diff --git a/shell/plugins/notifications/Service.qml b/shell/plugins/notifications/Service.qml
index 8d050350..c12d5eb7 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/notifications/Service.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/notifications/Service.qml
@@ -331,7 +331,23 @@ Item {
       service.historyReplayLimit,
       NotificationUrgency.Normal)
 
-    if (rows.length === 0) return "none"
+    // Replaying nothing at all looks like a dead keybinding, so say so.
+    if (rows.length === 0) {
+      popupModel.insert(0, {
+        id: -1,
+        originalId: -1,
+        app: "omarchy-action",
+        appIcon: "",
+        summary: "No recent notifications",
+        body: "",
+        image: "",
+        glyph: "󰂚",
+        urgency: NotificationUrgency.Low,
+        expireTimeout: 0,
+        timestamp: Date.now()
+      })
+      return "none"
+    }
 
     clearPopups()
     for (var i = 0; i < rows.length; i++) {