diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48d5069..8f098a5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -232,9 +232,12 @@ to install them and `basectl check --dev` or `basectl doctor --dev` to verify
 them.
 
 On macOS, `basectl setup` sends a best-effort notification when setup completes
-or fails. Notifications are skipped during `--dry-run` and never change the
-setup exit status. Use `basectl setup --no-notify` or
-`BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY=false` to disable them.
+or fails after running for at least 30 seconds. Notifications are skipped during
+`--dry-run` and never change the setup exit status. Use `basectl setup --notify`
+to force a notification for quick runs, `basectl setup --no-notify` or
+`BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY=false` to disable notifications, and
+`BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_MIN_SECONDS` to tune the default threshold. When `--notify`
+is requested on macOS, Base warns if `osascript` is not available.
 
 ## Quick Start
 
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup.sh
index 0640128..0fb59b5 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Options:
   --dev             Install manifest-declared developer prerequisites.
   --dry-run          Log what would happen without making changes.
   --manifest <path>  Use a specific base_manifest.yaml path.
+  --notify           Force a best-effort macOS notification when setup ends.
   --no-notify        Disable the default best-effort macOS completion notification.
   --recreate-venv    Back up and recreate the project virtual environment.
   -v                 Enable DEBUG logging for this subcommand.
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@ base_setup_subcommand_main() {
     done
 
     BASE_SETUP_PROJECT_NAME="$project_name"
+    BASE_SETUP_START_TIME="$(date +%s)"
+    export BASE_SETUP_START_TIME
     export BASE_SETUP_PROJECT_NAME
     log_debug "Running 'basectl setup' (DRY_RUN=$(setup_is_dry_run && printf true || printf false))."
     if setup_notifications_enabled; then
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup_common.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup_common.sh
index d807d9b..3753dbc 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup_common.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup_common.sh
@@ -50,12 +50,17 @@ setup_enable_recreate_venv() {
 
 setup_enable_notifications() {
     export BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY=true
+    export BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_FORCE=true
 }
 
 setup_disable_notifications() {
     export BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY=false
 }
 
+setup_notify_min_seconds() {
+    printf '%s\n' "${BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_MIN_SECONDS:-30}"
+}
+
 setup_recreate_venv_enabled() {
     [[ "${BASE_SETUP_RECREATE_VENV:-false}" == true ]]
 }
@@ -64,6 +69,10 @@ setup_notifications_enabled() {
     [[ "${BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY:-true}" == true ]]
 }
 
+setup_notifications_forced() {
+    [[ "${BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_FORCE:-false}" == true ]]
+}
+
 setup_virtualenv_exists() {
     local venv_dir
 
@@ -153,12 +162,30 @@ setup_recovery_project_layer() {
 
 setup_notify_completion() {
     local exit_code="$1"
+    local elapsed_seconds=0
     local message title
+    local min_seconds
 
     setup_notifications_enabled || return 0
     setup_is_dry_run && return 0
     [[ "$OSTYPE" == darwin* ]] || return 0
-    command -v osascript >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 0
+    if ! command -v osascript >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        if setup_notifications_forced; then
+            log_warn "Setup notification was requested, but 'osascript' is not available on this Mac."
+        fi
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    min_seconds="$(setup_notify_min_seconds)"
+    if ! [[ "$min_seconds" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        min_seconds=30
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "${BASE_SETUP_START_TIME:-}" && "$BASE_SETUP_START_TIME" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        elapsed_seconds=$(($(date +%s) - BASE_SETUP_START_TIME))
+    fi
+    if ! setup_notifications_forced && ((elapsed_seconds < min_seconds)); then
+        return 0
+    fi
 
     if ((exit_code == 0)); then
         title="Base setup complete"
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/setup.bats b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/setup.bats
index f8557b5..e8f4d1f 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/setup.bats
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/setup.bats
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" == *"Usage:"* ]]
     [[ "$output" == *"basectl setup [options]"* ]]
     [[ "$output" == *"--dev"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"--notify"* ]]
     [[ "$output" == *"--no-notify"* ]]
     [[ "$output" == *"--recreate-venv"* ]]
     [[ "$output" == *"Prepare the local Base CLI environment on macOS."* ]]
@@ -547,6 +548,7 @@ EOF
     installer="$(create_homebrew_installer_stub)"
 
     run_base_command \
+        BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_MIN_SECONDS=999999 \
         BASE_SETUP_ALLOW_NONINTERACTIVE_XCODE_INSTALL=true \
         BASE_SETUP_HOMEBREW_INSTALLER_SCRIPT="$installer" \
         setup
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ EOF
     [ -f "$venv_dir/pyvenv.cfg" ]
 }
 
-@test "basectl setup sends a best-effort success notification by default" {
+@test "basectl setup skips notifications for quick successful runs" {
     local installer
 
     create_xcode_stubs
@@ -583,12 +585,61 @@ EOF
         BASE_SETUP_HOMEBREW_INSTALLER_SCRIPT="$installer" \
         setup
 
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ ! -f "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args" ]
+}
+
+@test "basectl setup sends a best-effort success notification after the threshold" {
+    local installer
+
+    create_xcode_stubs
+    create_osascript_stub
+    installer="$(create_homebrew_installer_stub)"
+
+    run_base_command \
+        BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_MIN_SECONDS=0 \
+        BASE_SETUP_ALLOW_NONINTERACTIVE_XCODE_INSTALL=true \
+        BASE_SETUP_HOMEBREW_INSTALLER_SCRIPT="$installer" \
+        setup
+
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     [ -f "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args" ]
     [[ "$(cat "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args")" == *"Base setup complete"* ]]
     [[ "$(cat "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args")" == *"Base CLI setup completed successfully."* ]]
 }
 
+@test "basectl setup --notify forces a notification for quick runs" {
+    local installer
+
+    create_xcode_stubs
+    create_osascript_stub
+    installer="$(create_homebrew_installer_stub)"
+
+    run_base_command \
+        BASE_SETUP_ALLOW_NONINTERACTIVE_XCODE_INSTALL=true \
+        BASE_SETUP_HOMEBREW_INSTALLER_SCRIPT="$installer" \
+        setup --notify
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ -f "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args" ]
+    [[ "$(cat "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args")" == *"Base setup complete"* ]]
+    [[ "$(cat "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args")" == *"Base CLI setup completed successfully."* ]]
+}
+
+@test "basectl setup --notify warns when osascript is unavailable on macOS" {
+    run env \
+        HOME="$TEST_HOME" \
+        PATH="$TEST_MOCKBIN:$TEST_BASH_BIN_DIR:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin" \
+        OSTYPE=darwin24 \
+        BASE_HOME="$BASE_REPO_ROOT" \
+        BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY=true \
+        BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_FORCE=true \
+        bash -c 'source "$BASE_HOME/lib/bash/std/lib_std.sh"; source "$BASE_HOME/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/setup_common.sh"; setup_notify_completion 0'
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"Setup notification was requested, but 'osascript' is not available on this Mac."* ]]
+}
+
 @test "basectl setup forwards project setup arguments through the Base venv" {
     local base_venv_dir="$TEST_HOME/.base.d/base/.venv"
     local demo_venv_dir="$TEST_HOME/.base.d/demo/.venv"
@@ -673,13 +724,13 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" == *"Run 'xcode-select --install' in an interactive terminal, complete the installer, then rerun 'basectl setup'."* ]]
 }
 
-@test "basectl setup sends a best-effort failure notification by default" {
+@test "basectl setup sends a best-effort failure notification after the threshold" {
     create_brew_stub
     create_xcode_stubs
     create_osascript_stub
     touch "$TEST_STATE_DIR/python-installed"
 
-    run_base_command setup
+    run_base_command BASE_SETUP_NOTIFY_MIN_SECONDS=0 setup
 
     [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
     [ -f "$TEST_STATE_DIR/osascript-args" ]