diff --git a/config.toml b/config.toml
index fd716e41..67d2af07 100644
--- a/config.toml
+++ b/config.toml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ notification-thumbnail = "screenshot"
 # how long we are waiting after notification thumbnail was sent before exiting (exit early or quit). This is based on the temporary file mtime.
 # for fast machines, the default value of 250ms is ridiculously high.
 notification-grace-period = 250
-# Disable notifications
+# Disable notifications - may be ignored in case of errors that can't be reported via terminal
 disable-notifications = false
 
 # Exit directly after copy/save action. 0.21.0: change to list of triggers
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ default-fill-shapes = false
 default-round-caps = true
 # experimental feature: adjust history size for brush input smoothing (0: disabled, default: 0, try e.g. 5 or 10)
 brush-smooth-history-size = 10
-
 # Actions to trigger on right click (order is important)
 # [possible values: save-to-clipboard, save-to-file, save-to-file-as, copy-filepath-to-clipboard, exit]
 actions-on-right-click = []
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b8213dc4..34706fbc 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     // run the application
     match run_satty() {
         Err(e) => {
-            eprintln!("Error: {e}");
+            notification::log_error(&format!("Error: {e}"));
             Err(e)
         }
         Ok(v) => Ok(v),
diff --git a/src/notification.rs b/src/notification.rs
index b52ab48c..7d440a22 100644
--- a/src/notification.rs
+++ b/src/notification.rs
@@ -7,19 +7,36 @@ use relm4::gtk::gdk_pixbuf::{InterpType, Pixbuf};
 use relm4::gtk::prelude::Cast;
 use relm4::gtk::{IconLookupFlags, IconTheme, TextDirection, gio};
 use satty_cli::command_line::NotificationThumbnail;
+use std::io::IsTerminal;
 use tempfile::NamedTempFile;
 
+pub fn log_error(msg: &str) {
+    let msg = &format!("❌️ {msg}").to_string();
+    eprintln!("{msg}");
+    if !std::io::stderr().is_terminal() {
+        show_notification(msg, None, gio::NotificationPriority::Urgent);
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn log_warning(msg: &str) {
+    let msg = &format!("⚠️ {msg}").to_string();
+    eprintln!("{msg}");
+    if !std::io::stderr().is_terminal() {
+        show_notification(msg, None, gio::NotificationPriority::High);
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn log_result(msg: &str, notify: bool) {
     eprintln!("{msg}");
-    if notify && !APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications() {
-        show_notification(msg, None);
+    if !std::io::stderr().is_terminal() && notify && !APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications() {
+        show_notification(msg, None, gio::NotificationPriority::Normal);
     }
 }
 
 pub fn log_result_with_pixbuf(msg: &str, pixbuf: Pixbuf) {
     eprintln!("{msg}");
 
-    if APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications() {
+    if std::io::stderr().is_terminal() || APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications() {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -82,13 +99,14 @@ pub fn log_result_with_pixbuf(msg: &str, pixbuf: Pixbuf) {
         _ => None,
     };
 
-    show_notification(msg, icon);
+    show_notification(msg, icon, gio::NotificationPriority::Normal);
 }
 
-fn show_notification(msg: &str, icon: Option<Icon>) {
+fn show_notification(msg: &str, icon: Option<Icon>, priority: gio::NotificationPriority) {
     // construct
     let notification = Notification::new("Satty");
     notification.set_body(Some(msg));
+    notification.set_priority(priority);
 
     if let Some(i) = icon {
         notification.set_icon(&i);
diff --git a/src/sketch_board.rs b/src/sketch_board.rs
index 31028718..4f5a6a18 100644
--- a/src/sketch_board.rs
+++ b/src/sketch_board.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use crate::image_loading;
 use crate::ime::pango_adapter::spans_from_pango_attrs;
 use crate::keybindings::{ActionTrigger, ShortcutCommand, ShortcutRegistry};
 use crate::math::{Vec2D, crop_rect_in_bounds};
-use crate::notification::{log_result, log_result_with_pixbuf};
+use crate::notification::{log_error, log_result, log_result_with_pixbuf, log_warning};
 use crate::style::{Color, Size, Style};
 use crate::tools::{
     ImagePlacement, PointerTool, RenderingMode, TextTool, Tool, ToolEvent, ToolUpdateResult, Tools,
@@ -310,10 +310,7 @@ fn pixbuf_from_file_list(file_list: &gdk::FileList) -> Option<Pixbuf> {
     match image_loading::pixbuf_from_file(&path) {
         Ok(pixbuf) => Some(pixbuf),
         Err(e) => {
-            log_result(
-                &format!("Error loading image: {e}"),
-                !APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications(),
-            );
+            log_error(&format!("Error loading image: {e}"));
             None
         }
     }
@@ -541,9 +538,9 @@ impl SketchBoard {
         let mut output_filename = if panic::catch_unwind(|| delayed_format.to_string()).is_ok() {
             delayed_format.to_string()
         } else {
-            eprintln!(
+            log_warning(&format!(
                 "Warning: Could not format filename {output_filename} due to chrono format error, falling back to literal filename."
-            );
+            ));
             output_filename.to_owned()
         };
 
@@ -554,7 +551,7 @@ impl SketchBoard {
                 home_dir.push(tilde_stripped);
                 output_filename = home_dir.to_string_lossy().into_owned();
             } else {
-                log_result("~ found but could not determine homedir", true);
+                log_error("~ found but could not determine homedir");
                 return None;
             }
         }
@@ -644,16 +641,14 @@ impl SketchBoard {
 
         // TODO: we could support more data types
         if output_filename != "-" && !output_filename.ends_with(".png") {
-            log_result(
-                "The only supported format is png, but the filename does not end in png",
-                true,
-            );
+            log_error("The only supported format is png, but the filename does not end in png");
             return;
         }
 
         let data = match image.save_to_bufferv("png", &Vec::new()) {
             Ok(d) => d,
             Err(e) => {
+                log_error(&format!("Error serializing image: {e}"));
                 eprintln!("Error serializing image: {e}");
                 return;
             }
@@ -664,15 +659,12 @@ impl SketchBoard {
             let stdout = io::stdout();
             let mut handle = stdout.lock();
             if let Err(e) = handle.write_all(&data) {
-                eprintln!("Error writing image to stdout: {e}");
+                log_error(&format!("Error writing image to stdout: {e}"));
             }
             return;
         }
         match Self::write_image_file(Path::new(&output_filename), &data) {
-            Err(e) => log_result(
-                &format!("Error while saving file '{output_filename}': {e}"),
-                true,
-            ),
+            Err(e) => log_error(&format!("Error while saving file '{output_filename}': {e}")),
             Ok(_) => {
                 // Store the filepath for copy-filepath action
                 *self.last_saved_filepath.borrow_mut() = Some(output_filename.clone());
@@ -704,7 +696,7 @@ impl SketchBoard {
         let data = match pixbuf.save_to_bufferv("png", &Vec::new()) {
             Ok(d) => d,
             Err(e) => {
-                eprintln!("Error serializing image: {e}");
+                log_error(&format!("Error serializing image: {e}"));
                 return;
             }
         };
@@ -748,10 +740,9 @@ impl SketchBoard {
                     };
 
                     match Self::write_image_file(Path::new(&output_filename), &data) {
-                        Err(e) => log_result(
-                            &format!("Error while saving file '{output_filename}': {e}"),
-                            true,
-                        ),
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            log_error(&format!("Error while saving file '{output_filename}': {e}"))
+                        }
                         Ok(_) => {
                             exit_app = APP_CONFIG.read().early_exit_save_as();
                             filename = Some(output_filename.clone());
@@ -864,7 +855,7 @@ impl SketchBoard {
         };
 
         match result {
-            Err(e) => log_result(&format!("Error copying filepath: {e}"), true),
+            Err(e) => log_error(&format!("Error copying filepath: {e}")),
             Ok(()) => log_result(&format!("Filepath copied to clipboard: {}", filepath), true),
         }
     }
@@ -2159,12 +2150,14 @@ impl Component for SketchBoard {
 
         let error_count = crate::configuration::config_error_count();
         if error_count > 0 {
-            eprintln!(
-                "⚠️ {} error{} occurred during configuration loading.",
+            log_warning(&format!(
+                "{} error{} occurred during configuration loading. \
+                     Please run from terminal and check the output!",
                 error_count,
                 if error_count == 1 { "" } else { "s" }
-            );
+            ));
         }
+
         ComponentParts { model, widgets }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/tools/image.rs b/src/tools/image.rs
index c555b0fb..2c8cae50 100644
--- a/src/tools/image.rs
+++ b/src/tools/image.rs
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@ use relm4::{RelmWidgetExt, Sender, gtk};
 
 use crate::tools::drag_box::draw_rect_marker;
 use crate::{
-    configuration::APP_CONFIG,
     femtovg_area::create_image_from_pixbuf,
     image_loading,
     math::{self, Vec2D},
-    notification::log_result,
+    notification::log_error,
     sketch_board::{MouseButton, MouseEventMsg, MouseEventType, SketchBoardInput},
     tools::hit_test_rectangle,
 };
@@ -263,10 +262,7 @@ impl ImageTool {
             {
                 match image_loading::pixbuf_from_file(&path) {
                     Ok(pixbuf) => sender.emit(SketchBoardInput::ImagePlaced(pixbuf, placement)),
-                    Err(e) => log_result(
-                        &format!("Error loading image: {e}"),
-                        !APP_CONFIG.read().disable_notifications(),
-                    ),
+                    Err(e) => log_error(&format!("Error loading image: {e}")),
                 }
             }
             dialog.destroy();