diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/NotificationRelayService.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/NotificationRelayService.kt
index dec5bcecb1..de2b6c2694 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/NotificationRelayService.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/NotificationRelayService.kt
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class NotificationRelayService : Service() {
             .Builder(this, CHANNEL_ID)
             .setContentTitle(getString(R.string.always_on_notif_title))
             .setContentText(contentText)
-            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.amethyst)
+            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.amethyst_service)
             .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
             .setOngoing(true)
             .setSilent(true)
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/res/drawable/amethyst_service.xml b/amethyst/src/main/res/drawable/amethyst_service.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69cb5ce8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/res/drawable/amethyst_service.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<!--
+  ~ Status-bar icon for the always-on relay-connection service.
+  ~
+  ~ Notification small icons are rendered by the system as flat, alpha-only
+  ~ silhouettes, so the regular `amethyst` gem becomes an identical solid gem
+  ~ for both real notifications and this persistent service. To stop the
+  ~ service from reading as a new notification, this variant draws the gem as
+  ~ a hollow outline — same brand shape, clearly different at a glance.
+-->
+<vector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:width="512dp"
+    android:height="512dp"
+    android:viewportWidth="512"
+    android:viewportHeight="512">
+  <path
+      android:fillColor="#00000000"
+      android:strokeColor="#000000"
+      android:strokeWidth="22"
+      android:strokeLineJoin="round"
+      android:pathData="M370.18,326.86C369.91,326.04 307.3,176.97 290.09,135.63c-20.96,0 -65.23,0 -96.46,0 -9.17,22.67 -32.82,80.44 -51.8,126.98 10.4,24.81 19.74,47.1 26.95,64.29l39.28,0a2.68,2.68 135,0 0,2.51 -3.15c-0.34,-7.93 -21.93,-36.76 -15.49,-67.94 1.72,-6.71 3.03,-13.53 4.91,-20.21a235.88,235.88 135,0 1,18.04 -46.7c1.19,-2.27 1.74,-3.29 4.5,-1.57 5.86,3.65 12.41,3.44 18.94,2.97 5.62,-1.22 8.36,-3.92 18.67,-1.18 2.04,0 4.03,0 6.11,0.19 4.95,0.39 9.6,1.57 12.57,6.05 3.25,4.9 3.77,10.44 3.25,16.1 -0.79,8.47 -0.23,16.36 6.94,22.33a77.19,77.19 0,0 0,8.05 5.37c3.56,2.28 7.85,3.27 10.9,6.44 1.8,1.87 2.86,3.85 2.08,6.51 -0.78,2.66 -2.86,3.91 -5.6,4.2 -6.92,0.75 -13.69,-0.66 -20.49,-1.48 -0.89,-0.11 -1.76,-0.17 -2.68,-0.23a15.39,15.39 0,0 1,-5.11 0.17l-1.6,0a35.83,35.83 0,0 0,-7.92 1.89c-6.41,2.34 -12.25,4.91 -19.82,4.78a5.8,5.8 0,0 0,-2.75 1.19c-5.93,5.27 -9.5,11.93 -6.54,21.66 8.13,22.72 29,77.53 37.96,101.18 -0.25,-16.02 -0.32,-44.71 -0.38,-58.64 35.8,0.05 90.7,0.03 95.08,0.03z" />
+</vector>