diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/notify.py b/src/calibre/gui2/notify.py
index 0f498c45d1..385fdd92b7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/notify.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/notify.py
@@ -85,18 +85,21 @@ class QtNotifier(Notifier):
     def __call__(self, body, summary=None, replaces_id=None, timeout=0):
         timeout, body, summary = self.get_msg_parms(timeout, body, summary)
         if self.systray is not None:
-            hide = False
             try:
-                if not isinstance(body, unicode):
-                    body = body.decode('utf-8')
-                if isosx and not self.systray.isVisible():
-                    self.systray.show()
-                    hide = True
-                self.systray.showMessage(summary, body, self.systray.Information,
-                        timeout)
-            finally:
-                if hide:
-                    self.systray.hide()
+                hide = False
+                try:
+                    if not isinstance(body, unicode):
+                        body = body.decode('utf-8')
+                    if isosx and not self.systray.isVisible():
+                        self.systray.show()
+                        hide = True
+                    self.systray.showMessage(summary, body, self.systray.Information,
+                            timeout)
+                finally:
+                    if hide:
+                        self.systray.hide()
+            except:
+                pass
 
 class GrowlNotifier(Notifier):