diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatViewModel.kt
index 90a17ce2..b1894c39 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/ChatViewModel.kt
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class ChatViewModel(application: Application) : AndroidViewModel(application), B
     private val channelManager = ChannelManager(state, messageManager, dataManager, viewModelScope)
     val privateChatManager = PrivateChatManager(state, messageManager, dataManager)
     private val commandProcessor = CommandProcessor(state, messageManager, channelManager, privateChatManager)
+    private val notificationManager = NotificationManager(application.applicationContext)
     
     // Delegate handler for mesh callbacks
     private val meshDelegateHandler = MeshDelegateHandler(
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ class ChatViewModel(application: Application) : AndroidViewModel(application), B
         messageManager = messageManager,
         channelManager = channelManager,
         privateChatManager = privateChatManager,
+        notificationManager = notificationManager,
         coroutineScope = viewModelScope,
         onHapticFeedback = { ChatViewModelUtils.triggerHapticFeedback(context) },
         getMyPeerID = { meshService.myPeerID }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MeshDelegateHandler.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MeshDelegateHandler.kt
index ee656059..4a98ae57 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MeshDelegateHandler.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MeshDelegateHandler.kt
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ class MeshDelegateHandler(
     private val messageManager: MessageManager,
     private val channelManager: ChannelManager,
     private val privateChatManager: PrivateChatManager,
+    private val notificationManager: NotificationManager,
     private val coroutineScope: CoroutineScope,
     private val onHapticFeedback: () -> Unit,
     private val getMyPeerID: () -> String
 ) : BluetoothMeshDelegate {
-    
+
     override fun didReceiveMessage(message: BitchatMessage) {
         coroutineScope.launch {
             // FIXED: Deduplicate messages from dual connection paths
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ class MeshDelegateHandler(
             if (message.isPrivate) {
                 // Private message
                 privateChatManager.handleIncomingPrivateMessage(message)
+                if (state.getSelectedPrivateChatPeerValue() != message.senderPeerID) {
+                    notificationManager.showPrivateMessageNotification(message.sender, message.content)
+                }
             } else if (message.channel != null) {
                 // Channel message
                 if (state.getJoinedChannelsValue().contains(message.channel)) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..160eccf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/NotificationManager.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package com.bitchat.android.ui
+
+import android.app.NotificationChannel
+import android.app.NotificationManager
+import android.content.Context
+import android.os.Build
+import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat
+import com.bitchat.android.R
+
+class NotificationManager(private val context: Context) {
+
+    private val notificationManager = context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE) as NotificationManager
+    private val channelId = "bitchat_notifications"
+
+    init {
+        createNotificationChannel()
+    }
+
+    private fun createNotificationChannel() {
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+            val name = "Bitchat Notifications"
+            val descriptionText = "Notifications for new messages and other events"
+            val importance = NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT
+            val channel = NotificationChannel(channelId, name, importance).apply {
+                description = descriptionText
+            }
+            notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel)
+        }
+    }
+
+    fun showPrivateMessageNotification(sender: String, message: String) {
+        val builder = NotificationCompat.Builder(context, channelId)
+            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
+            .setContentTitle("New message from $sender")
+            .setContentText(message)
+            .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
+            .setAutoCancel(true)
+
+        notificationManager.notify(System.currentTimeMillis().toInt(), builder.build())
+    }
+}