diff --git a/builds/arch/PKGBUILD b/builds/arch/PKGBUILD
index 1d27c5a..37193f5 100644
--- a/builds/arch/PKGBUILD
+++ b/builds/arch/PKGBUILD
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pkgdesc='A Campfire desktop client'
 arch=('i686' 'x86_64' 'ppc')
 url='http://snakefire.org'
 license=('MIT')
-depends=('python2' 'python2-pyqt4' 'python2-keyring' 'python2-notify' 'python-pyfire>=0.3.4')
+depends=('python2' 'python2-pyqt4' 'python2-keyring' 'python2-notify' 'python-pyfire>=0.3.4', 'python2-dbus')
 optdepends=('python-gnomekeyring: For GNOME/XFCE/LXDE users that require notifications' 'python2-pyenchant: For spell checking support')
 makedepends=('python2' 'python2-distribute')
 source=(http://snakefire.org/downloads/$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz)
diff --git a/snakefire/__init__.py b/snakefire/__init__.py
index e29a68d..4d43b2c 100644
--- a/snakefire/__init__.py
+++ b/snakefire/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os, resources, subprocess
+import dbus, dbus.proxies
 
-GNOME_ENABLED = os.getenv("GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID")
-XFCE_ENABLED = os.getenv("XDG_SESSION_COOKIE")
+NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED = False
 KDE_ENABLED = False
 
 try:
@@ -10,10 +10,17 @@
 except OSError:
     pass
 
+try:
+    dbus.proxies.ProxyObject(conn=dbus.SessionBus(),
+                             bus_name="org.freedesktop.Notifications",
+                             object_path="/org/freedesktop/Notifications")
+    NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED = True
+except dbus.exceptions.DBusException:
+    pass
 
 if KDE_ENABLED:
     from .mainframe import KSnakefire as Snakefire
-elif GNOME_ENABLED or XFCE_ENABLED:
+elif NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED:
     from .mainframe import GSnakefire as Snakefire
 else:
     from .mainframe import QSnakefire as Snakefire
diff --git a/snakefire/mainframe.py b/snakefire/mainframe.py
index f0e5e0e..641b934 100644
--- a/snakefire/mainframe.py
+++ b/snakefire/mainframe.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import urllib2
 import enchant
 
-from snakefire import GNOME_ENABLED, KDE_ENABLED, XFCE_ENABLED
+from snakefire import NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED, KDE_ENABLED
 
 from PyQt4 import Qt
 from PyQt4 import QtGui
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 if KDE_ENABLED:
     from PyKDE4 import kdecore
     from PyKDE4 import kdeui
-elif GNOME_ENABLED or XFCE_ENABLED:
+elif NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED:
     import subprocess
     import pynotify
 
@@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ def _notify(self, room, message, user):
                 kdeui.KNotification.CloseWhenWidgetActivated
             )
 
-if GNOME_ENABLED or XFCE_ENABLED:
+if NOTIFICATIONS_ENABLED:
     class GSnakefire(QSnakefire):
         def __init__(self, parent=None):
             super(GSnakefire, self).__init__(parent)