diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3daddc2c2..e9b91432c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
     "classnames": "^2.1.2",
     "draft-js": "^0.8.1",
     "extract-text-webpack-plugin": "^0.9.1",
+    "favico.js": "^0.3.10",
     "filesize": "^3.1.2",
     "flux": "~2.0.3",
     "gemini-scrollbar": "matrix-org/gemini-scrollbar#b302279",
diff --git a/src/vector/index.js b/src/vector/index.js
index 58d579fdf..f260ac01f 100644
--- a/src/vector/index.js
+++ b/src/vector/index.js
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
 var RunModernizrTests = require("./modernizr"); // this side-effects a global
 var ReactDOM = require("react-dom");
 var sdk = require("matrix-react-sdk");
+var PlatformPeg = require("matrix-react-sdk/lib/PlatformPeg");
 sdk.loadSkin(require('../component-index'));
 var VectorConferenceHandler = require('../VectorConferenceHandler');
 var UpdateChecker = require("./updater");
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ import UAParser from 'ua-parser-js';
 import url from 'url';
 
 import {parseQs, parseQsFromFragment} from './url_utils';
+import Platform from './platform';
 
 var lastLocationHashSet = null;
 
@@ -210,6 +212,9 @@ async function loadApp() {
     const fragparts = parseQsFromFragment(window.location);
     const params = parseQs(window.location);
 
+    // set the platform for react sdk (our Platform object automatically picks the right one)
+    PlatformPeg.set(new Platform());
+
     // don't try to redirect to the native apps if we're
     // verifying a 3pid
     const preventRedirect = Boolean(fragparts.params.client_secret);
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ef2b6b8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vector/platform/WebPlatform.js
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+// @flow
+
+/*
+Copyright 2016 Aviral Dasgupta and OpenMarket Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import BasePlatform from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/BasePlatform';
+import Favico from 'favico.js';
+import dis from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/dispatcher.js';
+import q from 'q';
+
+export default class WebPlatform extends BasePlatform {
+    constructor() {
+        super();
+        // The 'animations' are really low framerate and look terrible.
+        // Also it re-starts the animationb every time you set the badge,
+        // and we set the state each time, even if the value hasn't changed,
+        // so we'd need to fix that if enabling the animation.
+        this.favicon = new Favico({animation: 'none'});
+        this._updateFavicon();
+    }
+
+    _updateFavicon() {
+        try {
+            // This needs to be in in a try block as it will throw
+            // if there are more than 100 badge count changes in
+            // its internal queue
+            let bgColor = "#d00",
+                notif = this.notificationCount;
+
+            if (this.errorDidOccur) {
+                notif = notif || "×";
+                bgColor = "#f00";
+            }
+
+            this.favicon.badge(notif, {
+                bgColor: bgColor
+            });
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.warn(`Failed to set badge count: ${e.message}`);
+        }
+    }
+
+    setNotificationCount(count: number) {
+        super.setNotificationCount(count);
+        this._updateFavicon();
+    }
+
+    setErrorStatus(errorDidOccur: boolean) {
+        super.setErrorStatus(errorDidOccur);
+        this._updateFavicon();
+    }
+
+    displayNotification(title: string, msg: string, avatarUrl: string) {
+        const notification = new global.Notification(
+            title,
+            {
+                body: msg,
+                icon: avatarUrl,
+                tag: "vector",
+                silent: true, // we play our own sounds
+            }
+        );
+
+        notification.onclick = function() {
+            dis.dispatch({
+                action: 'view_room',
+                room_id: room.roomId
+            });
+            global.focus();
+        };
+
+        // Chrome only dismisses notifications after 20s, which
+        // is waaaaay too long
+        global.setTimeout(function() {
+            notification.close();
+        }, 5 * 1000);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/index.js b/src/vector/platform/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0f17ae99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vector/platform/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// @flow
+
+/*
+Copyright 2016 Aviral Dasgupta and OpenMarket Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import WebPlatform from './WebPlatform';
+
+let Platform = WebPlatform;
+
+export default Platform;