diff --git a/backend/services/main/push_service.py b/backend/services/main/push_service.py
index abd2934..ae69cff 100644
--- a/backend/services/main/push_service.py
+++ b/backend/services/main/push_service.py
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ class PushNotificationService:
                             title,
                             body,
                             payload_data,
+                            include_notification=False,
                         )
                         logger.info(
                             "FCM dm push sent recipient=%s token=%s response=%s",
@@ -275,25 +276,44 @@ class PushNotificationService:
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Failed to send push notification to user {user_id}: {e}")
 
-    def _send_fcm_to_token(self, token: str, title: str, body: str, data: dict):
-        """Send an FCM data-only push to a single device token using Firebase Admin SDK.
-        Notification display is handled by the app, not FCM."""
+    def _send_fcm_to_token(self, token: str, title: str, body: str, data: dict, include_notification: bool = True):
+        """Send an FCM push to a single device token using Firebase Admin SDK.
+
+        By default this sends both notification + data payloads, but callers can disable
+        the notification payload for custom client-side rendering.
+        """
         if not self.firebase_initialized:
             raise RuntimeError("Firebase Admin SDK not initialized")
 
         try:
-            # Send only data payload - let the app handle notification display
-            # This prevents FCM from auto-showing notifications
-            msg = firebase_messaging.Message(
-                token=token,
-                data={
-                    "title": title,
-                    "body": body,
-                    **{k: str(v) for k, v in (data or {}).items()}
-                },
-                android=firebase_messaging.AndroidConfig(priority="high"),
-                apns=firebase_messaging.APNSConfig(headers={"apns-priority": "10"})
-            )
+            payload = {
+                "title": title,
+                "body": body,
+                **{k: str(v) for k, v in (data or {}).items()}
+            }
+
+            if include_notification:
+                # Send notification + data payload:
+                # notification ensures visibility in system tray when app is background,
+                # data keeps app-level handling usable when app is foreground.
+                msg = firebase_messaging.Message(
+                    token=token,
+                    notification=firebase_messaging.Notification(
+                        title=title,
+                        body=body,
+                    ),
+                    data=payload,
+                    android=firebase_messaging.AndroidConfig(priority="high"),
+                    apns=firebase_messaging.APNSConfig(headers={"apns-priority": "10"})
+                )
+            else:
+                # Data-only push for custom client-side rendering.
+                msg = firebase_messaging.Message(
+                    token=token,
+                    data=payload,
+                    android=firebase_messaging.AndroidConfig(priority="high"),
+                    apns=firebase_messaging.APNSConfig(headers={"apns-priority": "10"})
+                )
             resp = firebase_messaging.send(msg)
             logger.debug("Firebase message queued token=%s", self._short_token(token))
             return resp
diff --git a/backend/services/main/routes/envelope_messaging.py b/backend/services/main/routes/envelope_messaging.py
index 3efa2aa..0f2d75e 100644
--- a/backend/services/main/routes/envelope_messaging.py
+++ b/backend/services/main/routes/envelope_messaging.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from ..service_calls import (
     delete_resumable_upload_in_storage,
 )
 from .messaging import messagingManager, convert_dm_envelope
+from ..push_service import push_service
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("uvicorn.error")
 
@@ -367,6 +368,11 @@ async def send_encrypted_message(
             sender_payload["client_message_id"] = request.client_message_id
         await messagingManager.send_update_to_user(dm_envelope.sender_id, "dmNew", sender_payload, db)
 
+        try:
+            await push_service.send_dm_notification(db, dm_envelope, current_user)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error("Failed to send push notification for DM %s: %s", dm_envelope.id, e)
+
         return {
             "id": dm_envelope.id,
             "sender_id": dm_envelope.sender_id,
diff --git a/backend/services/main/routes/messaging.py b/backend/services/main/routes/messaging.py
index 5335345..eb347c2 100644
--- a/backend/services/main/routes/messaging.py
+++ b/backend/services/main/routes/messaging.py
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ def convert_dm_envelope(db: Session, envelope: DMEnvelope, user_id: int | None =
         "id": envelope.id,
         "senderId": envelope.sender_id,
         "recipientId": envelope.recipient_id,
+        "sender_username": sender.username if sender else f"user_{envelope.sender_id}",
         "iv_b64": envelope.iv_b64,
         "ciphertext_b64": envelope.ciphertext_b64,
         "wrapped_mek_b64": wrapped_mek_b64,