites, executes no `node:test` cases, or
 - Work-scope-tag exact-URI retrieval, repeated-author filtering with an empty-result case, hydrated and null publisher sidecars, middle-position `indexedAt` fallback, tied pagination in both directions, and named error responses.
 - Context-measurement exact retrieval and publisher-sidecar hydration, repeated author/subject filters and negative results, timestamp/URI tie pagination in both directions, missing sidecars, and named runtime errors.
 - Acknowledgement exact retrieval and full-record preservation, hydrated and absent publisher sidecars, repeated author/subject filters, ascending and descending pagination across timestamp ties, and named errors.
-- Badge-query baseline-aware definition feeds and discriminating filters, exact-version award/response lookups, recipient status, raw response history, bidirectional tied pagination, nullable sidecars, and named runtime errors.
+- Badge-query baseline-aware definition feeds and discriminating filters, exact-version award/response lookups, recipient status, opt-in award totals across filters and past-the-end pages, raw response history, bidirectional tied pagination, nullable sidecars, and named runtime errors.
 - Profile and organization queries across all four endpoints for each record type, including batch null results, profile-sidecar hydration, filters, `createdAt`/URI pagination ties, and named errors.
 - Vocabulary-tag exact-URI retrieval, repeated-author filtering and no-match behavior, hydrated and nullable sidecars, bidirectional pagination ties, unsupported-search rejection, and named errors.
 - Context attachment and evaluation retrieval with publisher/evaluator sidecar hydration, list filters, pagination across tied `createdAt` values, and named runtime errors. Batched comment counts cover per-record counting, CID-independent subject matching, excluded non-comment attachments, and agreement with `listAttachments`.
diff --git a/docs/openapi.json b/docs/openapi.json
index 1fddbc4..54ca660 100644
--- a/docs/openapi.json
+++ b/docs/openapi.json
@@ -936,6 +936,16 @@
             "schema": {
               "type": "string"
             }
+          },
+          {
+            "name": "includeTotal",
+            "in": "query",
+            "required": false,
+            "description": "When true, the output includes totalCount.",
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "boolean",
+              "default": false
+            }
           }
         ],
         "responses": {
@@ -5822,6 +5832,11 @@
           "cursor": {
             "type": "string",
             "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page; omitted when pagination is complete."
+          },
+          "totalCount": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "description": "Number of badge award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit are applied. Not deduplicated. Only returned when includeTotal is true.",
+            "minimum": 0
           }
         }
       },
diff --git a/docs/sources/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json b/docs/sources/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
index 01137d1..0f92c77 100644
--- a/docs/sources/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
+++ b/docs/sources/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@
           "cursor": {
             "type": "string",
             "description": "Opaque cursor from the previous page."
+          },
+          "includeTotal": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": false,
+            "description": "When true, the output includes totalCount."
           }
         }
       },
@@ -112,6 +117,11 @@
         "cursor": {
           "type": "string",
           "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page; omitted when pagination is complete."
+        },
+        "totalCount": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "minimum": 0,
+          "description": "Number of badge award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit are applied. Not deduplicated. Only returned when includeTotal is true."
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/happyview-modules/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json b/happyview-modules/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
index 399f1cd..404c115 100644
--- a/happyview-modules/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
+++ b/happyview-modules/lexicons/app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards.json
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@
           "cursor": {
             "type": "string",
             "description": "Opaque cursor from the previous page."
+          },
+          "includeTotal": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": false,
+            "description": "When true, the output includes totalCount."
           }
         }
       },
@@ -77,6 +82,11 @@
         "cursor": {
           "type": "string",
           "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page; omitted when pagination is complete."
+        },
+        "totalCount": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "minimum": 0,
+          "description": "Number of badge award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit are applied. Not deduplicated. Only returned when includeTotal is true."
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/happyview-modules/lua/endpoints/listBadgeAwards.lua b/happyview-modules/lua/endpoints/listBadgeAwards.lua
index b5d0df3..1bccbc3 100644
--- a/happyview-modules/lua/endpoints/listBadgeAwards.lua
+++ b/happyview-modules/lua/endpoints/listBadgeAwards.lua
@@ -325,7 +325,18 @@ local function badge_award_view(row)
   return view
 end
 
-local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction)
+local function parse_include_total()
+  local value = params.includeTotal
+  if value == nil then return false end
+  if type(value) == "boolean" then return value end
+  value = scalar(params, "includeTotal")
+  if value == "true" then return true end
+  if value == "false" then return false end
+  invalid("includeTotal must be true or false")
+end
+
+local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction,
+  include_total)
   local where, values = { "award.collection = $1" }, { AWARD }
   add_filter(where, values, "award.did", authors)
   if badge_uris then
@@ -346,18 +357,23 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
         table.concat(placeholders, ",") .. ")"
     end
   end
+  -- The cursor is kept out of `where` so that, when a total is requested, the
+  -- count and the page share one `matched` set and differ only by cursor/limit.
+  local cursor_timestamp, cursor_uri
   if cursor then
     values[#values + 1] = cursor.t
-    local timestamp = "$" .. #values
+    cursor_timestamp = "($" .. #values .. ")::timestamptz"
     values[#values + 1] = cursor.u
-    local uri = "$" .. #values
-    local operator = direction == "asc" and ">" or "<"
-    where[#where + 1] = "(sorted.sort_at, award.uri) " .. operator ..
-      " ((" .. timestamp .. ")::timestamptz, " .. uri .. ")"
+    cursor_uri = "$" .. #values
   end
+  local operator = direction == "asc" and ">" or "<"
   values[#values + 1] = limit + 1
   local ordering = direction == "asc" and "ASC" or "DESC"
-  local sql = "SELECT award.uri, award.did, award.cid, award.indexed_at::text AS indexed_at, " ..
+  local page_columns = "page.uri, page.did, page.cid, page.indexed_at, page.record, page.sort_timestamp, " ..
+    "page.badge_uri, page.badge_cid, page.badge_indexed_at, page.badge_did, page.badge_record, " ..
+    "page.recipient_response_uri, page.recipient_response_cid, page.recipient_response_indexed_at, " ..
+    "page.recipient_response_did, page.recipient_response_record"
+  local select_from = "SELECT award.uri, award.did, award.cid, award.indexed_at::text AS indexed_at, " ..
     "award.record::text AS record, to_char(sorted.sort_at AT TIME ZONE 'UTC', " ..
     "'YYYY-MM-DD\"T\"HH24:MI:SS.US\"Z\"') AS sort_timestamp, " ..
     "badge.uri AS badge_uri, badge.cid AS badge_cid, badge.indexed_at::text AS badge_indexed_at, " ..
@@ -376,9 +392,39 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
     "AND response.record::jsonb->'badgeAward'->>'cid' = award.cid " ..
     "AND response.record::jsonb->>'response' IN ('accepted', 'rejected') " ..
     "ORDER BY response.indexed_at DESC NULLS LAST, response.uri DESC LIMIT 1) AS recipient_response ON TRUE " ..
-    "WHERE " .. table.concat(where, " AND ") .. " ORDER BY sorted.sort_at " .. ordering ..
-    ", award.uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values
+    "WHERE " .. table.concat(where, " AND ")
+  local sql
+  if include_total then
+    local page_filter = ""
+    if cursor then
+      page_filter = " WHERE (sort_at, uri) " .. operator .. " (" .. cursor_timestamp .. ", " .. cursor_uri .. ")"
+    end
+    -- sort_at stays inside the CTEs: HappyView cannot decode raw timestamptz output columns.
+    local matched = select_from:gsub("^SELECT ", "SELECT sorted.sort_at, ", 1)
+    sql = "WITH matched AS (" .. matched .. "), " ..
+      "total AS (SELECT COUNT(*) AS total_count FROM matched), " ..
+      "page AS (SELECT * FROM matched" .. page_filter .. " ORDER BY sort_at " .. ordering ..
+      ", uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values .. ") " ..
+      "SELECT " .. page_columns .. ", total.total_count FROM total LEFT JOIN page ON TRUE " ..
+      "ORDER BY page.sort_at " .. ordering .. ", page.uri " .. ordering
+  else
+    local cursor_filter = ""
+    if cursor then
+      cursor_filter = " AND (sorted.sort_at, award.uri) " .. operator .. " (" .. cursor_timestamp .. ", " .. cursor_uri .. ")"
+    end
+    sql = select_from .. cursor_filter .. " ORDER BY sorted.sort_at " .. ordering ..
+      ", award.uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values
+  end
   local rows = query(sql, values)
+  local total_count
+  if include_total then
+    total_count = rows[1] and tonumber(rows[1].total_count)
+    if not total_count or total_count < 0 or total_count % 1 ~= 0 then
+      error("BadgeAwardQueryFailed: badge award count unavailable", 0)
+    end
+    -- `total LEFT JOIN page` yields one row with a NULL page when the page is empty.
+    if rows[1].uri == nil then rows = {} end
+  end
   local more = #rows > limit
   if more then rows[#rows] = nil end
   local views, author_views = {}, {}
@@ -401,13 +447,13 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
     local last = rows[#rows]
     next_cursor = cursor_encode({ v = 1, d = direction, t = last.sort_timestamp, u = last.uri })
   end
-  return views, next_cursor
+  return views, next_cursor, total_count
 end
 
 local function handle_list_badge_awards()
   keys_only(params, {
     authors = true, badgeUris = true, badgeTypes = true, subjects = true, responses = true,
-    sortDirection = true, limit = true, cursor = true,
+    sortDirection = true, limit = true, cursor = true, includeTotal = true,
   })
   local authors = array_values("authors", valid_did, "valid DIDs")
   local badge_uris = array_values("badgeUris", valid_badge_definition_uri, "badge-definition AT-URIs")
@@ -418,9 +464,12 @@ local function handle_list_badge_awards()
   local limit = parse_list_limit(params)
   local direction = parse_sort_direction(params)
   local cursor = decode_badge_award_cursor(scalar(params, "cursor"), direction)
-  local views, next_cursor = list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction)
+  local include_total = parse_include_total()
+  local views, next_cursor, total_count = list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses,
+    limit, cursor, direction, include_total)
   local response = { badgeAwards = toarray(views) }
   if next_cursor then response.cursor = next_cursor end
+  if include_total then response.totalCount = total_count end
   return response
 end
 
diff --git a/happyview-modules/lua/src/listBadgeAwards.lua b/happyview-modules/lua/src/listBadgeAwards.lua
index 0ec48fe..7ad2b1e 100644
--- a/happyview-modules/lua/src/listBadgeAwards.lua
+++ b/happyview-modules/lua/src/listBadgeAwards.lua
@@ -183,7 +183,18 @@ local function badge_award_view(row)
   return view
 end
 
-local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction)
+local function parse_include_total()
+  local value = params.includeTotal
+  if value == nil then return false end
+  if type(value) == "boolean" then return value end
+  value = scalar(params, "includeTotal")
+  if value == "true" then return true end
+  if value == "false" then return false end
+  invalid("includeTotal must be true or false")
+end
+
+local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction,
+  include_total)
   local where, values = { "award.collection = $1" }, { AWARD }
   add_filter(where, values, "award.did", authors)
   if badge_uris then
@@ -204,18 +215,23 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
         table.concat(placeholders, ",") .. ")"
     end
   end
+  -- The cursor is kept out of `where` so that, when a total is requested, the
+  -- count and the page share one `matched` set and differ only by cursor/limit.
+  local cursor_timestamp, cursor_uri
   if cursor then
     values[#values + 1] = cursor.t
-    local timestamp = "$" .. #values
+    cursor_timestamp = "($" .. #values .. ")::timestamptz"
     values[#values + 1] = cursor.u
-    local uri = "$" .. #values
-    local operator = direction == "asc" and ">" or "<"
-    where[#where + 1] = "(sorted.sort_at, award.uri) " .. operator ..
-      " ((" .. timestamp .. ")::timestamptz, " .. uri .. ")"
+    cursor_uri = "$" .. #values
   end
+  local operator = direction == "asc" and ">" or "<"
   values[#values + 1] = limit + 1
   local ordering = direction == "asc" and "ASC" or "DESC"
-  local sql = "SELECT award.uri, award.did, award.cid, award.indexed_at::text AS indexed_at, " ..
+  local page_columns = "page.uri, page.did, page.cid, page.indexed_at, page.record, page.sort_timestamp, " ..
+    "page.badge_uri, page.badge_cid, page.badge_indexed_at, page.badge_did, page.badge_record, " ..
+    "page.recipient_response_uri, page.recipient_response_cid, page.recipient_response_indexed_at, " ..
+    "page.recipient_response_did, page.recipient_response_record"
+  local select_from = "SELECT award.uri, award.did, award.cid, award.indexed_at::text AS indexed_at, " ..
     "award.record::text AS record, to_char(sorted.sort_at AT TIME ZONE 'UTC', " ..
     "'YYYY-MM-DD\"T\"HH24:MI:SS.US\"Z\"') AS sort_timestamp, " ..
     "badge.uri AS badge_uri, badge.cid AS badge_cid, badge.indexed_at::text AS badge_indexed_at, " ..
@@ -234,9 +250,39 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
     "AND response.record::jsonb->'badgeAward'->>'cid' = award.cid " ..
     "AND response.record::jsonb->>'response' IN ('accepted', 'rejected') " ..
     "ORDER BY response.indexed_at DESC NULLS LAST, response.uri DESC LIMIT 1) AS recipient_response ON TRUE " ..
-    "WHERE " .. table.concat(where, " AND ") .. " ORDER BY sorted.sort_at " .. ordering ..
-    ", award.uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values
+    "WHERE " .. table.concat(where, " AND ")
+  local sql
+  if include_total then
+    local page_filter = ""
+    if cursor then
+      page_filter = " WHERE (sort_at, uri) " .. operator .. " (" .. cursor_timestamp .. ", " .. cursor_uri .. ")"
+    end
+    -- sort_at stays inside the CTEs: HappyView cannot decode raw timestamptz output columns.
+    local matched = select_from:gsub("^SELECT ", "SELECT sorted.sort_at, ", 1)
+    sql = "WITH matched AS (" .. matched .. "), " ..
+      "total AS (SELECT COUNT(*) AS total_count FROM matched), " ..
+      "page AS (SELECT * FROM matched" .. page_filter .. " ORDER BY sort_at " .. ordering ..
+      ", uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values .. ") " ..
+      "SELECT " .. page_columns .. ", total.total_count FROM total LEFT JOIN page ON TRUE " ..
+      "ORDER BY page.sort_at " .. ordering .. ", page.uri " .. ordering
+  else
+    local cursor_filter = ""
+    if cursor then
+      cursor_filter = " AND (sorted.sort_at, award.uri) " .. operator .. " (" .. cursor_timestamp .. ", " .. cursor_uri .. ")"
+    end
+    sql = select_from .. cursor_filter .. " ORDER BY sorted.sort_at " .. ordering ..
+      ", award.uri " .. ordering .. " LIMIT $" .. #values
+  end
   local rows = query(sql, values)
+  local total_count
+  if include_total then
+    total_count = rows[1] and tonumber(rows[1].total_count)
+    if not total_count or total_count < 0 or total_count % 1 ~= 0 then
+      error("BadgeAwardQueryFailed: badge award count unavailable", 0)
+    end
+    -- `total LEFT JOIN page` yields one row with a NULL page when the page is empty.
+    if rows[1].uri == nil then rows = {} end
+  end
   local more = #rows > limit
   if more then rows[#rows] = nil end
   local views, author_views = {}, {}
@@ -259,13 +305,13 @@ local function list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, res
     local last = rows[#rows]
     next_cursor = cursor_encode({ v = 1, d = direction, t = last.sort_timestamp, u = last.uri })
   end
-  return views, next_cursor
+  return views, next_cursor, total_count
 end
 
 local function handle_list_badge_awards()
   keys_only(params, {
     authors = true, badgeUris = true, badgeTypes = true, subjects = true, responses = true,
-    sortDirection = true, limit = true, cursor = true,
+    sortDirection = true, limit = true, cursor = true, includeTotal = true,
   })
   local authors = array_values("authors", valid_did, "valid DIDs")
   local badge_uris = array_values("badgeUris", valid_badge_definition_uri, "badge-definition AT-URIs")
@@ -276,9 +322,12 @@ local function handle_list_badge_awards()
   local limit = parse_list_limit(params)
   local direction = parse_sort_direction(params)
   local cursor = decode_badge_award_cursor(scalar(params, "cursor"), direction)
-  local views, next_cursor = list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses, limit, cursor, direction)
+  local include_total = parse_include_total()
+  local views, next_cursor, total_count = list_badge_awards(authors, badge_uris, badge_types, subjects, responses,
+    limit, cursor, direction, include_total)
   local response = { badgeAwards = toarray(views) }
   if next_cursor then response.cursor = next_cursor end
+  if include_total then response.totalCount = total_count end
   return response
 end
 
diff --git a/happyview-modules/tests/http/badge-queries.http.test.js b/happyview-modules/tests/http/badge-queries.http.test.js
index 2748dd8..f500103 100644
--- a/happyview-modules/tests/http/badge-queries.http.test.js
+++ b/happyview-modules/tests/http/badge-queries.http.test.js
@@ -405,6 +405,84 @@ test("listBadgeAwards combines discriminating filters and traverses ties in both
   );
 });
 
+test("listBadgeAwards totalCount counts filtered awards before cursor and limit only when requested", async () => {
+  const filters = { authors: [badgeQueryDids.publisher], badgeUris: [definitionUri] };
+  const counts = [
+    [{}, 6],
+    [filters, 4],
+    // awardD references an unavailable definition version, so badgeTypes excludes it.
+    [{ ...filters, badgeTypes: ["certification"] }, 3],
+    [
+      {
+        ...filters,
+        badgeTypes: ["certification"],
+        subjects: [badgeQueryDids.recipient, recordSubjectUri],
+        responses: ["accepted", "rejected"],
+      },
+      2,
+    ],
+    [{ ...filters, badgeTypes: ["recognition"] }, 0],
+  ];
+  for (const [params, expected] of counts) {
+    const { response, body } = await requestBadgeEndpoint(endpoints.listBadgeAwards, {
+      ...params,
+      limit: 1,
+      includeTotal: true,
+    });
+    assert.equal(response.status, 200, JSON.stringify(body));
+    assert.equal(body.totalCount, expected, JSON.stringify(params));
+    assert.equal(body.badgeAwards.length, Math.min(expected, 1));
+  }
+
+  const firstPage = await requestBadgeEndpoint(endpoints.listBadgeAwards, {
+    ...filters,
+    sortDirection: "asc",
+    limit: 3,
+    includeTotal: true,
+  });
+  assert.equal(firstPage.response.status, 200, JSON.stringify(firstPage.body));
+  assert.equal(firstPage.body.totalCount, 4);
+  const lastPage = await requestBadgeEndpoint(endpoints.listBadgeAwards, {
+    ...filters,
+    sortDirection: "asc",
+    limit: 3,
+    cursor: firstPage.body.cursor,
+    includeTotal: true,
+  });
+  assert.equal(lastPage.response.status, 200, JSON.stringify(lastPage.body));
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    lastPage.body.badgeAwards.map(({ uri }) => uri),
+    [canonicalRecords.awardD.uri],
+  );
+  assert.equal(lastPage.body.totalCount, 4, "the cursor does not reduce the count");
+
+  const pastTheEnd = Buffer.from(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      v: 1,
+      d: "asc",
+      t: "2999-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z",
+      u: canonicalRecords.awardD.uri,
+    }),
+  ).toString("hex");
+  const empty = await requestBadgeEndpoint(endpoints.listBadgeAwards, {
+    ...filters,
+    sortDirection: "asc",
+    cursor: pastTheEnd,
+    includeTotal: true,
+  });
+  assert.equal(empty.response.status, 200, JSON.stringify(empty.body));
+  assert.deepEqual(empty.body.badgeAwards, []);
+  assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(empty.body, "cursor"), false);
+  assert.equal(empty.body.totalCount, 4);
+
+  for (const params of [filters, { ...filters, includeTotal: false }]) {
+    const { response, body } = await requestBadgeEndpoint(endpoints.listBadgeAwards, params);
+    assert.equal(response.status, 200, JSON.stringify(body));
+    assert.equal(body.badgeAwards.length, 4);
+    assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(body, "totalCount"), false);
+  }
+});
+
 test("listBadgeAwards returns InvalidRequest through the pinned runtime error response", async () => {
   await assertRuntimeError(
     endpoints.listBadgeAwards,
diff --git a/happyview-modules/tests/unit/tooling/badge-queries.test.js b/happyview-modules/tests/unit/tooling/badge-queries.test.js
index 3de33b4..4eb63ed 100644
--- a/happyview-modules/tests/unit/tooling/badge-queries.test.js
+++ b/happyview-modules/tests/unit/tooling/badge-queries.test.js
@@ -546,6 +546,95 @@ assert(calls[1].sql:find("COALESCE(recipient_response.record::jsonb->>'response'
   });
 });
 
+test("listBadgeAwards counts matched awards before cursor and limit only when includeTotal is true", async () => {
+  const badgeUri = `at://${issuer}/${definitionCollection}/forest`;
+  const awardRow = (rkey, createdAt) => ({
+    uri: `at://${issuer}/${awardCollection}/${rkey}`,
+    did: issuer,
+    cid: `bafy-${rkey}`,
+    indexed_at: indexedAt,
+    record: `award-${rkey}`,
+    record_json: {
+      $type: awardCollection,
+      badge: { uri: badgeUri, cid: "bafy-definition-v1" },
+      subject: "did:plc:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb",
+      createdAt,
+    },
+    sort_timestamp: createdAt.replace("Z", ".000000Z"),
+    total_count: 7,
+  });
+  const cursor = Buffer.from(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      v: 1,
+      d: "desc",
+      t: "2025-01-05T00:00:00.000000Z",
+      u: `at://${issuer}/${awardCollection}/cursor`,
+    }),
+  ).toString("hex");
+
+  runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
+    params: { authors: [issuer], badgeUris: [badgeUri], limit: "1", cursor, includeTotal: "true" },
+    queryResults: [
+      [awardRow("two", "2025-01-02T00:00:00Z"), awardRow("one", "2025-01-01T00:00:00Z")],
+      [],
+      [],
+    ],
+    assertions: `
+assert(#result.badgeAwards == 1 and result.cursor ~= nil)
+assert(result.totalCount == 7 and type(result.totalCount) == 'number')
+local sql = calls[1].sql
+local matched = assert(sql:find('WITH matched AS (SELECT sorted.sort_at, award.uri', 1, true))
+local total = assert(sql:find('total AS (SELECT COUNT(*) AS total_count FROM matched)', 1, true))
+local page = assert(sql:find('page AS (SELECT * FROM matched WHERE (sort_at, uri) < ', 1, true))
+assert(matched < total and total < page)
+assert(sql:find('FROM total LEFT JOIN page ON TRUE', 1, true))
+local matched_sql = sql:sub(matched, total)
+assert(matched_sql:find('award.did IN', 1, true) and matched_sql:find("award.record::jsonb->'badge'->>'uri' IN", 1, true),
+  'filters belong to the shared matched set')
+assert(not matched_sql:find('timestamptz, $', 1, true), 'the cursor is not applied to the count')
+assert(not matched_sql:find(' LIMIT $', 1, true), 'the limit is not applied to the count')
+assert(calls[1].values[#calls[1].values] == 2)
+`,
+  });
+
+  runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
+    params: { authors: [issuer], cursor, includeTotal: true },
+    queryResults: [[{ total_count: 3, record: "none", record_json: {} }]],
+    assertions: `
+assert(#result.badgeAwards == 0 and result.cursor == nil)
+assert(result.totalCount == 3, 'a past-the-end page still carries the total')
+`,
+  });
+
+  for (const includeTotal of [undefined, "false"]) {
+    runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
+      params: includeTotal ? { authors: [issuer], includeTotal } : { authors: [issuer] },
+      assertions: `
+assert(result.totalCount == nil)
+assert(not calls[1].sql:find('COUNT(*)', 1, true) and not calls[1].sql:find('WITH matched', 1, true))
+`,
+    });
+  }
+
+  for (const totalCount of [undefined, -1, 1.5]) {
+    runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
+      params: { includeTotal: "true" },
+      queryResults: [
+        totalCount === undefined
+          ? [{ uri: "unused", record: "unused", record_json: {} }]
+          : [{ total_count: totalCount, record: "none", record_json: {} }],
+      ],
+      expectedError: "BadgeAwardQueryFailed: badge award count unavailable",
+    });
+  }
+
+  runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
+    params: { includeTotal: "yes" },
+    expectedError: "InvalidRequest: includeTotal must be true or false",
+    assertions: "assert(#calls == 0)",
+  });
+});
+
 test("listBadgeAwards rejects invalid subject identifiers before querying", async () => {
   runLua(await handlerSource("listBadgeAwards"), {
     params: { subjects: ["did:plc:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb", "recipient.example"] },
diff --git a/packages/api/src/lexicons/app/certified/badge/listBadgeAwards.defs.ts b/packages/api/src/lexicons/app/certified/badge/listBadgeAwards.defs.ts
index 441519e..1bb870e 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/lexicons/app/certified/badge/listBadgeAwards.defs.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/lexicons/app/certified/badge/listBadgeAwards.defs.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ type $nsid = typeof $nsid;
 
 export { $nsid };
 
-export const $params = /*#__PURE__*/ l.params({"authors":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"format":"did"}), {"maxLength":100})),"badgeUris":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"format":"at-uri"}), {"maxLength":100})),"badgeTypes":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"maxLength":100}), {"maxLength":100})),"subjects":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string(), {"maxLength":100})),"responses":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.enum(["accepted","rejected","unanswered"]), {"maxLength":100})),"sortDirection":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.withDefault(/*#__PURE__*/ l.enum(["asc","desc"]), "desc")),"limit":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.withDefault(/*#__PURE__*/ l.integer({"minimum":1,"maximum":100}), 25)),"cursor":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string())});
+export const $params = /*#__PURE__*/ l.params({"authors":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"format":"did"}), {"maxLength":100})),"badgeUris":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"format":"at-uri"}), {"maxLength":100})),"badgeTypes":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string({"maxLength":100}), {"maxLength":100})),"subjects":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string(), {"maxLength":100})),"responses":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.enum(["accepted","rejected","unanswered"]), {"maxLength":100})),"sortDirection":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.withDefault(/*#__PURE__*/ l.enum(["asc","desc"]), "desc")),"limit":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.withDefault(/*#__PURE__*/ l.integer({"minimum":1,"maximum":100}), 25)),"cursor":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string()),"includeTotal":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.withDefault(/*#__PURE__*/ l.boolean(), false))});
 
 export type $Params = l.InferOutput<typeof $params>;
 
@@ -36,10 +36,15 @@ type Output = { $type?: "app.certified.badge.listBadgeAwards#output";"badgeAward
   /**
    * Opaque cursor for the next page; omitted when pagination is complete.
    */
-  "cursor"?:string };
+  "cursor"?:string;
+
+  /**
+   * Number of badge award records matching all filters, before cursor and limit are applied. Not deduplicated. Only returned when includeTotal is true.
+   */
+  "totalCount"?:number };
 
 export type { Output };
 
-const output = /*#__PURE__*/ l.typedObject<Output>($nsid, "output", /*#__PURE__*/ l.object({"badgeAwards":/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.ref<BadgeGetBadgeAward.BadgeAwardView>((() => BadgeGetBadgeAward.badgeAwardView) as any), ),"cursor":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string())}));
+const output = /*#__PURE__*/ l.typedObject<Output>($nsid, "output", /*#__PURE__*/ l.object({"badgeAwards":/*#__PURE__*/ l.array(/*#__PURE__*/ l.ref<BadgeGetBadgeAward.BadgeAwardView>((() => BadgeGetBadgeAward.badgeAwardView) as any), ),"cursor":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.string()),"totalCount":/*#__PURE__*/ l.optional(/*#__PURE__*/ l.integer({"minimum":0}))}));
 
 export { output };