diff --git a/pb/src/client_container.proto b/pb/src/client_container.proto
index 31c0fcad4..aa9b7607c 100644
--- a/pb/src/client_container.proto
+++ b/pb/src/client_container.proto
@@ -278,7 +278,10 @@ message FriendUpdate {
 // route_to: user:[USER_ID]
 // let a user know they've been invited to a session
 message SessionInvitation {
-    optional string invitation = 1;
+    optional string sender_id = 1;
+    optional string session_id = 2;
+    optional string notification_id = 3;
+    optional string created_at = 4;
 }
 
 // route_to: client
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
index 05c244c9b..f9d794446 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/message_factory.rb
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@
       return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::TEST_SESSION_MESSAGE, :route_to => SESSION_TARGET_PREFIX + session_id, :test_session_message => test)
 		end
 
-    def session_invitation(receiver_id, invitation_id)
-      session_invitation = Jampb::SessionInvitation.new(:invitation => invitation_id)
+    def session_invitation(receiver_id, sender_id, session_id, notification_id, created_at)
+      session_invitation = Jampb::SessionInvitation.new(:sender_id => sender_id, :session_id => session_id, :notification_id => notification_id, :created_at => created_at)
       return Jampb::ClientMessage.new(:type => ClientMessage::Type::SESSION_INVITATION, :route_to => USER_TARGET_PREFIX + receiver_id, :session_invitation => session_invitation)
     end
 
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
index 0afc93ad5..9ecd6eca6 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/notification.rb
@@ -128,10 +128,12 @@ module JamRuby
           when NotificationTypes::MUSICIAN_SESSION_DEPART
             return "#{user.name} has left the session."
 
+          when NotificationTypes::SESSION_INVITATION
+            return "#{user.name} has invited you to a session."
+
           # when "social_media_friend_joined"
           # when "join_request_approved"
           # when "join_request_rejected"
-          # when "session_invitation"
           # when "band_invitation"
           # when "band_invitation_accepted"
           # when "recording_available"
@@ -199,17 +201,19 @@ module JamRuby
       end
 
       ################## SESSION INVITATION ##################
-      def send_session_invitation(receiver_id, invitation_id)
+      def send_session_invitation(receiver_id, sender_id, session_id)
 
         # (1) save to database
         notification = Notification.new
         notification.description = NotificationTypes::SESSION_INVITATION
+        notification.source_user_id = sender_id
         notification.target_user_id = receiver_id
+        notification.session_id = session_id
         notification.save
 
         # (2) create notification
-        msg = @@message_factory.session_invitation(receiver_id, invitation_id)
-        
+        msg = @@message_factory.session_invitation(receiver_id, sender_id, session_id, notification.id, notification.created_at.to_s)
+
         # (3) send notification
         @@mq_router.publish_to_user(receiver_id, msg)
       end
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
index 37f37ec4f..1a55aa9ad 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@
             });
         }
 
+        function getSession(id) {
+            var url = "/api/sessions/" + id;
+            return $.ajax({
+                type: "GET",
+                dataType: "json",
+                url: url,
+                async: false,
+                processData: false
+            });
+        }
 
         function getUserDetail(options) {
             var id = getId(options);
@@ -277,6 +287,7 @@
         this.getFilepickerPolicy = getFilepickerPolicy;
         this.getFriends = getFriends;
         this.updateSession = updateSession;
+        this.getSession = getSession;
         this.getClientDownloads = getClientDownloads
         this.createInvitation = createInvitation;
         this.postFeedback = postFeedback;
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/layout.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/layout.js
index e551d1d0f..a06338f7d 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/layout.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/layout.js
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@
         function setNotificationInfo(message, descriptor) {
             var $notify = $('[layout="notify"]');
             $('h2', $notify).text(message.title);
-            $('p', $notify).text(message.text);
+            $('p', $notify).html(message.text);
 
             if (message.icon_url) {
                 $('#avatar', $notify).attr('src', message.icon_url);
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
index b197a6342..8e7d6078a 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@
                                 text: "The session you attempted to join is over."
                             },
                             { no_cancel: true });
-                    }else {
+                    }
+                    else {
                         app.ajaxError(xhr, textStatus, errorMessage);
                     }
                 });
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
index 8e2628771..758235423 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sidebar.js
@@ -140,23 +140,31 @@
 
                 $('#sidebar-notification-list').append(notificationHtml);
 
+                // val.description contains the notification record's description value from the DB (i.e., type)
                 initializeActions(val, val.description);
             });
         }
 
-        function initializeActions(notification, type) {
+        function initializeActions(payload, type) {
             // wire up "x" button to delete notification
-            $('li[notification-id=' + notification.notification_id + ']').find('#img-delete-notification').click(deleteNotificationHandler);
+            $('li[notification-id=' + payload.notification_id + ']').find('#img-delete-notification').click(deleteNotificationHandler);
 
             if (type === context.JK.MessageType.FRIEND_REQUEST) {
-                var $action_btn = $('li[notification-id=' + notification.notification_id + ']').find('#btn-notification-action');
+                var $action_btn = $('li[notification-id=' + payload.notification_id + ']').find('#btn-notification-action');
                 $action_btn.text('ACCEPT');
                 $action_btn.click(function() {
-                    acceptFriendRequest({ "friend_request_id": notification.friend_request_id, "notification_id": notification.notification_id });
+                    acceptFriendRequest({ "friend_request_id": payload.friend_request_id, "notification_id": payload.notification_id });
                 });
             }
             else if (type === context.JK.MessageType.FRIEND_REQUEST_ACCEPTED) {
-                $('li[notification-id=' + notification.notification_id + ']').find('#div-actions').hide();
+                $('li[notification-id=' + payload.notification_id + ']').find('#div-actions').hide();
+            }
+            else if (type === context.JK.MessageType.SESSION_INVITATION) {
+                var $action_btn = $('li[notification-id=' + payload.notification_id + ']').find('#btn-notification-action');
+                $action_btn.text('JOIN');
+                $action_btn.click(function() {
+                    joinSession({ "session_id": payload.session_d, "notification_id": payload.notification_id });
+                });
             }
         }
 
@@ -300,7 +308,12 @@
 
         function decrementNotificationCount() {
             var count = parseInt($('#sidebar-notification-count').html());
-            $('#sidebar-notification-count').html(count - 1);
+            if (count === 0) {
+                $('#sidebar-notification-count').html(0);
+            }
+            else {
+                $('#sidebar-notification-count').html(count - 1);
+            }
         }
 
         function acceptFriendRequest(args) {
@@ -314,15 +327,35 @@
             }).error(app.ajaxError);
         }
 
+        function joinSession(args) {
+            logger.debug("Joining session " + args.session_id);
+            context.location = "#/session/" + args.session_id;
+        }
+
         // default handler for incoming notification
         function handleNotification(payload, type) {
-            // update notifications panel in sidebar
-            notifications[payload.notification_id] = {
-                "id": payload.notification_id,
-                "photo_url": payload.photo_url,
-                "formatted_msg": payload.msg,
-                "created_at": context.JK.formatDate(payload.created_at)
-            };
+            var sidebarText;
+            if (type === context.JK.MessageType.SESSION_INVITATION) {
+                sidebarText = "You have been invited to a session.";
+                // update notifications panel in sidebar
+                notifications[payload.notification_id] = {
+                    "id": payload.notification_id,
+                    "session_id": payload.session_id,
+                    "formatted_msg": sidebarText,
+                    "created_at": context.JK.formatDate(payload.created_at)
+                };
+            }
+            else {
+                sidebarText = payload.msg;
+
+                // update notifications panel in sidebar
+                notifications[payload.notification_id] = {
+                    "id": payload.notification_id,
+                    "photo_url": payload.photo_url,
+                    "formatted_msg": sidebarText,
+                    "created_at": context.JK.formatDate(payload.created_at)
+                };
+            }
 
             incrementNotificationCount();
 
@@ -330,7 +363,7 @@
             var notificationHtml = context.JK.fillTemplate(template, {
                 notificationId: payload.notification_id,
                 avatar_url: context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl(payload.photo_url),
-                text: payload.msg,
+                text: sidebarText,
                 date: context.JK.formatDate(payload.created_at)
             });
 
@@ -488,6 +521,40 @@
                   "icon_url": context.JK.resolveAvatarUrl(payload.photo_url)
                 });
             });
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+             // wire up SESSION_INVITATION handler
+            context.JK.JamServer.registerMessageCallback(context.JK.MessageType.SESSION_INVITATION, function(header, payload) {
+                logger.debug("Handling SESSION_INVITATION msg " + JSON.stringify(payload));
+
+                handleNotification(payload, header.type);
+
+                var participants = [];
+                rest.getSession(payload.session_id).done(function(response) {
+                    $.each(response.participants, function(index, val) {
+                        logger.debug(val.user.photo_url + "," + val.user.name);
+                        participants.push({"photo_url": val.user.photo_url, "name": val.user.name});
+                    });
+                }).error(app.ajaxError);
+
+                var participantHtml = "You have been invited to join a session with: <br/><br/>";
+
+                $.each(participants, function(index, val) {
+                     participantHtml += "<img class='avatar_large' src='" + val.photo_url + "' />&nbsp;" + val.name + "<br/>";
+                });
+
+                // display notification
+                app.notify({
+                    "title": "Session Invitation",
+                    "text": participantHtml
+                  },
+                  {
+                    "ok_text": "JOIN SESSION",
+                    "ok_callback": joinSession,
+                    "ok_callback_args": { "session_id": payload.session_id, "notification_id": payload.notification_id }
+                  }
+                );
+            });
             //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
             // watch for Invite More Users events
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/api_invitations_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/api_invitations_controller.rb
index 1e5a8c858..b9f030a67 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/api_invitations_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/api_invitations_controller.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class ApiInvitationsController < ApiController
       User.save_session_settings(current_user, music_session)
 
       # send notification
-      # Notification.send_session_invitation(receiver.id, @invitation.id)
+      Notification.send_session_invitation(receiver.id, current_user.id, music_session.id)
       respond_with @invitation, :responder => ApiResponder, :location => api_invitation_detail_url(@invitation)
 
     else