diff --git a/_locales/_untranslated_en.json b/_locales/_untranslated_en.json
index ae5d225ec8..ef5718445f 100644
--- a/_locales/_untranslated_en.json
+++ b/_locales/_untranslated_en.json
@@ -10,5 +10,17 @@
   },
   "ask_delete_chat_desktop": {
     "message": "Are you sure you want to delete \"%1$s\"?"
+  },
+  "pref_notifications": {
+    "message": "Enable notifications"
+  },
+  "pref_notifications_explain": {
+    "message": "Enable system notifications on new messages"
+  },
+  "pref_show_notification_content": {
+    "message": "Show message content in notification"
+  },
+  "pref_show_notification_content_explain": {
+    "message": "Shows sender and first words of message content in notification"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/deltachat/login.js b/src/main/deltachat/login.js
index 9289517eb5..d061440719 100644
--- a/src/main/deltachat/login.js
+++ b/src/main/deltachat/login.js
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ const DeltaChat = require('deltachat-node')
 const C = require('deltachat-node/constants')
 const log = require('../../logger').getLogger('main/deltachat/login', true)
 const path = require('path')
+const setupNotifications = require('../notifications')
+const setupUnreadBadgeCounter = require('../unread-badge')
+const { setupMarkseenFix } = require('../markseenFix')
+const { app } = require('electron')
 
 const SplitOut = require('./splitout')
 module.exports = class DCLoginController extends SplitOut {
@@ -24,8 +28,8 @@ module.exports = class DCLoginController extends SplitOut {
     // Creates a separate DB file for each login
     this._controller.fullCwd = this.getPath(credentials.addr)
     log.info(`Using deltachat instance ${this._controller.fullCwd}`)
-    this._controller._dc = new DeltaChat()
-    const dc = this._dc
+    const dc = new DeltaChat()
+    this._controller._dc = dc
     this._controller.credentials = credentials
     this._controller._render = render
 
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ module.exports = class DCLoginController extends SplitOut {
       return
     }
 
-    dc.open(this._controller.fullCwd, err => {
+    this._dc.open(this._controller.fullCwd, err => {
       if (err) throw err
       const onReady = () => {
         log.info('Ready')
@@ -46,16 +50,19 @@ module.exports = class DCLoginController extends SplitOut {
         log.info('dc_get_info', dc.getInfo())
         render()
       }
-      if (!dc.isConfigured()) {
-        dc.once('ready', onReady)
+      if (!this._dc.isConfigured()) {
+        this._dc.once('ready', onReady)
         this._controller.configuring = true
-        dc.configure(addServerFlags(credentials))
+        this._dc.configure(addServerFlags(credentials))
         render()
       } else {
         onReady()
       }
     })
     this._controller.registerEventHandler(dc)
+    setupNotifications(this._controller, app.state.saved)
+    setupUnreadBadgeCounter(this._controller)
+    setupMarkseenFix(this._controller)
   }
 
   logout () {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc.js b/src/main/ipc.js
index 260e25ae22..a918c3e655 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc.js
+++ b/src/main/ipc.js
@@ -23,10 +23,6 @@ const DeltaChat = (() => {
   }
 })()
 const C = require('deltachat-node/constants')
-const setupNotifications = require('./notifications')
-const setupUnreadBadgeCounter = require('./unread-badge')
-
-const { setupMarkseenFix } = require('./markseenFix')
 
 function init (cwd, state, logHandler) {
   const main = windows.main
@@ -97,10 +93,6 @@ function init (cwd, state, logHandler) {
 
   ipcMain.on('handleLogMessage', (e, ...args) => logHandler.log(...args))
 
-  setupNotifications(dc, state.saved)
-  setupUnreadBadgeCounter(dc)
-  setupMarkseenFix(dc)
-
   ipcMain.on('login', (e, credentials) => {
     dc.loginController.login(credentials, render, txCoreStrings())
   })
diff --git a/src/main/notifications.js b/src/main/notifications.js
index 640b6266d8..a09b6bec1f 100644
--- a/src/main/notifications.js
+++ b/src/main/notifications.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module.exports = function (dc, settings) {
     return `${summary.text1 || json.contact.displayName}: ${summary.text2}`
   }
 
-  dc.on('DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG', (chatId, msgId) => {
+  dc._dc.on('DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG', (chatId, msgId) => {
     if (!notify && settings.notifications && windows.main.win.hidden) {
       notify = new Notification({
         title: appName(),
diff --git a/src/main/unread-badge.js b/src/main/unread-badge.js
index 20fb4f040b..b008e79603 100644
--- a/src/main/unread-badge.js
+++ b/src/main/unread-badge.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ module.exports = function (dc) {
     app.setBadgeCount(count)
   }
 
-  dc.on('DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG', (chatId, msgId) => {
+  dc._dc.on('DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG', (chatId, msgId) => {
     // don't update imidiately if the app is in focused
     if (windows.main.win.hidden) update()
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ module.exports = function (dc) {
     }, 4000)
   })
 
-  dc.on('ready', () => {
+  dc._dc.on('ready', () => {
     // for start and after account switch
     update()
   })
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/dialogs/Settings.js b/src/renderer/components/dialogs/Settings.js
index 7dba00c275..0269e242a0 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/dialogs/Settings.js
+++ b/src/renderer/components/dialogs/Settings.js
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ export default class Settings extends React.Component {
    */
   handleDesktopSettingsChange (key, value) {
     ipcRenderer.send('updateDesktopSetting', key, value)
+    if (key === 'notifications' && value === false) {
+      ipcRenderer.send('updateDesktopSetting', 'showNotificationContent', false)
+    }
   }
 
   /** Saves settings to deltachat core */
@@ -203,6 +206,7 @@ export default class Settings extends React.Component {
             checked={settings[configKey]}
             className={settings[configKey] ? 'active' : 'inactive'}
             label={label}
+            disabled={configKey === 'showNotificationContent' && !settings['notifications']}
             onChange={() => this.handleDesktopSettingsChange(configKey, !settings[configKey])}
           />
         )}
@@ -288,6 +292,12 @@ export default class Settings extends React.Component {
             <br />
             { this.renderDTSettingSwitch('enterKeySends', this.translate('pref_enter_sends')) }
             <p>{this.translate('pref_enter_sends_explain')}</p>
+            <br />
+            { this.renderDTSettingSwitch('notifications', this.translate('pref_notifications')) }
+            <p>{this.translate('pref_notifications_explain')}</p>
+            <br />
+            { this.renderDTSettingSwitch('showNotificationContent', this.translate('pref_show_notification_content')) }
+            <p>{this.translate('pref_show_notification_content_explain')}</p>
           </Card>
           <Card elevation={Elevation.ONE}>
             <H5>{this.translate('pref_experimental_features')}</H5>