diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/App.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/App.kt
index d5455dfda..8e8384451 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/App.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/App.kt
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class App : Application() {
         if (process == "$packageName:vr_recovery" || process == "$packageName:rgb_diagnostic" ||
             process == "$packageName:shortcuts_sync" || process == "$packageName:bottom_desktop") return
         CrashHandler.install(this)
+        com.droiddeck.launcher.lab.LabNotice.started(this)
         com.droiddeck.launcher.core.SteamIntegration.syncShortcutsListing(this)
         com.droiddeck.launcher.session.QuestExperimental.initialize(this)
         com.droiddeck.launcher.session.SessionPrefs.applyNtsyncDefault(this)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/lab/LabNotice.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/lab/LabNotice.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85e1bab99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/droiddeck/launcher/lab/LabNotice.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package com.droiddeck.launcher.lab
+
+import android.app.Notification
+import android.app.NotificationChannel
+import android.app.NotificationManager
+import android.app.PendingIntent
+import android.content.Context
+import android.content.Intent
+import com.droiddeck.launcher.FrontEndActivity
+import com.droiddeck.launcher.R
+import com.droiddeck.launcher.stores.download.StoreDownloadService
+
+/**
+ * Says what happened to a Lab build when the app starts, so a restart onto a new build does not
+ * look like a crash, and a build Android or the safety checks turned off is not lost silently.
+ */
+object LabNotice {
+    private const val CHANNEL_ID = "lab"
+    private const val NOTIFICATION_ID = 4120
+
+    /** Where a start that just moved a Lab build into use opens; the agent that built it sets it. */
+    @Volatile var openOnInstall: String = "updates"
+
+    fun started(context: Context) {
+        val app = context.applicationContext
+        val active = LabOverlay.active
+        val skipped = LabOverlay.skipped
+        val current = LabOverlay.current(app)
+        when {
+            LabOverlay.promoted && active != null ->
+                post(app, app.getString(R.string.lab_installed_title), app.getString(R.string.lab_installed_text, active.label), openOnInstall)
+            skipped == LabOverlay.SKIPPED_APP_IMAGE && current != null ->
+                post(app, app.getString(R.string.lab_paused_title), app.getString(R.string.lab_paused_text, current.label), "updates")
+            skipped == LabOverlay.Reason.OTHER_INSTALL.name || skipped == LabOverlay.Reason.DID_NOT_START.name -> {
+                val reason = if (skipped == LabOverlay.Reason.OTHER_INSTALL.name) R.string.lab_off_other_install else R.string.lab_off_did_not_start
+                post(app, app.getString(R.string.lab_off_title), app.getString(reason), "updates")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun post(app: Context, title: String, text: String, nav: String) {
+        val manager = app.getSystemService(NotificationManager::class.java) ?: return
+        manager.createNotificationChannel(NotificationChannel(CHANNEL_ID, app.getString(R.string.upd_lab), NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT))
+        val open = PendingIntent.getActivity(
+            app, NOTIFICATION_ID,
+            Intent(app, FrontEndActivity::class.java).putExtra(StoreDownloadService.EXTRA_NAV, nav)
+                .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP or Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_REORDER_TO_FRONT),
+            PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE or PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT,
+        )
+        val notification = Notification.Builder(app, CHANNEL_ID)
+            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_stat_session)
+            .setContentTitle(title)
+            .setContentText(text)
+            .setStyle(Notification.BigTextStyle().bigText(text))
+            .setContentIntent(open)
+            .setAutoCancel(true)
+            .build()
+        runCatching { manager.notify(NOTIFICATION_ID, notification) }
+    }
+}