diff --git a/lua/preview/compiler.lua b/lua/preview/compiler.lua
index 5480d57..41eacf5 100644
--- a/lua/preview/compiler.lua
+++ b/lua/preview/compiler.lua
@@ -329,6 +329,9 @@ function M.compile(bufnr, name, provider, ctx, opts)
     s.provider = name
     s.is_reload = true
 
+    if not opts.silent then
+      vim.notify('[preview.nvim]: compiling...', vim.log.levels.INFO)
+    end
     vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds('User', {
       pattern = 'PreviewCompileStarted',
       data = { bufnr = bufnr, provider = name },
@@ -360,6 +363,7 @@ function M.compile(bufnr, name, provider, ctx, opts)
       end
       if result.code == 0 then
         log.dbg('compilation succeeded for buffer %d', bufnr)
+        vim.notify('[preview.nvim]: compilation complete', vim.log.levels.INFO)
         clear_errors(bufnr, provider)
         vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds('User', {
           pattern = 'PreviewCompileSuccess',
@@ -403,6 +407,9 @@ function M.compile(bufnr, name, provider, ctx, opts)
   s.provider = name
   s.is_reload = false
 
+  if not opts.silent then
+    vim.notify('[preview.nvim]: compiling...', vim.log.levels.INFO)
+  end
   vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds('User', {
     pattern = 'PreviewCompileStarted',
     data = { bufnr = bufnr, provider = name },
@@ -512,8 +519,8 @@ function M.toggle(bufnr, name, provider, ctx_builder)
     log.dbg('watching buffer %d with provider "%s"', bufnr, name)
   end
 
-  vim.notify('[preview.nvim]: watching with "' .. name .. '"', vim.log.levels.INFO)
-  M.compile(bufnr, name, provider, ctx_builder(bufnr))
+  vim.notify('[preview.nvim]: compiling with "' .. name .. '"...', vim.log.levels.INFO)
+  M.compile(bufnr, name, provider, ctx_builder(bufnr), { silent = true })
 end
 
 ---@param bufnr integer
diff --git a/spec/compiler_spec.lua b/spec/compiler_spec.lua
index 5b12cfb..b1fe0ee 100644
--- a/spec/compiler_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/compiler_spec.lua
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ describe('compiler', function()
         end,
       })
 
+      local notified = false
+      local orig = vim.notify
+      vim.notify = function(msg)
+        if msg:find('compiling') then
+          notified = true
+        end
+      end
+
       local provider = { cmd = { 'echo', 'ok' } }
       local ctx = {
         bufnr = bufnr,
@@ -64,7 +72,9 @@ describe('compiler', function()
       }
 
       compiler.compile(bufnr, 'echo', provider, ctx)
+      vim.notify = orig
       assert.is_true(fired)
+      assert.is_true(notified)
 
       vim.wait(2000, function()
         return process_done(bufnr)