diff --git a/data/gui/default/window/lobby_sounds_options.cfg b/data/gui/default/window/lobby_sounds_options.cfg
index e7fc8a24fbf7..ba47e699175a 100644
--- a/data/gui/default/window/lobby_sounds_options.cfg
+++ b/data/gui/default/window/lobby_sounds_options.cfg
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@
 								horizontal_alignment = "left"
 
 								[label]
+									id = "notification_label"
 									definition = "default"
 
 									label = _ "Desktop Notification:"
diff --git a/src/gui/dialogs/lobby_sounds_options.cpp b/src/gui/dialogs/lobby_sounds_options.cpp
index bc9d6d8aff31..d3aee89b19e3 100644
--- a/src/gui/dialogs/lobby_sounds_options.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/dialogs/lobby_sounds_options.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,16 @@ static void setup_item(const std::string & item, twindow & window)
 	setup_pref_toggle_button(item+"_sound", mp_ui_sounds::get_def_pref_sound(item), window);
 
 	// Set up the notification checkbox
-	setup_pref_toggle_button(item+"_notification", mp_ui_sounds::get_def_pref_notif(item), window);
+	ttoggle_button * notif = setup_pref_toggle_button(item+"_notification", mp_ui_sounds::get_def_pref_notif(item), window);
+
+	// Check if desktop notifications are available
+	if (!desktop::notifications::available()) {
+		notif->set_value(false);
+		notif->set_active(false);
+		preferences::set(item+"_notif", false);
+	} else {
+		notif->set_active(true);
+	}
 
 	// Set up the in_lobby checkbox
 	setup_pref_toggle_button(item+"_in_lobby", mp_ui_sounds::get_def_pref_lobby(item), window);
@@ -121,6 +130,11 @@ void tlobby_sounds_options::pre_show(CVideo& /*video*/, twindow& window)
 		setup_item(i, window);
 	}
 
+	if (!desktop::notifications::available()) {
+		tlabel * nlabel = &find_widget<tlabel>(&window, "notification_label", false);
+		nlabel->set_tooltip(_("This build of wesnoth does not include support for desktop notifications, contact your package manager"));
+	}
+
 	ttoggle_button * in_lobby;
 	in_lobby = &find_widget<ttoggle_button>(&window,"ready_for_start_in_lobby", false);
 	in_lobby->set_visible(twidget::tvisible::invisible);
diff --git a/src/mp_ui_sounds.cpp b/src/mp_ui_sounds.cpp
index 91d0cbc8cc66..27915bb2bca6 100644
--- a/src/mp_ui_sounds.cpp
+++ b/src/mp_ui_sounds.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ bool get_def_pref_sound(const std::string & id) {
 }
 
 bool get_def_pref_notif(const std::string & id) {
-	return (id == "private_message" || id == "ready_for_start" || id == "game_has_begun");
+	return (desktop::notifications::available() && (id == "private_message" || id == "ready_for_start" || id == "game_has_begun"));
 }
 
 bool get_def_pref_lobby(const std::string & id) {