diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
index 79ef724f..41085fcd 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ void rwSettings(bool writing)
                Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.showTrayIcon, "/Recoll/prefs/showTrayIcon", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.closeToTray, "/Recoll/prefs/closeToTray", Bool, false);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.trayMessages, "/Recoll/prefs/trayMessages", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.showTempFileWarning, "Recoll/prefs/showTempFileWarning",
                Int, -1);
 
diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
index 2d3ec863..60d5e99b 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ class PrefsPack {
     
     bool showTrayIcon{false};
     bool closeToTray{false};
-
+    bool trayMessages{false};
+    
     int showTempFileWarning;
     
     // Advanced search window clause list state
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
index 97a569c6..0597d360 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ void RclMain::adjustPrefsMenu()
 
 void RclMain::showTrayMessage(const QString& text)
 {
-    if (m_trayicon)
+    if (m_trayicon && prefs.trayMessages)
         m_trayicon->showMessage("Recoll", text, 
                                 QSystemTrayIcon::Information, 1000);
 }
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
index 228f2166..5a103701 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
@@ -351,6 +351,16 @@
             </property>
            </widget>
           </item>
+          <item>
+           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="trayMessagesCB">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Generate desktop notifications.</string>
+            </property>
+            <property name="checked">
+             <bool>false</bool>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
           <item>
            <widget class="QCheckBox" name="showTempFileWarningCB">
             <property name="text">
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
index 879a4585..3d6f18ff 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
@@ -143,12 +143,17 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::setFromPrefs()
     initStartAdvCB->setChecked(prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen);
 
     keepSortCB->setChecked(prefs.keepSort);
+
     showTrayIconCB->setChecked(prefs.showTrayIcon);
     if (!prefs.showTrayIcon) {
         prefs.closeToTray = false;
+        prefs.trayMessages = false;
     }
     closeToTrayCB->setEnabled(showTrayIconCB->checkState());
+    trayMessagesCB->setEnabled(showTrayIconCB->checkState());
     closeToTrayCB->setChecked(prefs.closeToTray);
+    trayMessagesCB->setChecked(prefs.trayMessages);
+    
     showTempFileWarningCB->setChecked(prefs.showTempFileWarning == -1);
     anchorTamilHackCB->setChecked(settings.value("anchorSpcHack", 0).toBool());
     previewHtmlCB->setChecked(prefs.previewHtml);
@@ -339,6 +344,8 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::accept()
     prefs.showTrayIcon = showTrayIconCB->isChecked();
     m_mainWindow->enableTrayIcon(prefs.showTrayIcon);
     prefs.closeToTray = closeToTrayCB->isChecked();
+    prefs.trayMessages = trayMessagesCB->isChecked();
+
     prefs.showTempFileWarning = showTempFileWarningCB->isChecked() ?
         -1 : 1024;
     settings.setValue("anchorSpcHack", anchorTamilHackCB->isChecked());
@@ -598,8 +605,10 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::on_showTrayIconCB_clicked()
 {
     if (!showTrayIconCB->checkState()) {
         closeToTrayCB->setChecked(false);
+        trayMessagesCB->setChecked(false);
     }
     closeToTrayCB->setEnabled(showTrayIconCB->checkState());
+    trayMessagesCB->setEnabled(showTrayIconCB->checkState());
 }
 
 /**