diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 40aab81..9d2dcaa 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	PlaywrightEnabled bool `toml:"PlaywrightEnabled"`
 	PlaywrightDebug   bool `toml:"PlaywrightDebug"` // !headless
 	// CLI mode
-	CLIMode bool
+	CLIMode       bool
+	UseNotifySend bool
 }
 
 func LoadConfig(fn string) (*Config, error) {
diff --git a/helpfuncs.go b/helpfuncs.go
index bd60547..1f0149b 100644
--- a/helpfuncs.go
+++ b/helpfuncs.go
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ func stripThinkingFromMsg(msg *models.RoleMsg) *models.RoleMsg {
 // It filters messages for the character the user is currently "writing as"
 // and updates the textView with the filtered conversation
 func refreshChatDisplay() {
+	if cfg.CLIMode {
+		return
+	}
 	// Determine which character's view to show
 	viewingAs := cfg.UserRole
 	if cfg.WriteNextMsgAs != "" {
@@ -183,6 +186,9 @@ func colorText() {
 }
 
 func updateStatusLine() {
+	if cfg.CLIMode {
+		return // no status line in cli mode
+	}
 	status := makeStatusLine()
 	statusLineWidget.SetText(status)
 }
@@ -1023,3 +1029,19 @@ func GetCardByRole(role string) *models.CharCard {
 	}
 	return sysMap[cardID]
 }
+
+func notifySend(topic, message string) error {
+	// Sanitize message to remove control characters that notify-send doesn't handle
+	sanitized := strings.Map(func(r rune) rune {
+		if r < 32 && r != '\t' {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return r
+	}, message)
+	// Truncate if too long
+	if len(sanitized) > 200 {
+		sanitized = sanitized[:197] + "..."
+	}
+	cmd := exec.Command("notify-send", topic, sanitized)
+	return cmd.Run()
+}
diff --git a/tui.go b/tui.go
index 9275867..6408d41 100644
--- a/tui.go
+++ b/tui.go
@@ -144,6 +144,13 @@ func setShellMode(enabled bool) {
 // showToast displays a temporary notification in the bottom-right corner.
 // It auto-hides after 3 seconds.
 func showToast(title, message string) {
+	if cfg.UseNotifySend {
+		notifySend(title, message)
+		return
+	}
+	if cfg.CLIMode {
+		return
+	}
 	sanitize := func(s string, maxLen int) string {
 		sanitized := strings.Map(func(r rune) rune {
 			if r < 32 && r != '\t' {