diff --git a/nodes_shard.go b/nodes_shard.go
index 5fec8b0..d1eb642 100644
--- a/nodes_shard.go
+++ b/nodes_shard.go
@@ -91,6 +91,23 @@ func (m *nodeMap) Snapshot(nodeID uint32) (addr *net.UDPAddr, ok bool) {
 	return n.addr, true
 }
 
+// claimNotify returns the node's address for a notify and records the
+// time, unless one was sent to it within minGap (throttled).
+func (m *nodeMap) claimNotify(nodeID uint32, now time.Time, minGap time.Duration) (addr *net.UDPAddr, ok, throttled bool) {
+	s := m.shardFor(nodeID)
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	n, exists := s.nodes[nodeID]
+	if !exists {
+		return nil, false, false
+	}
+	if !n.lastNotify.IsZero() && now.Sub(n.lastNotify) < minGap {
+		return n.addr, true, true
+	}
+	n.lastNotify = now
+	return n.addr, true, false
+}
+
 // Has reports whether the node is locally registered.
 func (m *nodeMap) Has(nodeID uint32) bool {
 	s := m.shardFor(nodeID)
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 5212b67..708dd95 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import (
 type beaconNode struct {
 	addr     *net.UDPAddr
 	lastSeen time.Time
+	// lastNotify is when NotifyNode last sent this node a MsgNotify.
+	lastNotify time.Time
 }
 
 // relayJob is a pre-parsed relay packet dispatched to a worker.
@@ -1306,6 +1308,44 @@ func (s *Server) SendPunchCommand(nodeID uint32, targetIP net.IP, targetPort uin
 	return err
 }
 
+// MsgNotify is a beacon → node message, [0x0A][kind(1)], telling the node
+// that the registry is holding something for it. It carries no node ID,
+// address or payload, so it discloses nothing to the node or to anyone
+// watching the path; the node reacts by polling the registry over its own
+// authenticated connection. Daemons that predate it drop it as an unknown
+// beacon message. (The other beacon message types live in common/protocol;
+// this one should move there. Must match the daemon's beaconMsgNotify.)
+const MsgNotify byte = 0x0A
+
+// NotifyKindHandshake is the MsgNotify kind for a relayed trust-handshake
+// request or answer waiting at the registry.
+const NotifyKindHandshake byte = 0x01
+
+// notifyMinInterval is the least time between two notifies to one node.
+// A notify only asks the node to poll, and a poll collects everything that
+// is waiting, so more often than this buys nothing.
+const notifyMinInterval = time.Second
+
+// NotifyNode tells a node that the registry holds a relayed handshake for
+// it. Best effort: the node may not be registered with this beacon, may be
+// on the compat (WSS) transport, or may predate MsgNotify — it then finds
+// the handshake on its next poll, as before. A notify within
+// notifyMinInterval of the previous one to the same node is skipped (nil).
+func (s *Server) NotifyNode(nodeID uint32) error {
+	if s.conn == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("beacon: not listening")
+	}
+	nodeAddr, ok, throttled := s.nodes.claimNotify(nodeID, time.Now(), notifyMinInterval)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("node %d: %w", nodeID, protocol.ErrNodeNotFound)
+	}
+	if throttled {
+		return nil
+	}
+	_, err := s.conn.WriteToUDP([]byte{MsgNotify, NotifyKindHandshake}, nodeAddr)
+	return err
+}
+
 // --- Reap ---
 
 // reapLoop periodically removes stale node entries that haven't sent a
diff --git a/zz_notify_node_test.go b/zz_notify_node_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..593a061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zz_notify_node_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+package beacon
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/pilot-protocol/common/protocol"
+)
+
+// TestNotifyNode: a registered node receives the two-byte notify — nothing
+// else — at most once per notifyMinInterval; an unknown node is an error.
+func TestNotifyNode(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	s := New()
+	go s.ListenAndServe("127.0.0.1:0")
+	<-s.Ready()
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	if err := s.NotifyNode(99999); !errors.Is(err, protocol.ErrNodeNotFound) {
+		t.Fatalf("unknown node: err = %v, want ErrNodeNotFound", err)
+	}
+
+	node, err := net.ListenUDP("udp", &net.UDPAddr{IP: net.IPv4(127, 0, 0, 1)})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer node.Close()
+	s.nodes.Upsert(7, node.LocalAddr().(*net.UDPAddr), time.Now(), maxBeaconNodes)
+
+	for i := 0; i < 20; i++ {
+		if err := s.NotifyNode(7); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("NotifyNode: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	buf := make([]byte, 64)
+	_ = node.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second))
+	n, _, err := node.ReadFromUDP(buf)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("no notify received: %v", err)
+	}
+	if n != 2 || buf[0] != MsgNotify || buf[1] != NotifyKindHandshake {
+		t.Fatalf("notify = %x, want [%02x %02x]", buf[:n], MsgNotify, NotifyKindHandshake)
+	}
+	_ = node.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(300 * time.Millisecond))
+	if n, _, err := node.ReadFromUDP(buf); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("a second notify (%x) arrived within %s of the first", buf[:n], notifyMinInterval)
+	}
+
+	// After the interval the next one goes out.
+	s.nodes.shardFor(7).nodes[7].lastNotify = time.Now().Add(-notifyMinInterval)
+	if err := s.NotifyNode(7); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NotifyNode: %v", err)
+	}
+	_ = node.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second))
+	if _, _, err := node.ReadFromUDP(buf); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("no notify after the interval: %v", err)
+	}
+}