diff --git a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
index feee0c3a..33014b2e 100644
--- a/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
+++ b/src/api/client/sync/v3.rs
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ pub(crate) async fn sync_events_route(
 			.await
 			.log_err()
 			.ok();
+
+		// Record that this user was actively syncing now (for push suppression heuristic)
+		services.presence.note_sync(sender_user).await;
 	}
 
 	let mut since = body
diff --git a/src/core/config/mod.rs b/src/core/config/mod.rs
index 5720ea06..5532a5b2 100644
--- a/src/core/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/config/mod.rs
@@ -1288,6 +1288,18 @@ pub struct Config {
 	#[serde(default = "true_fn")]
 	pub presence_timeout_remote_users: bool,
 
+
+	/// Suppresses push notifications for users marked as active.
+	///
+	/// when enabled, users with `Online` presence and recent activity
+	/// (based on presence state and sync activity) won’t receive push
+	/// notifications, reducing duplicate alerts while they're active
+	/// elsewhere.
+	///
+	/// Disabled by default to preserve legacy behavior.
+	#[serde(default)]
+	pub suppress_push_when_active: bool,
+
 	/// Allow receiving incoming read receipts from remote servers.
 	#[serde(default = "true_fn")]
 	pub allow_incoming_read_receipts: bool,
diff --git a/src/service/presence/mod.rs b/src/service/presence/mod.rs
index 41e38734..b564cd84 100644
--- a/src/service/presence/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/presence/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 mod data;
 mod presence;
 
-use std::{sync::Arc, time::Duration};
+use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc, time::Duration};
+use tokio::sync::RwLock;
 
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use futures::{Stream, StreamExt, TryFutureExt, stream::FuturesUnordered};
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ pub struct Service {
 	offline_timeout: u64,
 	db: Data,
 	services: Arc<crate::services::OnceServices>,
+	last_sync_seen: RwLock<HashMap<OwnedUserId, u64>>,
 }
 
 type TimerType = (OwnedUserId, Duration);
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ impl crate::Service for Service {
 			offline_timeout: checked!(offline_timeout_s * 1_000)?,
 			db: Data::new(&args),
 			services: args.services.clone(),
+			last_sync_seen: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
 		}))
 	}
 
@@ -88,6 +91,21 @@ impl crate::Service for Service {
 }
 
 impl Service {
+	/// record that a user has just successfully completed a /sync (or equivalent activity)
+	pub async fn note_sync(&self, user_id: &UserId) {
+		let now = tuwunel_core::utils::millis_since_unix_epoch();
+		self.last_sync_seen.write().await.insert(user_id.to_owned(), now);
+	}
+
+	/// Returns milliseconds since last observed sync for user (if any)
+	pub async fn last_sync_gap_ms(&self, user_id: &UserId) -> Option<u64> {
+		let now = tuwunel_core::utils::millis_since_unix_epoch();
+		self.last_sync_seen
+			.read()
+			.await
+			.get(user_id)
+			.map(|ts| now.saturating_sub(*ts))
+	}
 	/// Returns the latest presence event for the given user.
 	pub async fn get_presence(&self, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<PresenceEvent> {
 		self.db
diff --git a/src/service/sending/sender.rs b/src/service/sending/sender.rs
index ada0a857..eb29fb81 100644
--- a/src/service/sending/sender.rs
+++ b/src/service/sending/sender.rs
@@ -19,14 +19,13 @@ use ruma::{
 	MilliSecondsSinceUnixEpoch, OwnedRoomId, OwnedServerName, OwnedUserId, RoomId, ServerName,
 	UInt,
 	api::{
-		appservice::event::push_events::v1::EphemeralData,
-		federation::transactions::{
+		appservice::event::push_events::v1::EphemeralData, federation::transactions::{
 			edu::{
 				DeviceListUpdateContent, Edu, PresenceContent, PresenceUpdate, ReceiptContent,
 				ReceiptData, ReceiptMap,
 			},
 			send_transaction_message,
-		},
+		}
 	},
 	device_id,
 	events::{
@@ -834,6 +833,26 @@ impl Service {
 				continue;
 			}
 
+			// optional suppression: heuristic combining presence age and recent sync activity.
+			if self.services.server.config.suppress_push_when_active {
+				if let Ok(presence) = self.services.presence.get_presence(&user_id).await {
+					let is_online = presence.content.presence == ruma::presence::PresenceState::Online;
+					let presence_age_ms = presence
+						.content
+						.last_active_ago
+						.map(u64::from)
+						.unwrap_or(u64::MAX);
+					let sync_gap_ms = self.services.presence.last_sync_gap_ms(&user_id).await;
+					let considered_active = is_online
+						&& presence_age_ms < 65_000
+						&& sync_gap_ms.is_some_and(|gap| gap < 32_000);
+					if considered_active {
+						trace!(?user_id, presence_age_ms, sync_gap_ms, "suppressing push: active heuristic");
+						continue;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
 			let rules_for_user = self
 				.services
 				.account_data
diff --git a/tuwunel-example.toml b/tuwunel-example.toml
index f2993004..e6f00ac8 100644
--- a/tuwunel-example.toml
+++ b/tuwunel-example.toml
@@ -1094,6 +1094,17 @@
 #
 #presence_timeout_remote_users = true
 
+# Suppresses push notifications for users marked as active.
+#
+# When enabled, users with `Online` presence and recent activity
+# (based on presence state and sync activity) won’t receive push
+# notifications, reducing duplicate alerts while they're active
+# elsewhere.
+#
+# Disabled by default to preserve legacy behavior.
+#
+#suppress_push_when_active = false
+
 # Allow receiving incoming read receipts from remote servers.
 #
 #allow_incoming_read_receipts = true