diff --git a/plugin/load_notify_test.go b/plugin/load_notify_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c691d540
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/load_notify_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+package plugin
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestLoadPluginErrorQueuesErrorNotification(t *testing.T) {
+	setTestHome(t)
+
+	m := newTestManager()
+	defer m.Close()
+
+	bad := writePlugin(t, t.TempDir(), "broken.lua", `this is not valid lua !!!`)
+	m.loadPlugin("broken", bad)
+
+	n, ok := m.TakePendingNotification()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected a pending notification for load error")
+	}
+	if n.Kind != NotifyKindError {
+		t.Fatalf("expected kind %q, got %q", NotifyKindError, n.Kind)
+	}
+	if n.Title != "Plugin load error" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected title %q, got %q", "Plugin load error", n.Title)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(n.Message, "broken") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected message to contain plugin name, got %q", n.Message)
+	}
+	if !n.Closable {
+		t.Fatal("expected closable true so user can dismiss")
+	}
+	if n.Duration <= 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected positive duration, got %f", n.Duration)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadPluginMultipleErrorsAreQueuedAndDrained(t *testing.T) {
+	setTestHome(t)
+
+	m := newTestManager()
+	defer m.Close()
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	m.loadPlugin("first", writePlugin(t, dir, "first.lua", `!!! bad`))
+	m.loadPlugin("second", writePlugin(t, dir, "second.lua", `!!! also bad`))
+
+	// Plugins should NOT be registered when they fail to load.
+	if len(m.Plugins()) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no plugins registered, got %d", len(m.Plugins()))
+	}
+
+	// Drain the first notification.
+	n1, ok := m.TakePendingNotification()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected first queued notification")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(n1.Message, "first") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected first message to mention first plugin, got %q", n1.Message)
+	}
+
+	// Drain the second notification.
+	n2, ok := m.TakePendingNotification()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected second queued notification")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(n2.Message, "second") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected second message to mention second plugin, got %q", n2.Message)
+	}
+
+	// Queue should now be empty.
+	if _, ok := m.TakePendingNotification(); ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected no more notifications after draining queue")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadNotificationRespectsExistingPendingNotification(t *testing.T) {
+	setTestHome(t)
+
+	m := newTestManager()
+	defer m.Close()
+
+	// Simulate a plugin-set notification occupying the single slot.
+	m.pendingNotification = &PendingNotification{Message: "plugin said hi", Kind: NotifyKindInfo}
+
+	m.loadPlugin("broken", writePlugin(t, t.TempDir(), "broken.lua", `!!! bad`))
+
+	// The pre-existing notification should be returned first, not the load error.
+	n, ok := m.TakePendingNotification()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected pending notification")
+	}
+	if n.Message != "plugin said hi" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected pre-existing notification first, got %q", n.Message)
+	}
+
+	// Now the load error should be drained from the queue.
+	n2, ok := m.TakePendingNotification()
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected load error notification after pre-existing one")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(n2.Message, "broken") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected load error message, got %q", n2.Message)
+	}
+	if n2.Kind != NotifyKindError {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error kind, got %q", n2.Kind)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSuccessfulLoadDoesNotQueueNotification(t *testing.T) {
+	setTestHome(t)
+
+	m := newTestManager()
+	defer m.Close()
+
+	good := writePlugin(t, t.TempDir(), "good.lua", `
+		local matcha = require("matcha")
+	`)
+	m.loadPlugin("good", good)
+
+	if _, ok := m.TakePendingNotification(); ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected no notification for successful load")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugin/plugin.go b/plugin/plugin.go
index 37dba1ea..46f7de33 100644
--- a/plugin/plugin.go
+++ b/plugin/plugin.go
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package plugin
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/floatpane/matcha/internal/loglevel"
 	lua "github.com/yuin/gopher-lua"
 )
 
@@ -45,6 +47,11 @@ type Manager struct {
 	statuses map[string]string
 	// pendingNotification is set by matcha.notify() and consumed by the orchestrator.
 	pendingNotification *PendingNotification
+	// pendingLoadNotifications holds plugin load errors queued for display.
+	// They are drained one-at-a-time into pendingNotification by the
+	// orchestrator so that multiple failed plugins don't get lost when the
+	// single-slot pendingNotification is already occupied.
+	pendingLoadNotifications []*PendingNotification
 	// pendingFields holds compose field updates set by matcha.set_compose_field().
 	pendingFields map[string]string
 	// bindings holds plugin-registered keyboard shortcuts.
@@ -143,10 +150,11 @@ func (m *Manager) loadPlugin(name, path string) {
 
 	if err := m.state.DoFile(path); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("plugin %q: load error: %v", name, err)
+		m.queueLoadNotification(name, err)
 		return
 	}
 	m.plugins = append(m.plugins, name)
-	log.Printf("plugin %q: loaded", name)
+	loglevel.Verbosef("plugin %q: loaded", name)
 }
 
 // Plugins returns the names of all loaded plugins.
@@ -176,6 +184,10 @@ type PendingNotification struct {
 
 // TakePendingNotification returns and clears any pending notification.
 func (m *Manager) TakePendingNotification() (*PendingNotification, bool) {
+	if m.pendingNotification == nil && len(m.pendingLoadNotifications) > 0 {
+		m.pendingNotification = m.pendingLoadNotifications[0]
+		m.pendingLoadNotifications = m.pendingLoadNotifications[1:]
+	}
 	if m.pendingNotification == nil {
 		return nil, false
 	}
@@ -184,6 +196,20 @@ func (m *Manager) TakePendingNotification() (*PendingNotification, bool) {
 	return n, true
 }
 
+// queueLoadNotification records a plugin load error as a non-blocking
+// notification so the orchestrator can surface it in the UI via the
+// bubble-overlay notification system. Multiple failures are queued and
+// drained one-at-a-time by TakePendingNotification.
+func (m *Manager) queueLoadNotification(name string, err error) {
+	m.pendingLoadNotifications = append(m.pendingLoadNotifications, &PendingNotification{
+		Title:    "Plugin load error",
+		Message:  fmt.Sprintf("%s: %v", name, err),
+		Duration: 6,
+		Kind:     NotifyKindError,
+		Closable: true,
+	})
+}
+
 // TakePendingFields returns and clears any pending compose field updates.
 func (m *Manager) TakePendingFields() map[string]string {
 	if len(m.pendingFields) == 0 {