diff --git a/src/gui/qgsgui.cpp b/src/gui/qgsgui.cpp
index bff0eee7b54..cffa25fa029 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsgui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgsgui.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ QgsGui::~QgsGui()
 QgsGui::QgsGui()
 {
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
-  mNative = new QgsMacNative();
+  QgsMacNative *macNative = new QgsMacNative();
+  macNative->setIconPath( QgsApplication::iconsPath() + QStringLiteral( "qgis-icon-macos.png" ) );
+  mNative = macNative;
 #elif defined (Q_OS_WIN)
   mNative = new QgsWinNative();
 #elif defined(Q_OS_LINUX)
diff --git a/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.h b/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.h
index 350a9731e35..1593ef8e673 100644
--- a/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.h
+++ b/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class NATIVE_EXPORT QgsMacNative : public QgsNative
     explicit QgsMacNative();
     ~QgsMacNative() override;
 
+    //! reset the application icon used in the notification
+    void setIconPath( const QString &iconPath = QString() );
+
     virtual const char *currentAppLocalizedName();
     void currentAppActivateIgnoringOtherApps() override;
     void openFileExplorerAndSelectFile( const QString &path ) override;
diff --git a/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.mm b/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.mm
index a880eeb5de7..42164616604 100644
--- a/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.mm
+++ b/src/native/mac/qgsmacnative.mm
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class QgsMacNative::QgsUserNotificationCenter
 {
   public:
     QgsUserNotificationCenterDelegate *_qgsUserNotificationCenter;
+    NSImage *_qgisIcon;
 };
 
 QgsMacNative::QgsMacNative()
@@ -57,6 +58,11 @@ QgsMacNative::~QgsMacNative()
   delete mQgsUserNotificationCenter;
 }
 
+void QgsMacNative::setIconPath( const QString &iconPath )
+{
+  mQgsUserNotificationCenter->_qgisIcon = QtMac::toNSImage( QPixmap( iconPath ) );
+}
+
 const char *QgsMacNative::currentAppLocalizedName()
 {
   return [[[NSRunningApplication currentApplication] localizedName] UTF8String];
@@ -92,7 +98,10 @@ QgsNative::NotificationResult QgsMacNative::showDesktopNotification( const QStri
   NSImage *image = nil;
   if ( settings.image.isNull() )
   {
-    image = [[NSImage imageNamed:@"NSApplicationIcon"] retain];
+    // image application (qgis.icns) seems not to be set for now, although present in the plist
+    // whenever fixed, try following line (and remove corresponding code in QgsMacNative::QgsUserNotificationCenter)
+    // image = [[NSImage imageNamed:@"NSApplicationIcon"] retain]
+    image = mQgsUserNotificationCenter->_qgisIcon;
   }
   else
   {