diff --git a/templates/zephyr/index.html b/templates/zephyr/index.html
index 9ab6b6044f..1be55a568d 100644
--- a/templates/zephyr/index.html
+++ b/templates/zephyr/index.html
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 <script type="text/javascript" src="{{ static_hidden }}js/search.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="{{ static_hidden }}js/composebox_typeahead.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="{{ static_hidden }}js/hotkey.js"></script>
+<script type="text/javascript" src="{{ static_hidden }}js/notifications.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="{{ static_hidden }}js/zephyr.js"></script>
 
 {% if debug %}
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ var initial_pointer = {{ user_profile.pointer }};
 
 var email = "{{ user_profile.user.email|escapejs }}";
 var have_initial_messages = {{ have_initial_messages|escapejs }};
+var desktop_notifications_enabled = "{{ user_profile.enable_desktop_notifications|escapejs }}" === "True";
 
 var stream_list = [
 {% for stream in streams %}
diff --git a/tools/jslint/check-all.js b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
index 645ab8b719..aad319ca43 100644
--- a/tools/jslint/check-all.js
+++ b/tools/jslint/check-all.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ var globals =
 
     // index.html
     + ' initial_pointer email stream_list people_list have_initial_messages'
+    + ' desktop_notifications_enabled'
 
     // common.js
     + ' status_classes'
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@ var globals =
     // typeahead_helper.js
     + ' typeahead_helper'
 
+    // notifications.js
+    + ' notifications'
+
     // ui.js
     + ' ui'
 
diff --git a/zephyr/static-access-control/4nrjx8cwce2bka8r/js/notifications.js b/zephyr/static-access-control/4nrjx8cwce2bka8r/js/notifications.js
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..f847a2ea9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zephyr/static-access-control/4nrjx8cwce2bka8r/js/notifications.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../../static/js/notifications.js
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/notifications.js b/zephyr/static/js/notifications.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..62c1f9f447
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/notifications.js
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+var notifications = (function () {
+
+var exports = {};
+
+var window_has_focus = true;
+
+exports.initialize = function () {
+    if (!window.webkitNotifications) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    $(window).focus(function () {
+        window_has_focus = true;
+    }).blur(function () {
+        window_has_focus = false;
+    });
+
+    $(document).click(function () {
+        if (!desktop_notifications_enabled) {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (window.webkitNotifications.checkPermission() !== 0) { // 0 is PERMISSION_ALLOWED
+            window.webkitNotifications.requestPermission();
+        }
+    });
+};
+
+function gravatar_url(message) {
+    return "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/" + message.gravatar_hash +
+           "?d=identicon&s=30?stamp=" + ui.get_gravatar_stamp();
+}
+
+var notice_memory = {};
+
+function process_message(message) {
+    var i, notification_object;
+    var key = message.display_reply_to;
+    var title = message.sender_full_name;
+    var content = $('<div/>').html(message.content).text();
+    var other_recipients = message.display_reply_to;
+    var msg_count = 1;
+
+    // Remove the sender from the list of other recipients
+    other_recipients = other_recipients.replace(", " + message.sender_full_name, "");
+    other_recipients = other_recipients.replace(message.sender_full_name + ", ", "");
+
+    if (content.length > 150) {
+        // Truncate content at a word boundary
+        for (i = 150; i > 0; i--) {
+            if (content[i] === ' ') {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        content = content.substring(0, i);
+        content += " [...]";
+    }
+
+    if (notice_memory[key] !== undefined) {
+        msg_count = notice_memory[key].msg_count + 1;
+        title = msg_count + " messages from " + title;
+        notification_object = notice_memory[key].obj;
+        // We must remove the .onclose so that it does not trigger on .cancel
+        notification_object.onclose = function () {};
+        notification_object.onclick = function () {};
+        notification_object.cancel();
+    }
+
+    if (message.type === "huddle") {
+        // If the message has too many recipients to list them all...
+        if (content.length + title.length + other_recipients.length > 230) {
+            // Then count how many people are in the conversation and summarize
+            // by saying the conversation is with "you and [number] other people"
+            other_recipients = other_recipients.replace(/[^,]/g, "").length +
+                               " other people";
+        }
+        title += " (to you and " + other_recipients + ")";
+    }
+
+    notice_memory[key] = {
+        obj: window.webkitNotifications.createNotification(
+                gravatar_url(message), title, content),
+        msg_count: msg_count
+    };
+    notification_object = notice_memory[key].obj;
+    notification_object.onclick = function () {
+        notification_object.cancel();
+        delete notice_memory[key];
+    };
+    notification_object.onclose = function () {
+        delete notice_memory[key];
+    };
+    notification_object.show();
+}
+
+exports.received_messages = function (messages) {
+    var i;
+    if (!window.webkitNotifications ||
+        !desktop_notifications_enabled ||
+        window_has_focus) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    $.each(messages, function (index, message) {
+        if (message.sender_email !== email &&
+            (message.type === "personal" || message.type === "huddle")) {
+            process_message(message);
+        }
+    });
+};
+
+return exports;
+
+}());
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/ui.js b/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
index cb708ee05e..1695d302d2 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/ui.js
@@ -412,6 +412,10 @@ $(function () {
             }
             update_gravatars();
 
+            if (result.enable_desktop_notifications !== undefined) {
+                desktop_notifications_enabled = result.enable_desktop_notifications;
+            }
+
             settings_status.removeClass(status_classes)
                 .addClass('alert-success')
                 .text(message).stop(true).fadeTo(0,1);
@@ -473,6 +477,7 @@ $(function () {
 
     composebox_typeahead.initialize();
     search.initialize();
+    notifications.initialize();
 
     $("body").bind('click', function() {
         ui.hide_userinfo_popover();
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js b/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
index bd37a645f1..31fde4607d 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ function get_updates(options) {
 
             if (data.messages.length !== 0) {
                 add_messages(data.messages, true);
+                notifications.received_messages(data.messages);
             }
 
             if (data.zephyr_mirror_active === false) {