diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/src/notification_client.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/src/notification_client.rs
index 2948c5273..a4b24b49b 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/src/notification_client.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/src/notification_client.rs
@@ -98,10 +98,12 @@ impl NotificationClient {
         room_id: &RoomId,
         event_id: &EventId,
     ) -> Result<Option<NotificationItem>, Error> {
-        if let Some(found) = self.get_notification_with_sliding_sync(room_id, event_id).await? {
-            Ok(Some(found))
-        } else {
-            self.get_notification_with_context(room_id, event_id).await
+        match self.get_notification_with_sliding_sync(room_id, event_id).await? {
+            NotificationStatus::Event(event) => Ok(Some(event)),
+            NotificationStatus::EventFilteredOut => Ok(None),
+            NotificationStatus::EventNotFound => {
+                self.get_notification_with_context(room_id, event_id).await
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -320,21 +322,11 @@ impl NotificationClient {
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         event_id: &EventId,
-    ) -> Result<Option<NotificationItem>, Error> {
+    ) -> Result<NotificationStatus, Error> {
         tracing::info!("fetching notification event with a sliding sync");
 
-        let mut raw_event = match self.try_sliding_sync(room_id, event_id).await {
-            Ok(Some(raw_event)) => raw_event,
-
-            Ok(None) => {
-                tracing::debug!("notification sync hasn't found the event");
-                return Ok(None);
-            }
-
-            Err(err) => {
-                tracing::warn!("notification sync has run into an error: {err:#}");
-                return Ok(None);
-            }
+        let Some(mut raw_event) = self.try_sliding_sync(room_id, event_id).await? else {
+            return Ok(NotificationStatus::EventNotFound);
         };
 
         // At this point it should have been added by the sync, if it's not, give up.
@@ -360,11 +352,11 @@ impl NotificationClient {
 
         if let Some(push_actions) = &push_actions {
             if self.filter_by_push_rules && !push_actions.iter().any(|a| a.should_notify()) {
-                return Ok(None);
+                return Ok(NotificationStatus::EventFilteredOut);
             }
         }
 
-        Ok(Some(
+        Ok(NotificationStatus::Event(
             NotificationItem::new(&room, &raw_event, push_actions.as_deref(), Vec::new()).await?,
         ))
     }
@@ -376,6 +368,11 @@ impl NotificationClient {
     /// notification should already be there. In particular, the room containing
     /// the event MUST be known (via a sliding sync for invites, or another
     /// sliding sync).
+    ///
+    /// An error result means that we couldn't resolve the notification; in that
+    /// case, a dummy notification may be displayed instead. A `None` result
+    /// means the notification has been filtered out by the user's push
+    /// rules.
     pub async fn get_notification_with_context(
         &self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
@@ -418,6 +415,12 @@ impl NotificationClient {
     }
 }
 
+pub enum NotificationStatus {
+    Event(NotificationItem),
+    EventNotFound,
+    EventFilteredOut,
+}
+
 /// Builder for a `NotificationClient`.
 ///
 /// Fields have the same meaning as in `NotificationClient`.
diff --git a/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/tests/integration/notification_client.rs b/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/tests/integration/notification_client.rs
index 6e17cca00..aa5527d43 100644
--- a/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/tests/integration/notification_client.rs
+++ b/crates/matrix-sdk-ui/tests/integration/notification_client.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ use std::{sync::Mutex, time::Duration};
 
 use matrix_sdk::config::SyncSettings;
 use matrix_sdk_test::{async_test, JoinedRoomBuilder, SyncResponseBuilder, TimelineTestEvent};
-use matrix_sdk_ui::notification_client::{NotificationClient, NotificationEvent};
+use matrix_sdk_ui::notification_client::{
+    NotificationClient, NotificationEvent, NotificationStatus,
+};
 use ruma::{event_id, events::TimelineEventType, room_id, user_id};
 use serde_json::json;
 use wiremock::{
@@ -282,7 +284,9 @@ async fn test_notification_client_sliding_sync() {
     )
     .await;
 
-    let item = item.expect("the notification should be found");
+    let NotificationStatus::Event(item) = item else {
+        panic!("notification not found");
+    };
 
     assert_matches::assert_matches!(item.event, NotificationEvent::Timeline(event) => {
         assert_eq!(event.event_type(), TimelineEventType::RoomMessage);
diff --git a/testing/sliding-sync-integration-test/src/notification_client.rs b/testing/sliding-sync-integration-test/src/notification_client.rs
index dafbdb457..3ff92e7bf 100644
--- a/testing/sliding-sync-integration-test/src/notification_client.rs
+++ b/testing/sliding-sync-integration-test/src/notification_client.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use matrix_sdk::{
 };
 use matrix_sdk_integration_testing::helpers::get_client_for_user;
 use matrix_sdk_ui::notification_client::{
-    Error, NotificationClient, NotificationEvent, NotificationItem,
+    Error, NotificationClient, NotificationEvent, NotificationItem, NotificationStatus,
 };
 use tracing::warn;
 
@@ -76,10 +76,11 @@ async fn test_notification() -> Result<()> {
 
         // Try with sliding sync first.
         let notification_client = NotificationClient::builder(bob.clone()).await.unwrap().build();
-        let notification = notification_client
-            .get_notification_with_sliding_sync(&room_id, &event_id)
-            .await?
-            .expect("missing notification for the invite");
+        let NotificationStatus::Event(notification) =
+            notification_client.get_notification_with_sliding_sync(&room_id, &event_id).await?
+        else {
+            panic!("event not found");
+        };
 
         warn!("sliding_sync: checking invite notification");
 
@@ -190,10 +191,11 @@ async fn test_notification() -> Result<()> {
     };
 
     let notification_client = NotificationClient::builder(bob.clone()).await.unwrap().build();
-    let notification = notification_client
-        .get_notification_with_sliding_sync(&room_id, &event_id)
-        .await?
-        .expect("missing notification for the message");
+    let NotificationStatus::Event(notification) =
+        notification_client.get_notification_with_sliding_sync(&room_id, &event_id).await?
+    else {
+        panic!("event not found");
+    };
     check_notification(true, notification);
 
     let notification_client = NotificationClient::builder(bob.clone()).await.unwrap().build();