diff --git a/lib/logitech_receiver/notify.py b/lib/logitech_receiver/notify.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..939c25e08f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/logitech_receiver/notify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+# -*- python-mode -*-
+
+## Copyright (C) 2024 Solaar contributors
+##
+## This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+## it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+## the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+## (at your option) any later version.
+##
+## This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+## but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+## MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+## GNU General Public License for more details.
+##
+## You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+## with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+## 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+try:
+    import gi
+    gi.require_version('Notify', '0.7')
+    gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
+    from gi.repository import GLib, Gtk, Notify  # this import is allowed to fail making the entire feature unavailable
+    available = True
+except (ValueError, ImportError):
+    available = False
+
+if available:
+    # cache references to shown notifications here to allow reuse
+    _notifications = {}
+
+    def init():
+        """Init the notifications system."""
+        global available
+        if available:
+            if not Notify.is_initted():
+                if logger.isEnabledFor(logging.INFO):
+                    logger.info('starting desktop notifications')
+                try:
+                    return Notify.init('solaar')  # replace with better name later
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.exception('initializing desktop notifications')
+                    available = False
+        return available and Notify.is_initted()
+
+    def uninit():
+        if available and Notify.is_initted():
+            if logger.isEnabledFor(logging.INFO):
+                logger.info('stopping desktop notifications')
+            _notifications.clear()
+            Notify.uninit()
+
+    def show(dev, message, icon=None):
+        """Show a notification with title and text."""
+        if available and (Notify.is_initted() or init()):
+            summary = dev.name
+            n = _notifications.get(summary)  # reuse notification of same name
+            if n is None:
+                n = _notifications[summary] = Notify.Notification()
+            icon_name = device_icon_name(dev.name, dev.kind) if icon is None else icon
+            n.update(summary, message, icon_name)
+            n.set_urgency(Notify.Urgency.NORMAL)
+            n.set_hint('desktop-entry', GLib.Variant('s', 'solaar'))  # replace with better name late
+            try:
+                # if logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
+                #     logger.debug("showing %s", n)
+                n.show()
+            except Exception:
+                logger.exception('showing %s', n)
+
+    _ICON_LISTS = {}
+
+    def device_icon_list(name='_', kind=None):
+        icon_list = _ICON_LISTS.get(name)
+        if icon_list is None:
+            # names of possible icons, in reverse order of likelihood
+            # the theme will hopefully pick up the most appropriate
+            icon_list = ['preferences-desktop-peripherals']
+            if kind:
+                if str(kind) == 'numpad':
+                    icon_list += ('input-keyboard', 'input-dialpad')
+                elif str(kind) == 'touchpad':
+                    icon_list += ('input-mouse', 'input-tablet')
+                elif str(kind) == 'trackball':
+                    icon_list += ('input-mouse', )
+                elif str(kind) == 'headset':
+                    icon_list += ('audio-headphones', 'audio-headset')
+                icon_list += ('input-' + str(kind), )
+            _ICON_LISTS[name] = icon_list
+        return icon_list
+
+    def device_icon_name(name, kind=None):
+        _default_theme = Gtk.IconTheme.get_default()
+        icon_list = device_icon_list(name, kind)
+        for n in reversed(icon_list):
+            if _default_theme.has_icon(n):
+                return n
+
+else:
+    init = lambda: False
+    uninit = lambda: None
+    show = lambda dev, reason=None: None
diff --git a/lib/logitech_receiver/settings_templates.py b/lib/logitech_receiver/settings_templates.py
index 33582a6430..44618d3435 100644
--- a/lib/logitech_receiver/settings_templates.py
+++ b/lib/logitech_receiver/settings_templates.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from . import hidpp10_constants as _hidpp10_constants
 from . import hidpp20 as _hidpp20
 from . import hidpp20_constants as _hidpp20_constants
+from . import notify as _notify
 from . import special_keys as _special_keys
 from .base import _HIDPP_Notification as _HIDPP_Notification
 from .common import NamedInt as _NamedInt
@@ -776,13 +777,9 @@ def setNewDpi(self, newDpiIdx):
             self.device.setting_callback(self.device, type(self.dpiSetting), [newDpi])
 
     def displayNewDpi(self, newDpiIdx):
-        from solaar.ui import notify as _notify  # import here to avoid circular import when running `solaar show`,
         if _notify.available:
             reason = 'DPI %d [min %d, max %d]' % (self.dpiChoices[newDpiIdx], self.dpiChoices[0], self.dpiChoices[-1])
-            # if there is a progress percentage then the reason isn't shown
-            # asPercentage = int(float(newDpiIdx) / float(len(self.dpiChoices) - 1) * 100.)
-            # _notify.show(self.device, reason=reason, progress=asPercentage)
-            _notify.show(self.device, reason=reason)
+            _notify.show(self.device, reason)
 
     def press_action(self, key):  # start tracking
         self.starting = True