diff --git a/plugins/notification-resources/src/utils.ts b/plugins/notification-resources/src/utils.ts
index fd777a88b2c..db9b2f71fb4 100644
--- a/plugins/notification-resources/src/utils.ts
+++ b/plugins/notification-resources/src/utils.ts
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ function addWorkerListener (): void {
 
 export function pushAvailable (): boolean {
   if (isDesktopClient()) return false
-  const publicKey = getMetadata(notification.metadata.PushPublicKey)
+  const publicKey = getPushPublicKey()
   return (
     'serviceWorker' in navigator &&
     'PushManager' in window &&
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ export async function subscribePush (): Promise<boolean> {
     return false
   }
   const client = getClient()
-  const publicKey = getMetadata(notification.metadata.PushPublicKey)
+  const publicKey = getPushPublicKey()
   if ('serviceWorker' in navigator && 'PushManager' in window && publicKey !== undefined) {
     try {
       const loc = getCurrentLocation()
@@ -802,6 +802,12 @@ export async function subscribePush (): Promise<boolean> {
   return false
 }
 
+function getPushPublicKey (): string | undefined {
+  const publicKey = getMetadata(notification.metadata.PushPublicKey)
+  if (publicKey === undefined) return undefined
+  return publicKey.trim() !== '' ? publicKey : undefined
+}
+
 async function cleanTag (_id: Ref<Doc>): Promise<void> {
   const client = getClient()
   const notifications = await client.findAll(notification.class.BrowserNotification, {