diff --git a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/global/Globals.qml b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/global/Globals.qml
--- a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/global/Globals.qml
+++ b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/global/Globals.qml
@@ -460,4 +460,11 @@
         interval: 250
         onTriggered: positionPopups()
     }
+
+    // Keeps the Inhibited property on DBus in sync with our inhibition handling
+    property Binding serverInhibitedBinding: Binding {
+        target: NotificationManager.Server
+        property: "inhibited"
+        value: globals.inhibited
+    }
 }
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/declarative/notificationmanagerplugin.cpp b/libnotificationmanager/declarative/notificationmanagerplugin.cpp
--- a/libnotificationmanager/declarative/notificationmanagerplugin.cpp
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/declarative/notificationmanagerplugin.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "notifications.h"
 #include "job.h"
+#include "server.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
 #include <QQmlEngine>
@@ -35,4 +36,8 @@
     qmlRegisterType<Notifications>(uri, 1, 0, "Notifications");
     qmlRegisterUncreatableType<Job>(uri, 1, 0, "Job", QStringLiteral("Can only access Job via JobDetailsRole of JobsModel"));
     qmlRegisterType<Settings>(uri, 1, 0, "Settings");
+    qmlRegisterSingletonType<Server>(uri, 1, 0, "Server", [](QQmlEngine *, QJSEngine *) -> QObject* {
+        QQmlEngine::setObjectOwnership(&Server::self(), QQmlEngine::CppOwnership);
+        return &Server::self();
+    });
 }
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/server.h b/libnotificationmanager/server.h
--- a/libnotificationmanager/server.h
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/server.h
@@ -40,6 +40,16 @@
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 
+    /**
+     * Whether notifications are currently inhibited.
+     *
+     * This is what is announced to other applicatons on the bus.
+     *
+     * @note This does not keep track of inhibitions on its own,
+     * you need to calculate this yourself and update the property accordingly.
+     */
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool inhibited READ inhibited WRITE setInhibited NOTIFY inhibitedChanged)
+
 public:
     ~Server() override;
 
@@ -68,10 +78,25 @@
     bool isValid() const;
 
     /**
-     * Whether an application requested to inhibit notifications.
+     * Whether notifications are currently inhibited.
+     * @since 5.17
      */
     bool inhibited() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Whether notifications are currently effectively inhibited.
+     *
+     * @note You need to keep track of inhibitions and call this
+     * yourself when appropriate.
+     * @since 5.17
+     */
+    void setInhibited(bool inhibited);
+
+    /**
+     * Whether an application requested to inhibit notifications.
+     */
+    bool inhibitedByApplication() const;
+
     // should we return a struct or pair or something?
     QStringList inhibitionApplications() const;
     QStringList inhibitionReasons() const;
@@ -130,12 +155,18 @@
     void notificationRemoved(uint id, CloseReason reason);
 
     /**
-     * Emitted when inhibitions have been changed. Becomes true
-     * as soon as there is one inhibition and becomes false again
-     * when all inhibitions have been lifted.
+     * Emitted when the inhbited state changed.
      */
     void inhibitedChanged(bool inhibited);
 
+    /**
+     * Emitted when inhibitions by application have been changed.
+     * Becomes true as soon as there is one inhibition and becomes
+     * false again when all inhibitions have been lifted.
+     * @since 5.17
+     */
+    void inhibitedByApplicationChanged(bool inhibited);
+
     /**
      * Emitted when the list of applications holding a notification
      * inhibition changes.
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/server.cpp b/libnotificationmanager/server.cpp
--- a/libnotificationmanager/server.cpp
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/server.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@
     connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::inhibitedChanged, this, [this] {
         emit inhibitedChanged(inhibited());
     });
-    connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::inhibitionAdded, this, &Server::inhibitionApplicationsChanged);
-    connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::inhibitionRemoved, this, &Server::inhibitionApplicationsChanged);
+    connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::externalInhibitedChanged, this, [this] {
+        emit inhibitedByApplicationChanged(inhibitedByApplication());
+    });
+    connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::externalInhibitionsChanged, this, &Server::inhibitionApplicationsChanged);
     connect(d.data(), &ServerPrivate::serviceOwnershipLost, this, &Server::serviceOwnershipLost);
 }
 
@@ -82,10 +84,20 @@
     return d->inhibited();
 }
 
+void Server::setInhibited(bool inhibited)
+{
+    d->setInhibited(inhibited);
+}
+
+bool Server::inhibitedByApplication() const
+{
+    return d->externalInhibited();
+}
+
 QStringList Server::inhibitionApplications() const
 {
     QStringList applications;
-    const auto inhibitions = d->inhibitions();
+    const auto inhibitions = d->externalInhibitions();
     applications.reserve(inhibitions.count());
     for (const auto &inhibition : inhibitions) {
         applications.append(!inhibition.applicationName.isEmpty() ? inhibition.applicationName : inhibition.desktopEntry);
@@ -96,7 +108,7 @@
 QStringList Server::inhibitionReasons() const
 {
     QStringList reasons;
-    const auto inhibitions = d->inhibitions();
+    const auto inhibitions = d->externalInhibitions();
     reasons.reserve(inhibitions.count());
     for (const auto &inhibition : inhibitions) {
         reasons.append(inhibition.reason);
@@ -106,5 +118,5 @@
 
 void Server::clearInhibitions()
 {
-    d->clearInhibitions();
+    d->clearExternalInhibitions();
 }
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/server_p.h b/libnotificationmanager/server_p.h
--- a/libnotificationmanager/server_p.h
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/server_p.h
@@ -72,16 +72,23 @@
     void ActionInvoked(uint id, const QString &actionKey);
 
     void inhibitedChanged();
-    void inhibitionAdded();
-    void inhibitionRemoved();
+
+    void externalInhibitedChanged();
+    void externalInhibitionsChanged();
+
     void serviceOwnershipLost();
 
 public: // stuff used by public class
     bool init();
     uint add(const Notification &notification);
 
-    QList<Inhibition> inhibitions() const;
-    void clearInhibitions();
+    // Server only handles external application inhibitions but we still want the Inhibited property
+    // expose the actual inhibition state for applications to check.
+    void setInhibited(bool inhibited);
+
+    bool externalInhibited() const;
+    QList<Inhibition> externalInhibitions() const;
+    void clearExternalInhibitions();
 
     bool m_valid = false;
     uint m_highestNotificationId = 1;
@@ -94,9 +101,11 @@
 
     QDBusServiceWatcher *m_inhibitionWatcher = nullptr;
     uint m_highestInhibitionCookie = 0;
-    QHash<uint /*cookie*/, Inhibition> m_inhibitions;
+    QHash<uint /*cookie*/, Inhibition> m_externalInhibitions;
     QHash<uint /*cookie*/, QString> m_inhibitionServices;
 
+    bool m_inhibited = false;
+
     Notification m_lastNotification;
 
 };
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/server_p.cpp b/libnotificationmanager/server_p.cpp
--- a/libnotificationmanager/server_p.cpp
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/server_p.cpp
@@ -323,17 +323,21 @@
 
     ++m_highestInhibitionCookie;
 
-    m_inhibitions.insert(m_highestInhibitionCookie, {
+    const bool oldExternalInhibited = externalInhibited();
+
+    m_externalInhibitions.insert(m_highestInhibitionCookie, {
         desktop_entry,
         applicationName,
         reason,
         hints
     });
 
     m_inhibitionServices.insert(m_highestInhibitionCookie, dbusService);
 
-    emit inhibitedChanged();
-    emit inhibitionAdded();
+    if (externalInhibited() != oldExternalInhibited) {
+        emit externalInhibitedChanged();
+    }
+    emit externalInhibitionsChanged();
 
     return m_highestInhibitionCookie;
 }
@@ -364,37 +368,48 @@
     }
 
     m_inhibitionWatcher->removeWatchedService(service);
-    m_inhibitions.remove(cookie);
+    m_externalInhibitions.remove(cookie);
     m_inhibitionServices.remove(cookie);
 
-    if (m_inhibitions.isEmpty()) {
-        emit inhibitedChanged();
-        emit inhibitionRemoved();
+    if (m_externalInhibitions.isEmpty()) {
+        emit externalInhibitedChanged();
     }
+    emit externalInhibitionsChanged();
 }
 
-QList<Inhibition> ServerPrivate::inhibitions() const
+QList<Inhibition> ServerPrivate::externalInhibitions() const
 {
-    return m_inhibitions.values();
+    return m_externalInhibitions.values();
 }
 
 bool ServerPrivate::inhibited() const
 {
-    // TODO this currently only returns whether an app has an inhibition going,
-    // there's no way for apps to query whether user enabled do not disturb from the applet
-    // so they could change their behavior.
-    return !m_inhibitions.isEmpty();
+    return m_inhibited;
+}
+
+void ServerPrivate::setInhibited(bool inhibited)
+{
+    if (m_inhibited != inhibited) {
+        m_inhibited = inhibited;
+        emit inhibitedChanged();
+    }
+}
+
+bool ServerPrivate::externalInhibited() const
+{
+    return !m_externalInhibitions.isEmpty();
 }
 
-void ServerPrivate::clearInhibitions()
+void ServerPrivate::clearExternalInhibitions()
 {
-    if (m_inhibitions.isEmpty()) {
+    if (m_externalInhibitions.isEmpty()) {
         return;
     }
 
     m_inhibitionWatcher->setWatchedServices(QStringList()); // remove all watches
     m_inhibitionServices.clear();
-    m_inhibitions.clear();
-    emit inhibitedChanged();
-    emit inhibitionRemoved();
+    m_externalInhibitions.clear();
+
+    emit externalInhibitedChanged();
+    emit externalInhibitionsChanged();
 }
diff --git a/libnotificationmanager/settings.cpp b/libnotificationmanager/settings.cpp
--- a/libnotificationmanager/settings.cpp
+++ b/libnotificationmanager/settings.cpp
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@
 
     setLive(true);
 
-    connect(&Server::self(), &Server::inhibitedChanged,
+    connect(&Server::self(), &Server::inhibitedByApplicationChanged,
             this, &Settings::notificationsInhibitedByApplicationChanged);
     connect(&Server::self(), &Server::inhibitionApplicationsChanged,
             this, &Settings::notificationInhibitionApplicationsChanged);
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@
 
 bool Settings::notificationsInhibitedByApplication() const
 {
-    return Server::self().inhibited();
+    return Server::self().inhibitedByApplication();
 }
 
 QStringList Settings::notificationInhibitionApplications() const