diff --git a/pkg/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/BUILD.bazel
index 42abcf12ce60..84e28cdbfa70 100644
--- a/pkg/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/BUILD.bazel
@@ -2045,6 +2045,7 @@ GO_TARGETS = [
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror:pgerror",
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror:pgerror_test",
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice:pgnotice",
+    "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification:pgnotification",
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase:pgwirebase",
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel:pgwirecancel",
     "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel:pgwirecancel_test",
diff --git a/pkg/sql/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/sql/BUILD.bazel
index 8163e1261259..1fba1e474526 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/sql/BUILD.bazel
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ go_library(
         "mvcc_statistics_update_job.go",
         "name_util.go",
         "notice.go",
+        "notification.go",
         "notify.go",
         "opaque.go",
         "opt_catalog.go",
@@ -461,6 +462,7 @@ go_library(
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgcode",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice",
+        "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel",
         "//pkg/sql/physicalplan",
diff --git a/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go b/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
index 8e07688619fa..167d6410fd7d 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/conn_executor.go
@@ -3823,6 +3823,7 @@ func (ex *connExecutor) initPlanner(ctx context.Context, p *planner) {
 
 	p.sessionDataMutatorIterator = ex.dataMutatorIterator
 	p.noticeSender = nil
+	p.notificationSender = nil
 	p.preparedStatements = ex.getPrepStmtsAccessor()
 	p.sqlCursors = ex.getCursorAccessor()
 	p.storedProcTxnState = ex.getStoredProcTxnStateAccessor()
diff --git a/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go b/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
index 7f92e6e55d7f..498d811bba1a 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/conn_executor_exec.go
@@ -479,6 +479,7 @@ func (ex *connExecutor) execStmtInOpenState(
 	ex.resetPlanner(ctx, p, ex.state.mu.txn, stmtTS)
 	p.sessionDataMutatorIterator.paramStatusUpdater = res
 	p.noticeSender = res
+	p.notificationSender = ex.clientComm
 	ih := &p.instrumentation
 
 	if ex.executorType != executorTypeInternal {
diff --git a/pkg/sql/conn_io.go b/pkg/sql/conn_io.go
index 44c7dafa891e..b313a2b7ddec 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/conn_io.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/conn_io.go
@@ -763,6 +763,9 @@ type ClientComm interface {
 	// CreateDrainResult creates a result for a Drain command.
 	CreateDrainResult(pos CmdPos) DrainResult
 
+	// is this good? probably not...
+	notificationSender
+
 	// LockCommunication ensures that no further results are delivered to the
 	// client. The returned ClientLock can be queried to see what results have
 	// been already delivered to the client and to discard results that haven't
diff --git a/pkg/sql/internal.go b/pkg/sql/internal.go
index f59d40f25356..24bf5d166fff 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/internal.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/internal.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/isql"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/parser"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/parser/statements"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/regions"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/catconstants"
@@ -1695,6 +1696,11 @@ func (icc *internalClientComm) CreateDrainResult(pos CmdPos) DrainResult {
 	panic("unimplemented")
 }
 
+// BufferNotification is part of the ClientComm interface.
+func (icc *internalClientComm) BufferNotification(pgnotification.Notification) error {
+	panic("unimplemented")
+}
+
 // Close is part of the ClientLock interface.
 func (icc *internalClientComm) Close() {}
 
diff --git a/pkg/sql/listen.go b/pkg/sql/listen.go
index 03b958be767b..5b2bac475789 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/listen.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/listen.go
@@ -13,17 +13,14 @@ package sql
 import (
 	"context"
 
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/errorutil/unimplemented"
 )
 
 func (p *planner) Listen(ctx context.Context, n *tree.Listen) (planNode, error) {
-	p.BufferClientNotice(ctx,
-		pgerror.WithSeverity(
-			unimplemented.NewWithIssuef(41522, "CRDB does not support LISTEN"),
-			"ERROR",
-		),
-	)
-	return newZeroNode(nil /* columns */), nil
+	// TODO: run an EXPERIMENTAL CREATE CHANGEFEED plan/stmt basically with a different sort of sink that hooks up to this guy
+
+	// Dummy implementation.
+	dummyNotificationListens[n.ChannelName.String()] = struct{}{}
+
+	return newZeroNode(nil), nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/sql/notification.go b/pkg/sql/notification.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..58434b1f9469
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sql/notification.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+// included in the file licenses/BSL.txt.
+//
+// As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+// the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+// by the Apache License, Version 2.0, included in the file
+// licenses/APL.txt.
+
+package sql
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/settings"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log"
+)
+
+// Notifications is the cluster setting that allows users
+// to enable notifications.
+var Notifications = settings.RegisterBoolSetting(
+	settings.ApplicationLevel,
+	"sql.notifications.enabled",
+	"enable notifications in the server/client protocol being sent",
+	true,
+	settings.WithPublic)
+
+type notificationSender interface {
+	// BufferNotification buffers the given notification to be flushed to the
+	// client before the connection is closed.
+	BufferNotification(pgnotification.Notification) error
+}
+
+// BufferClientNotice implements the eval.ClientNotificationSender interface.
+func (p *planner) BufferClientNotification(ctx context.Context, notification pgnotification.Notification) {
+	if log.V(2) {
+		log.Infof(ctx, "buffered notification: %+v", notification)
+	}
+	if !Notifications.Get(&p.ExecCfg().Settings.SV) {
+		return
+	}
+	if err := p.notificationSender.BufferNotification(notification); err != nil {
+		// This is just an artifact of the dummy impl, probably.
+		log.Errorf(ctx, "buffering notification: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/notify.go b/pkg/sql/notify.go
index d3f10934e0b8..5d1e93d6bed4 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/notify.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/notify.go
@@ -12,18 +12,24 @@ package sql
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/errorutil/unimplemented"
 )
 
+var dummyNotificationListens = make(map[string]struct{})
+
 func (p *planner) Notify(ctx context.Context, n *tree.Notify) (planNode, error) {
-	p.BufferClientNotice(ctx,
-		pgerror.WithSeverity(
-			unimplemented.NewWithIssuef(41522, "CRDB does not support LISTEN"),
-			"ERROR",
-		),
-	)
-	return newZeroNode(nil /* columns */), nil
+	// This is a dummy implementation.
+	if _, ok := dummyNotificationListens[n.ChannelName.String()]; !ok {
+		return newZeroNode(nil), nil
+	}
+	p.BufferClientNotification(ctx, pgnotification.Notification{
+		Channel: n.ChannelName.String(),
+		Payload: n.Payload.String(),
+		PID:     int32(os.Getpid()),
+	})
+
+	return newZeroNode(nil), nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/sql/pgwire/BUILD.bazel
index 2208f9985320..c115af7670f7 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/pgwire/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/BUILD.bazel
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ go_library(
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgcode",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice",
+        "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel",
         "//pkg/sql/sem/catconstants",
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/conn.go b/pkg/sql/pgwire/conn.go
index 158cc72beb72..b4e878579bd8 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/pgwire/conn.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/conn.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgcode"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
@@ -270,6 +271,26 @@ func (c *conn) bufferNotice(ctx context.Context, noticeErr pgnotice.Notice) erro
 	return c.writeErrFields(ctx, noticeErr, &c.writerState.buf)
 }
 
+// TODO: only send at end of txn, if we're in one. what level do we do this at?
+// TODO: synchronize with command execution results writing with `bufferRows`. Currently this is just racey.
+func (c *conn) BufferNotification(notif pgnotification.Notification) error {
+	c.msgBuilder.initMsg(pgwirebase.ServerMsgNotificationResponse)
+	c.msgBuilder.putInt32(notif.PID)
+	c.msgBuilder.writeTerminatedString(notif.Channel)
+	c.msgBuilder.writeTerminatedString(notif.Payload)
+	if err := c.msgBuilder.finishMsg(&c.writerState.buf); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Flush immediately. TODO: is this right?
+	_, err := c.writerState.buf.WriteTo(c.conn)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.setErr(err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (c *conn) sendInitialConnData(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	sqlServer *sql.Server,
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9bfa3e7751ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "pgnotification",
+    srcs = ["pgnotification.go"],
+    importpath = "github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/pgnotification.go b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/pgnotification.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..928bc7ddfc73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification/pgnotification.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+// included in the file licenses/BSL.txt.
+//
+// As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+// the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+// by the Apache License, Version 2.0, included in the file
+// licenses/APL.txt.
+
+package pgnotification
+
+type Notification struct {
+	Channel string
+	Payload string
+	PID     int32
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase/msg.go b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase/msg.go
index 8e4b5156c915..89b912871566 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase/msg.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirebase/msg.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ const (
 	ServerMsgEmptyQuery           ServerMessageType = 'I'
 	ServerMsgErrorResponse        ServerMessageType = 'E'
 	ServerMsgNoticeResponse       ServerMessageType = 'N'
+	ServerMsgNotificationResponse ServerMessageType = 'A'
 	ServerMsgNoData               ServerMessageType = 'n'
 	ServerMsgParameterDescription ServerMessageType = 't'
 	ServerMsgParameterStatus      ServerMessageType = 'S'
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/server.go b/pkg/sql/pgwire/server.go
index 5a37edb09844..1c1c3c8de7a2 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/pgwire/server.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/server.go
@@ -1043,6 +1043,25 @@ func (s *Server) serveImpl(
 				sessionID,
 			)
 		}()
+
+		// don't think we can do it like this because the conn is not thread safe and it's owned by the above goroutine. so do stuff in there
+
+		// // Spawn the notification listening (NOTIFY/LISTEN) goroutine, which
+		// // listens for notifications and sends them to the client.
+		// procWg.Add(1)
+		// go func() {
+		// 	defer procWg.Done()
+		// 	c.handleNotifications(
+		// 		ctx,
+		// 		authOpt,
+		// 		authPipe,
+		// 		sqlServer,
+		// 		reserved,
+		// 		onDefaultIntSizeChange,
+		// 		sessionID,
+		// 	)
+		// }()
+
 	} else {
 		// sqlServer == nil means we are in a local test. In this case
 		// we only need the minimum to make pgx happy.
diff --git a/pkg/sql/planner.go b/pkg/sql/planner.go
index bc06b9445ff4..7b70f57217ad 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/planner.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/planner.go
@@ -273,6 +273,10 @@ type planner struct {
 	// Do not use this object directly; use the BufferClientNotice() method
 	// instead.
 	noticeSender noticeSender
+	// ditto? idk.
+	// hooked up to the client comm. this is like a sink.
+	// TODO: this has to be thread safe wrt the conn and statements executing on it.
+	notificationSender notificationSender
 
 	queryCacheSession querycache.Session
 
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sem/eval/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/sql/sem/eval/BUILD.bazel
index 6e3a3e1071bf..483808041220 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sem/eval/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/sql/sem/eval/BUILD.bazel
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ go_library(
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgcode",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice",
+        "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification",
         "//pkg/sql/pgwire/pgwirecancel",
         "//pkg/sql/privilege",
         "//pkg/sql/sem/builtins/builtinsregistry",
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sem/eval/deps.go b/pkg/sql/sem/eval/deps.go
index 3bb02a8348b7..25c7959d0cc4 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sem/eval/deps.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sem/eval/deps.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/security/username"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/catalog/descpb"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotice"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgnotification"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/privilege"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/catid"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
@@ -565,6 +566,10 @@ type ClientNoticeSender interface {
 	SendClientNotice(ctx context.Context, notice pgnotice.Notice) error
 }
 
+type ClientNotificationSender interface {
+	BufferClientNotification(ctx context.Context, notification pgnotification.Notification)
+}
+
 // DeferredRoutineSender allows a nested routine to send the information needed
 // for its own evaluation to a parent routine. This is used to defer execution
 // for tail-call optimization. It can only be used during local execution.
diff --git a/pkg/sql/unlisten.go b/pkg/sql/unlisten.go
index 997733025792..eafa04b45d29 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/unlisten.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/unlisten.go
@@ -13,17 +13,10 @@ package sql
 import (
 	"context"
 
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/pgwire/pgerror"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/sql/sem/tree"
-	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/errorutil/unimplemented"
 )
 
 func (p *planner) Unlisten(ctx context.Context, n *tree.Unlisten) (planNode, error) {
-	p.BufferClientNotice(ctx,
-		pgerror.WithSeverity(
-			unimplemented.NewWithIssuef(41522, "CRDB does not support LISTEN, making UNLISTEN a no-op"),
-			"NOTICE",
-		),
-	)
+	delete(dummyNotificationListens, n.ChannelName.String())
 	return newZeroNode(nil /* columns */), nil
 }