diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 409469ef..7b403e3c 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -3231,7 +3231,7 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path,
     parse_modifiers(XKB_MOD_NAME_SHIFT, 5, &conf->mouse.selection_override_modifiers);
 
     tokenize_cmdline(
-        "notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${icon} --urgency ${urgency} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}",
+        "notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${app-id} --urgency ${urgency} --hint STRING:image-path:${icon} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}",
         &conf->desktop_notifications.command.argv.args);
     tokenize_cmdline("xdg-open ${url}", &conf->url.launch.argv.args);
 
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index df219e7b..85063088 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ Note: do not set *TERM* here; use the *term* option in the main
 action=default++
 xdgtoken=95ebdfe56e4f47ddb5bba9d7dc3a2c35
 
-	Default: _notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${icon} --urgency ${urgency} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}_.
+	Default: _notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${app-id} --urgency ${urgency} --hint STRING:image-path:${icon} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}_.
 
 *close*
 	Command to execute to close an existing notification.
diff --git a/foot.ini b/foot.ini
index cead651a..aeda18df 100644
--- a/foot.ini
+++ b/foot.ini
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 # command-focused=no
 
 [desktop-notifications]
-# command=notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${icon} --urgency ${urgency} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}
+# command=notify-send --wait --app-name ${app-id} --icon ${app-id} --urgency ${urgency} --hint STRING:image-path:${icon} --action ${action-name}=${action-label} --print-id -- ${title} ${body}
 # close=""
 # inhibit-when-focused=yes
 
diff --git a/notify.c b/notify.c
index 7c5f0731..c82c86f0 100644
--- a/notify.c
+++ b/notify.c
@@ -223,11 +223,8 @@ notify_notify(struct terminal *term, struct notification *notif)
     const char *title = notif->title != NULL ? notif->title : notif->body;
     const char *body = notif->title != NULL && notif->body != NULL ? notif->body : "";
 
-    /* Icon: use symbolic name from notification, if present,
-       otherwise fallback to the application ID */
-    const char *icon_name_or_path = term->app_id != NULL
-        ? term->app_id
-        : term->conf->app_id;
+    /* Icon: symbolic name if present, otherwise a filename */
+    const char *icon_name_or_path = "";
 
     if (notif->icon_id != NULL) {
         for (size_t i = 0; i < ALEN(term->notification_icons); i++) {