diff --git a/ios/Podfile.lock b/ios/Podfile.lock
index 9446102836..c85b743136 100644
--- a/ios/Podfile.lock
+++ b/ios/Podfile.lock
@@ -340,6 +340,8 @@ PODS:
     - React-perflogger (= 0.71.0)
   - rn-fetch-blob (0.12.0):
     - React-Core
+  - RNBackgroundFetch (4.1.8):
+    - React-Core
   - RNCAsyncStorage (1.17.11):
     - React-Core
   - RNCClipboard (1.11.1):
@@ -453,6 +455,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES:
   - React-runtimeexecutor (from `../node_modules/react-native/ReactCommon/runtimeexecutor`)
   - ReactCommon/turbomodule/core (from `../node_modules/react-native/ReactCommon`)
   - rn-fetch-blob (from `../node_modules/rn-fetch-blob`)
+  - RNBackgroundFetch (from `../node_modules/react-native-background-fetch`)
   - "RNCAsyncStorage (from `../node_modules/@react-native-async-storage/async-storage`)"
   - "RNCClipboard (from `../node_modules/@react-native-clipboard/clipboard`)"
   - RNFS (from `../node_modules/react-native-fs`)
@@ -562,6 +565,8 @@ EXTERNAL SOURCES:
     :path: "../node_modules/react-native/ReactCommon"
   rn-fetch-blob:
     :path: "../node_modules/rn-fetch-blob"
+  RNBackgroundFetch:
+    :path: "../node_modules/react-native-background-fetch"
   RNCAsyncStorage:
     :path: "../node_modules/@react-native-async-storage/async-storage"
   RNCClipboard:
@@ -637,6 +642,7 @@ SPEC CHECKSUMS:
   React-runtimeexecutor: ac80782d9d76ba2b0f709f4de0c427fe33c352dc
   ReactCommon: 20e38a9be5fe1341b5e422220877cc94034776ba
   rn-fetch-blob: f065bb7ab7fb48dd002629f8bdcb0336602d3cba
+  RNBackgroundFetch: 8e16176ff415daac743a6eb57afc8e9e14dbe623
   RNCAsyncStorage: 8616bd5a58af409453ea4e1b246521bb76578d60
   RNCClipboard: 2834e1c4af68697089cdd455ee4a4cdd198fa7dd
   RNFS: 4ac0f0ea233904cb798630b3c077808c06931688
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8d8ec4eb2b..cb30b57114 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     "react-dom": "17.0.2",
     "react-native": "0.71.0",
     "react-native-appstate-hook": "^1.0.6",
+    "react-native-background-fetch": "^4.1.8",
     "react-native-fs": "^2.20.0",
     "react-native-gesture-handler": "^2.5.0",
     "react-native-haptic-feedback": "^1.14.0",
diff --git a/src/state/models/root-store.ts b/src/state/models/root-store.ts
index 98a17faaa1..55dbbcfeeb 100644
--- a/src/state/models/root-store.ts
+++ b/src/state/models/root-store.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {makeAutoObservable} from 'mobx'
 import {sessionClient as AtpApi, SessionServiceClient} from '@atproto/api'
 import {createContext, useContext} from 'react'
 import {DeviceEventEmitter, EmitterSubscription} from 'react-native'
+import BackgroundFetch from 'react-native-background-fetch'
 import {isObj, hasProp} from '../lib/type-guards'
 import {LogModel} from './log'
 import {SessionModel} from './session'
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ export class RootStoreModel {
       serialize: false,
       hydrate: false,
     })
+    this.initBgFetch()
   }
 
   async resolveName(didOrHandle: string) {
@@ -109,9 +111,41 @@ export class RootStoreModel {
   }
 
   emitPostDeleted(uri: string) {
-    console.log('emit')
     DeviceEventEmitter.emit('post-deleted', uri)
   }
+
+  // background fetch
+  // =
+  // - we use this to poll for unread notifications, which is not "ideal" behavior but
+  //   gives us a solution for push-notifications that work against any pds
+
+  initBgFetch() {
+    // NOTE
+    // background fetch runs every 15 minutes *at most* and will get slowed down
+    // based on some heuristics run by iOS, meaning it is not a reliable form of delivery
+    // -prf
+    BackgroundFetch.configure(
+      {minimumFetchInterval: 15},
+      this.onBgFetch.bind(this),
+      this.onBgFetchTimeout.bind(this),
+    ).then(status => {
+      this.log.debug(`Background fetch initiated, status: ${status}`)
+    })
+  }
+
+  async onBgFetch(taskId: string) {
+    this.log.debug(`Background fetch fired for task ${taskId}`)
+    if (this.session.hasSession) {
+      // grab notifications
+      await this.me.fetchNotifications()
+    }
+    BackgroundFetch.finish(taskId)
+  }
+
+  onBgFetchTimeout(taskId: string) {
+    this.log.debug(`Background fetch timed out for task ${taskId}`)
+    BackgroundFetch.finish(taskId)
+  }
 }
 
 const throwawayInst = new RootStoreModel(AtpApi.service('http://localhost')) // this will be replaced by the loader, we just need to supply a value at init
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index da20b20cfd..27b2f1f190 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -11169,6 +11169,11 @@ react-native-appstate-hook@^1.0.6:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-native-appstate-hook/-/react-native-appstate-hook-1.0.6.tgz#cbc16e7b89cfaea034cabd999f00e99053cabd06"
   integrity sha512-0hPVyf5yLxCSVrrNEuGqN1ZnSSj3Ye2gZex0NtcK/AHYwMc0rXWFNZjBKOoZSouspqu3hXBbQ6NOUSTzrME1AQ==
 
+react-native-background-fetch@^4.1.8:
+  version "4.1.8"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-native-background-fetch/-/react-native-background-fetch-4.1.8.tgz#a21858e5d876de8d9d15a37f40714b244f73713c"
+  integrity sha512-/qe86laa0n4AbD6mrLL8SCGR+K5693URX95e02/bTJh3UkdS3+sU1Jyc/XTlz4MQwlquI929/lm5EZh8AOUqzQ==
+
 react-native-codegen@^0.71.3:
   version "0.71.3"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-native-codegen/-/react-native-codegen-0.71.3.tgz#75fbc591819050791319ebdb9fe341ee4df5c288"