diff --git a/client/systray/systray.go b/client/systray/systray.go
index 8c30dbf05..7018f0f3b 100644
--- a/client/systray/systray.go
+++ b/client/systray/systray.go
@@ -171,6 +171,11 @@ func (menu *Menu) onReady() {
 See https://tailscale.com/kb/1597/linux-systray for more information.`)
 	}
 	setAppIcon(disconnected)
+
+	// set initial title, which is used by the systray package as the ID of the StatusNotifierItem.
+	// This value will get overwritten later as the client status changes.
+	systray.SetTitle("tailscale")
+
 	menu.rebuild()
 
 	menu.mu.Lock()