diff --git a/qvm-tools/qvm-run b/qvm-tools/qvm-run
index deb1f0a2..99d64ae8 100755
--- a/qvm-tools/qvm-run
+++ b/qvm-tools/qvm-run
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ notify_object = None
 from qubes.qubes import defaults
 
 def tray_notify(str, label, timeout = 3000):
-    notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, label.icon, "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
+    if notify_object:
+        notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, label.icon, "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
 
 def tray_notify_error(str, timeout = 3000):
-    notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, "dialog-error", "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
+    if notify_object:
+        notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, "dialog-error", "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
 
 def vm_run_cmd(vm, cmd, options):
     if options.shutdown:
@@ -169,7 +171,10 @@ def main():
 
     if options.tray:
         global notify_object
-        notify_object = dbus.SessionBus().get_object("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications")
+        try:
+            notify_object = dbus.SessionBus().get_object("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications")
+        except dbus.DBusException as ex:
+            print >>sys.stderr, "WARNING: failed connect to tray notification service: %s" % str(ex)
 
     qvm_collection = QubesVmCollection()
     qvm_collection.lock_db_for_reading()
diff --git a/qvm-tools/qvm-start b/qvm-tools/qvm-start
index 0ecd063d..d89642b9 100755
--- a/qvm-tools/qvm-start
+++ b/qvm-tools/qvm-start
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ import dbus
 notify_object = None
 
 def tray_notify(str, label, timeout = 3000):
-    notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, label.icon, "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
+    if notify_object:
+        notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, label.icon, "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
 
 def tray_notify_error(str, timeout = 3000):
-    notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, "dialog-error", "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
+    if notify_object:
+        notify_object.Notify("Qubes", 0, "dialog-error", "Qubes", str, [], [], timeout, dbus_interface="org.freedesktop.Notifications")
 
 def tray_notify_generic(level, str):
     if level == "info":
@@ -72,7 +74,10 @@ def main():
 
     if options.tray:
         global notify_object
-        notify_object = dbus.SessionBus().get_object("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications")
+        try:
+            notify_object = dbus.SessionBus().get_object("org.freedesktop.Notifications", "/org/freedesktop/Notifications")
+        except dbus.DBusException as ex:
+            print >>sys.stderr, "WARNING: failed connect to tray notification service: %s" % str(ex)
 
     qvm_collection = QubesVmCollection()
     qvm_collection.lock_db_for_reading()