diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 987273739..c0292de51 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
       if: contains(matrix.os, 'ubuntu')
       run: |
         sudo apt-get update -y
-        sudo apt-get install pkg-config cmake libfreetype6-dev libsdl2-dev -y
+        sudo apt-get install pkg-config cmake libfreetype6-dev libnotify-dev libsdl2-dev -y
 
     - name: Prepare MacOS
       if: contains(matrix.os, 'macOS')
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 311e604b1..5d8537386 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -463,18 +463,18 @@ elseif(TARGET_OS STREQUAL "mac")
   find_library(OPENGL OpenGL)
   find_library(SECURITY Security)
   set(PLATFORM_CLIENT
-    src/osx/notification.h
-    src/osx/notification.mm
+    src/osx/notifications.m
     src/osxlaunch/client.m
   )
   set(PLATFORM_CLIENT_LIBS ${COCOA} ${OPENGL})
   set(PLATFORM_LIBS ${CARBON} ${SECURITY})
 else()
-  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT)
+  find_package(Notify)
   find_package(OpenGL)
   find_package(X11)
-  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT_LIBS ${OPENGL_gl_LIBRARY} ${X11_X11_LIB})
-  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT_INCLUDE_DIRS ${OPENGL_INCLUDE_DIR} ${X11_X11_INCLUDE_PATH})
+  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT_LIBS ${OPENGL_gl_LIBRARY} ${X11_X11_LIB} ${NOTIFY_LIBRARIES})
+  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT_INCLUDE_DIRS ${OPENGL_INCLUDE_DIR} ${X11_X11_INCLUDE_PATH} ${NOTIFY_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  set(PLATFORM_CLIENT)
   if(TARGET_OS STREQUAL "linux")
     set(PLATFORM_LIBS rt) # clock_gettime for glibc < 2.17
   else()
@@ -822,6 +822,8 @@ if(CLIENT)
     input.cpp
     input.h
     keynames.h
+    notifications.cpp
+    notifications.h
     opengl_sl.cpp
     opengl_sl.h
     opengl_sl_program.cpp
@@ -1011,6 +1013,8 @@ if(CLIENT)
     ${SDL2_INCLUDE_DIRS}
     ${WAVPACK_INCLUDE_DIRS}
     ${FFMPEG_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+
+    ${PLATFORM_CLIENT_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   )
 
   set(PARAMS "${WAVPACK_INCLUDE_DIRS};${WAVPACK_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dc2424e7b..552d696aa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ Pass the number of threads for compilation to `make -j`. `$(nproc)` in this case
 
 You can install the required libraries on your system, `touch CMakeLists.txt` and CMake will use the system-wide libraries by default. You can install all required dependencies and CMake on Debian or Ubuntu like this:
 
-    sudo apt install cmake git libcurl4-openssl-dev libssl-dev libfreetype6-dev libglew-dev libogg-dev libopus-dev libopusfile-dev libpnglite-dev libsdl2-dev libwavpack-dev python
+    sudo apt install cmake git libcurl4-openssl-dev libssl-dev libfreetype6-dev libglew-dev libnotify-dev libogg-dev libopus-dev libopusfile-dev libpnglite-dev libsdl2-dev libwavpack-dev python
 
 Or on Arch Linux like this:
 
-    sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel cmake curl freetype2 git glew opusfile python sdl2 wavpack
+    sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel cmake curl freetype2 git glew libnotify opusfile python sdl2 wavpack
 
 There is an [AUR package for pnglite](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pnglite/). For instructions on installing it, see [AUR packages installation instructions on ArchWiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_User_Repository#Installing_packages).
 
diff --git a/cmake/FindNotify.cmake b/cmake/FindNotify.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f8639780
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/FindNotify.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED QUIET)
+pkg_check_modules(NOTIFY REQUIRED QUIET libnotify)
+include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+find_package_handle_standard_args(LibNotify DEFAULT_MSG NOTIFY_LIBRARIES NOTIFY_INCLUDE_DIRS)
diff --git a/src/engine/client.h b/src/engine/client.h
index 1a4edd897..33a08fc74 100644
--- a/src/engine/client.h
+++ b/src/engine/client.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void ToggleWindowBordered() = 0;
 	virtual void ToggleWindowVSync() = 0;
 	virtual void LoadFont() = 0;
+	virtual void Notify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage) = 0;
 
 	// networking
 	virtual void EnterGame() = 0;
diff --git a/src/engine/client/backend_sdl.cpp b/src/engine/client/backend_sdl.cpp
index 84adfd53b..45d3a1725 100644
--- a/src/engine/client/backend_sdl.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/client/backend_sdl.cpp
@@ -2573,9 +2573,6 @@ void CGraphicsBackend_SDL_OpenGL::SetWindowGrab(bool Grab)
 
 void CGraphicsBackend_SDL_OpenGL::NotifyWindow()
 {
-	if(!g_Config.m_ClShowNotifications)
-		return;
-
 	// get window handle
 	SDL_SysWMinfo info;
 	SDL_VERSION(&info.version);
diff --git a/src/engine/client/client.cpp b/src/engine/client/client.cpp
index 000bd742a..33aa833cb 100644
--- a/src/engine/client/client.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/client/client.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <engine/textrender.h>
 
 #include <engine/client/http.h>
+#include <engine/client/notifications.h>
 #include <engine/shared/config.h>
 #include <engine/shared/compression.h>
 #include <engine/shared/datafile.h>
@@ -3783,6 +3784,15 @@ void CClient::LoadFont()
 		m_pConsole->Print(IConsole::OUTPUT_LEVEL_STANDARD, "gameclient", "failed to load font. filename='%s'", pFontFile);
 }
 
+void CClient::Notify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage)
+{
+	if(!g_Config.m_ClShowNotifications)
+		return;
+
+	NotificationsNotify(pTitle, pMessage);
+	Graphics()->NotifyWindow();
+}
+
 void CClient::ConchainWindowVSync(IConsole::IResult *pResult, void *pUserData, IConsole::FCommandCallback pfnCallback, void *pCallbackUserData)
 {
 	CClient *pSelf = (CClient *)pUserData;
@@ -3954,6 +3964,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv) // ignore_convention
 		RandInitFailed = true;
 	}
 
+	NotificationsInit();
+
 	CClient *pClient = CreateClient();
 	IKernel *pKernel = IKernel::Create();
 	pKernel->RegisterInterface(pClient, false);
@@ -4086,6 +4098,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv) // ignore_convention
 	pClient->~CClient();
 	free(pClient);
 
+	NotificationsUninit();
+
 	if(Restarting)
 	{
 		char aBuf[512];
diff --git a/src/engine/client/client.h b/src/engine/client/client.h
index f7258b419..893839c37 100644
--- a/src/engine/client/client.h
+++ b/src/engine/client/client.h
@@ -428,6 +428,7 @@ public:
 	void ToggleWindowBordered();
 	void ToggleWindowVSync();
 	void LoadFont();
+	void Notify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage);
 
 	// DDRace
 
diff --git a/src/engine/client/notifications.cpp b/src/engine/client/notifications.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec0934b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/client/notifications.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include "notifications.h"
+
+#include <base/detect.h>
+
+#if defined(CONF_PLATFORM_MACOSX)
+// Code is in src/osx/notification.mm.
+#elif defined(CONF_FAMILY_UNIX)
+#include <libnotify/notify.h>
+void NotificationsInit()
+{
+	notify_init("DDNet Client");
+}
+void NotificationsUninit()
+{
+	notify_uninit();
+}
+void NotificationsNotify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage)
+{
+	NotifyNotification *pNotif = notify_notification_new(pTitle, pMessage, NULL);
+	notify_notification_show(pNotif, NULL);
+	g_object_unref(G_OBJECT(pNotif));
+}
+#else
+void NotificationsInit()
+{
+}
+void NotificationsUninit()
+{
+}
+void NotificationsNotify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage)
+{
+	(void)pTitle;
+	(void)pMessage;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/src/engine/client/notifications.h b/src/engine/client/notifications.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35d7b588a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/client/notifications.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#ifndef ENGINE_CLIENT_NOTIFICATIONS_H
+#define ENGINE_CLIENT_NOTIFICATIONS_H
+void NotificationsInit();
+void NotificationsUninit();
+void NotificationsNotify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage);
+#endif // ENGINE_CLIENT_NOTIFICATIONS_H
diff --git a/src/game/client/components/chat.cpp b/src/game/client/components/chat.cpp
index 2c2e20c9b..a99973d10 100644
--- a/src/game/client/components/chat.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/components/chat.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@
 #include <game/client/components/sounds.h>
 #include <game/localization.h>
 
-#ifdef CONF_PLATFORM_MACOSX
-#include <osx/notification.h>
-#endif
-
 #include "chat.h"
 
 
@@ -704,13 +700,9 @@ void CChat::AddLine(int ClientID, int Team, const char *pLine)
 	{
 		if(Now-m_aLastSoundPlayed[CHAT_HIGHLIGHT] >= time_freq()*3/10)
 		{
-#ifdef CONF_PLATFORM_MACOSX
 			char aBuf[1024];
 			str_format(aBuf, sizeof(aBuf), "%s%s", m_aLines[m_CurrentLine].m_aName, m_aLines[m_CurrentLine].m_aText);
-			CNotification::Notify("DDNet-Chat", aBuf);
-#else
-			Graphics()->NotifyWindow();
-#endif
+			Client()->Notify("DDNet Chat", aBuf);
 			if(g_Config.m_SndHighlight)
 			{
 				m_pClient->m_pSounds->Play(CSounds::CHN_GUI, SOUND_CHAT_HIGHLIGHT, 0);
diff --git a/src/osx/notification.h b/src/osx/notification.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 5834f3eb5..000000000
--- a/src/osx/notification.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef OSX_NOTIFICATION_H
-#define OSX_NOTIFICATION_H
-
-class CNotification
-{
-public:
-	static void Notify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMsg);
-};
-
-#endif // OSX_NOTIFICATION_H
diff --git a/src/osx/notification.mm b/src/osx/notifications.m
similarity index 71%
rename from src/osx/notification.mm
rename to src/osx/notifications.m
index 761a0564f..39ed0aee1 100644
--- a/src/osx/notification.mm
+++ b/src/osx/notifications.m
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
+#import <engine/client/notifications.h>
+
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 #import <Foundation/NSUserNotification.h>
 #import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
-#import "notification.h"
 
-void CNotification::Notify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMsg)
+void NotificationsInit()
+{
+}
+void NotificationsUninit()
+{
+}
+void NotificationsNotify(const char *pTitle, const char *pMessage)
 {
 	NSString* pNsTitle = [NSString stringWithCString:pTitle encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
-	NSString* pNsMsg = [NSString stringWithCString:pMsg encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
+	NSString* pNsMsg = [NSString stringWithCString:pMessage encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
 
 	NSUserNotification *pNotification = [[NSUserNotification alloc] autorelease];
 	pNotification.title = pNsTitle;