diff --git a/api/src/Json/Push.php b/api/src/Json/Push.php
index cd4eb987a6..50b81c2ac8 100644
--- a/api/src/Json/Push.php
+++ b/api/src/Json/Push.php
@@ -104,6 +104,16 @@ class Push extends Msg
 		return self::$online;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Get given user is online / connected to push-server
+	 *
+	 * @return boolean
+	 */
+	public function isOnline($account_id)
+	{
+		return in_array($account_id, $this->online());
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Check and if neccessary set push backend
 	 *
diff --git a/notifications/inc/class.notifications.inc.php b/notifications/inc/class.notifications.inc.php
index 84ec2ac23c..ac9ecec83c 100644
--- a/notifications/inc/class.notifications.inc.php
+++ b/notifications/inc/class.notifications.inc.php
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@ class notifications {
 		Api\Translation::add_app('notifications');
 
 		$available_chains = $this->get_available_chains('routing');
+		$push = new Api\Json\Push();
 
 		foreach ($this->receivers as $receiver) {
 			$user_notified = false;
@@ -574,7 +575,7 @@ class notifications {
 						// This is to make popup_or_email option sensfull since
 						// we save popup notifications in database anyway, email
 						// notifications should be based on user availability.
-						if ($backend == 'popup' && $action== 'fail' && !Api\Session::notifications_active($receiver->account_id))
+						if ($backend === 'popup' && $action === 'fail' && !$push->isOnline($receiver->account_id))
 						{
 							throw new Exception();
 						}