diff --git a/client/apps/notifications.lua b/client/apps/notifications.lua
index 2681df787..3be59a58f 100644
--- a/client/apps/notifications.lua
+++ b/client/apps/notifications.lua
@@ -6,9 +6,14 @@ local function push(data)
     SendNUIMessage({ action = 'sd-phone:notification', data = data })
 end
 
----Landing point for the server notify export; shape-checked by push.
+---Landing point for the server notify export; shape-checked by push. Dropped when the player is
+---not carrying a phone (the server owns that answer); emergency alerts always get through.
 ---@param data table notification payload
 RegisterNetEvent('sd-phone:client:notify', function(data)
+    if type(data) == 'table' and not data.emergency
+        and not lib.callback.await('sd-phone:server:carriesPhone', false) then
+        return
+    end
     push(data)
 end)
 
diff --git a/server/notifications/init.lua b/server/notifications/init.lua
index b1b303b83..862b18f39 100644
--- a/server/notifications/init.lua
+++ b/server/notifications/init.lua
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ function notifications.notifyCid(cid, data)
     })
 end
 
+---Asked by the client before it shows a banner: a player with no phone item has nothing to buzz,
+---so the pop-up is dropped. Answered from the live inventory, never cached.
+lib.callback.register('sd-phone:server:carriesPhone', function(src)
+    return require('server.util').carriesPhone(src)
+end)
+
 ---Sends the same notification addressed by phone number instead of server id. The number is
 ---digit-normalised before lookup; an unassigned number or offline owner returns false. A
 ---number on a pocketed (non-active) phone arrives as a colour-tagged transient buzz.