diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 792e3b7..85928f3 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         .optimize = optimize,
     });
 
+    exe.linkLibC();
+    exe.addIncludePath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/usr/include/glib-2.0" });
+    exe.addIncludePath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include" });
+    exe.addIncludePath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0" });
+    exe.linkSystemLibrary("notify");
+
     // This declares intent for the executable to be installed into the
     // standard location when the user invokes the "install" step (the default
     // step when running `zig build`).
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 502322d..5ccbbb3 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -1,10 +1,23 @@
 const std = @import("std");
+const c = @cImport({
+    @cInclude("libnotify/notify.h");
+});
 
 pub const std_options = struct {
     pub const log_level = .info;
 };
 
+const NOTIFICATION_TITLE: [:0]const u8 = "bat-alert";
+const NOTIFICATION_BODY: [:0]const u8 = "battery running low!";
+
+const ParseMode = enum { none, target, battery };
+
 pub fn main() !void {
+    if (c.notify_init("bat-alert") == c.FALSE) {
+        std.log.err("notify_init failed", .{});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
+
     var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
     defer _ = gpa.deinit();
     const allocator = gpa.allocator();
@@ -15,48 +28,57 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     var target: u8 = 15;
     var battery: []const u8 = "BAT0";
 
+    var parse_mode = ParseMode.none;
     for (args, 0..) |arg, i| {
-        if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--help")) {
-            const stdout = std.io.getStdOut().writer();
-            try stdout.print(
-                \\Usage: bat-alert [options]
-                \\
-                \\Options:
-                \\  -t, --target NUM	Target battery level (default: 15)
-                \\  --battery NAME		Battery name (default: BAT0)
-                \\
-            , .{});
-            std.process.exit(0);
-        }
-
-        if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--target") or std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "-t")) {
-            if (i + 1 == args.len) {
-                std.log.err("--target requires an argument", .{});
-                std.process.exit(1);
-            }
-
-            const parsedTarget = std.fmt.parseInt(u8, args[i + 1], 10) catch |err| {
-                std.log.err("invalid target '{s}': {}", .{ args[i + 1], err });
-                std.process.exit(1);
-            };
-            target = parsedTarget;
-        }
-
-        if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--battery")) {
-            if (i + 1 == args.len) {
-                std.log.err("--battery requires an argument", .{});
-                std.process.exit(1);
-            }
-
-            battery = args[i + 1];
+        _ = i;
+        switch (parse_mode) {
+            ParseMode.none => {
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--help")) {
+                    const stdout = std.io.getStdOut().writer();
+                    try stdout.print(
+                        \\Usage: bat-alert [options]
+                        \\
+                        \\Options:
+                        \\  -t, --target NUM	Target battery level (default: 15)
+                        \\  --battery NAME		Battery name (default: BAT0)
+                        \\
+                    , .{});
+                    std.process.exit(0);
+                }
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--target") or std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "-t")) {
+                    parse_mode = ParseMode.target;
+                }
+                if (std.mem.eql(u8, arg, "--battery")) {
+                    parse_mode = ParseMode.battery;
+                }
+            },
+            ParseMode.battery => {
+                battery = arg;
+                parse_mode = ParseMode.none;
+            },
+            ParseMode.target => {
+                const parsedTarget = std.fmt.parseInt(u8, arg, 10) catch {
+                    std.log.err("cannot parse target '{s}' as int", .{arg});
+                    std.process.exit(1);
+                };
+                target = parsedTarget;
+                parse_mode = ParseMode.none;
+            },
         }
     }
+    if (parse_mode != ParseMode.none) {
+        std.log.err("option requires an argument: --{s}", .{@tagName(parse_mode)});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
 
     var sent = false;
     const batteryPath = try std.fmt.allocPrint(allocator, "/sys/class/power_supply/{s}/capacity", .{battery});
 
     while (true) {
-        const capacityFile = try std.fs.openFileAbsolute(batteryPath, .{});
+        const capacityFile = std.fs.openFileAbsolute(batteryPath, .{}) catch |err| {
+            std.log.err("open {s}: {}", .{ batteryPath, err });
+            std.process.exit(1);
+        };
         var capacityStr = std.ArrayList(u8).init(allocator);
         try capacityFile.reader().streamUntilDelimiter(capacityStr.writer(), '\n', null);
         capacityFile.close();
@@ -69,10 +91,18 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         if (capacity <= target) {
             if (!sent) {
                 sent = true;
-                _ = try std.process.Child.exec(.{
-                    .allocator = allocator,
-                    .argv = &[_][]const u8{ "notify-send", "-t", "5000", "-u", "critical", "bat-alert", "battery running low!" },
-                });
+                // _ = try std.process.Child.exec(.{
+                //     .allocator = allocator,
+                //     .argv = &[_][]const u8{ "notify-send", "-t", "5000", "-u", "critical", NOTIFICATION_TITLE, NOTIFICATION_BODY },
+                // });
+
+                const notif = c.notify_notification_new(NOTIFICATION_TITLE, NOTIFICATION_BODY, null);
+                var g_err: [*c]c.GError = null;
+                const ret = c.notify_notification_show(notif, &g_err);
+                if (ret == c.FALSE) {
+                    std.log.err("failed to send a notification: {s}", .{g_err.*.message});
+                }
+
                 std.log.info("[NOTIFY] battery running low!", .{});
             }
         } else {