diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotifications.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotifications.kt
index c3d1cfb5..0e4f2de5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotifications.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotifications.kt
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ class MonitorNotifications @Inject constructor(
                 setContentIntent(openPi)
                 setSmallIcon(R.drawable.device_earbuds_generic_both)
                 setContentTitle(context.getString(R.string.app_name))
+                setContentText(context.getString(R.string.monitor_notification_starting))
                 setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_LOW)
                 setOngoing(true)
             }.build()
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index e9cf3b3d..3645b927 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
     <string name="notification_channel_device_status_label">Device status</string>
     <string name="notification_channel_device_status_connected_label">Connected device</string>
     <string name="monitor_notification_extra_enabled_hint">You can disable this notification in system settings.</string>
+    <string name="monitor_notification_starting">Starting up…</string>
 
     <string name="support_debuglog_label">Debug log</string>
     <string name="support_debuglog_desc">Record everything the app is doing into a text file that you can share.</string>
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotificationsTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotificationsTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9775365c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/ui/MonitorNotificationsTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package eu.darken.capod.monitor.ui
+
+import android.app.Application
+import android.app.Notification
+import io.kotest.matchers.shouldBe
+import io.kotest.matchers.shouldNotBe
+import org.junit.Test
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith
+import org.robolectric.RobolectricTestRunner
+import org.robolectric.RuntimeEnvironment
+import org.robolectric.annotation.Config
+
+@RunWith(RobolectricTestRunner::class)
+@Config(manifest = Config.NONE, sdk = [34], application = Application::class)
+class MonitorNotificationsTest {
+
+    @Test
+    fun `early notification is user presentable`() {
+        // It can be the notification the user sees for the whole lifetime of a service that never
+        // finishes starting up, so it has to stand on its own.
+        val notification = MonitorNotifications.createEarlyNotification(RuntimeEnvironment.getApplication())
+
+        notification.extras.getString(Notification.EXTRA_TITLE).isNullOrBlank() shouldBe false
+        notification.extras.getString(Notification.EXTRA_TEXT).isNullOrBlank() shouldBe false
+        notification.smallIcon shouldNotBe null
+        notification.contentIntent shouldNotBe null
+    }
+}