diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
index 474c04a5..86a24bd3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
@@ -178,6 +178,14 @@ class BluetoothMeshService(private val context: Context) {
                 try { com.bitchat.android.services.AppStateStore.setPeers(peerIDs) } catch (_: Exception) { }
                 // Then notify UI delegate if attached
                 delegate?.didUpdatePeerList(peerIDs)
+
+                // If UI is detached (background), update notification manager directly
+                if (delegate == null) {
+                    try {
+                        serviceNotificationManager.setAppBackgroundState(true)
+                        serviceNotificationManager.showActiveUserNotification(peerIDs)
+                    } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                }
             }
             override fun onPeerRemoved(peerID: String) {
                 try { gossipSyncManager.removeAnnouncementForPeer(peerID) } catch (_: Exception) { }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt
index 9eb72b48..f905c61b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt
@@ -174,6 +174,11 @@ class NotificationManager(
     }
 
     fun showActiveUserNotification(peers: List<String>) {
+        if (peers.isEmpty()) {
+            notificationIntervalManager.recentlySeenPeers.clear()
+            return
+        }
+
         val currentTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
         val activePeerNotificationIntervalExceeded =
           (currentTime - notificationIntervalManager.lastNetworkNotificationTime) > ACTIVE_PEERS_NOTIFICATION_TIME_INTERVAL