diff --git a/cmd/backrest/backrest.go b/cmd/backrest/backrest.go
index dd78c07f..dd595129 100644
--- a/cmd/backrest/backrest.go
+++ b/cmd/backrest/backrest.go
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ var (
 	commit  = "unknown"
 )
 
+// onOpLogReady, when set, is invoked with the OpLog once it is constructed.
+// The tray build (-tags tray) uses it to drive a status-reflecting menu bar
+// icon. It stays nil in non-tray builds, so this adds no behavior there.
+var onOpLogReady func(*oplog.OpLog)
+
 func runApp() {
 	flag.Parse()
 	if *printVersion {
@@ -86,6 +91,13 @@ func runApp() {
 	}
 	defer opLogStore.Close()
 
+	// onOpLogReady lets the system tray (when built with -tags tray) observe
+	// operation status in-process to reflect backup state in its icon. It is
+	// nil in non-tray builds.
+	if onOpLogReady != nil {
+		onOpLogReady(opLog)
+	}
+
 	logStore, unsubscribeLogStore, err := newLogStore(opLog)
 	if err != nil {
 		zap.L().Fatal("error creating log store", zap.Error(err))
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_error.ico b/cmd/backrest/icon_error.ico
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4685929d
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_error.ico differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_error.png b/cmd/backrest/icon_error.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3bc3f4b1
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_error.png differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.ico b/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.ico
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c74a7f57
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.ico differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.png b/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c046aaa
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_ok.png differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.ico b/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.ico
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..558269e8
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.ico differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.png b/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e226c3c9
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_syncing.png differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_unix.go b/cmd/backrest/icon_unix.go
index 112fc315..01d77484 100644
--- a/cmd/backrest/icon_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/backrest/icon_unix.go
@@ -6,3 +6,31 @@ import _ "embed"
 
 //go:embed icon.png
 var icon []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_ok.png
+var iconOK []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_syncing.png
+var iconSyncing []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_warning.png
+var iconWarning []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_error.png
+var iconError []byte
+
+// statusIcon returns the tray icon for the given backup state.
+func statusIcon(s trayState) []byte {
+	switch s {
+	case stateRunning:
+		return iconSyncing
+	case stateOK:
+		return iconOK
+	case stateWarning:
+		return iconWarning
+	case stateError:
+		return iconError
+	default:
+		return icon
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.ico b/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.ico
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bca69242
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.ico differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.png b/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..40ccdcae
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/backrest/icon_warning.png differ
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/icon_windows.go b/cmd/backrest/icon_windows.go
index 36022c04..86a97d4e 100644
--- a/cmd/backrest/icon_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/backrest/icon_windows.go
@@ -6,3 +6,31 @@ import _ "embed"
 
 //go:embed icon.ico
 var icon []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_ok.ico
+var iconOK []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_syncing.ico
+var iconSyncing []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_warning.ico
+var iconWarning []byte
+
+//go:embed icon_error.ico
+var iconError []byte
+
+// statusIcon returns the tray icon for the given backup state.
+func statusIcon(s trayState) []byte {
+	switch s {
+	case stateRunning:
+		return iconSyncing
+	case stateOK:
+		return iconOK
+	case stateWarning:
+		return iconWarning
+	case stateError:
+		return iconError
+	default:
+		return icon
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/tray.go b/cmd/backrest/tray.go
index bc357007..2b51d806 100644
--- a/cmd/backrest/tray.go
+++ b/cmd/backrest/tray.go
@@ -13,11 +13,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 func startTray() {
+	status := newTrayStatus()
+	// Observe oplog status in-process so the icon can reflect backup state.
+	onOpLogReady = status.attach
 	go runApp()
-	systray.Run(onReady, func() {})
+	systray.Run(func() { onReady(status) }, func() {})
 }
 
-func onReady() {
+func onReady(status *trayStatus) {
 	systray.SetTooltip("Backrest")
 	systray.SetIcon(icon)
 
@@ -25,6 +28,9 @@ func onReady() {
 	mOpenLog := systray.AddMenuItem("Open Log Dir", "Open the Backrest log directory")
 	mQuit := systray.AddMenuItem("Quit", "Kills the backrest process and exits the tray app")
 
+	// Now that the tray is live, reflect the current backup status.
+	status.markReady()
+
 	go func() {
 		for {
 			select {
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/tray_status.go b/cmd/backrest/tray_status.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3d49d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/backrest/tray_status.go
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+//go:build tray
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
+
+	"fyne.io/systray"
+	v1 "github.com/garethgeorge/backrest/gen/go/v1"
+	"github.com/garethgeorge/backrest/internal/oplog"
+)
+
+// trayState is the overall backup state reflected by the tray icon.
+type trayState int
+
+const (
+	stateIdle    trayState = iota // no backups recorded yet
+	stateRunning                  // a backup is currently in progress
+	stateOK                       // most recent backup succeeded
+	stateWarning                  // most recent backup completed with warnings
+	stateError                    // most recent backup failed
+)
+
+// errStopQuery short-circuits an oplog query once the wanted op is found.
+var errStopQuery = errors.New("stop")
+
+// trayStatus tracks backup state from the oplog and updates the tray icon and
+// tooltip to match (addresses #894). Updates are coalesced so a burst of
+// progress events triggers at most one recompute per window.
+type trayStatus struct {
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	log     *oplog.OpLog
+	cur     trayState
+	tooltip string
+	ready   atomic.Bool
+	pending atomic.Bool
+}
+
+func newTrayStatus() *trayStatus {
+	return &trayStatus{cur: stateIdle, tooltip: "Backrest"}
+}
+
+// attach is invoked via the onOpLogReady hook once the oplog exists. It seeds
+// the initial state and subscribes for subsequent changes.
+func (t *trayStatus) attach(log *oplog.OpLog) {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	t.log = log
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+
+	sub := oplog.Subscription(func(_ []*v1.Operation, _ oplog.OperationEvent) {
+		t.scheduleRefresh()
+	})
+	log.Subscribe(oplog.Query{}, &sub)
+	t.doRefresh()
+}
+
+// markReady is called once the systray is live so icon/tooltip writes land.
+func (t *trayStatus) markReady() {
+	t.ready.Store(true)
+	t.apply()
+}
+
+// scheduleRefresh coalesces a burst of oplog events into one recompute.
+func (t *trayStatus) scheduleRefresh() {
+	if t.pending.Swap(true) {
+		return
+	}
+	go func() {
+		time.Sleep(750 * time.Millisecond)
+		t.pending.Store(false)
+		t.doRefresh()
+	}()
+}
+
+func (t *trayStatus) doRefresh() {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	log := t.log
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+	if log == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	state := stateIdle
+	tooltip := "Backrest — no backups yet"
+	running := false
+	var last *v1.Operation
+
+	// Reversed = newest first. Skip non-backup ops; a running backup flips the
+	// state, otherwise the first completed backup is the most recent result.
+	_ = log.Query(oplog.Query{Reversed: true}, func(op *v1.Operation) error {
+		// Only backup operations drive the headline status. Match on the oneof
+		// type rather than GetOperationBackup(), which is nil when the inner
+		// message is unset on an otherwise-backup op.
+		if _, ok := op.GetOp().(*v1.Operation_OperationBackup); !ok {
+			return nil
+		}
+		switch op.GetStatus() {
+		case v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_INPROGRESS, v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_PENDING:
+			running = true
+			return nil
+		default:
+			last = op
+			return errStopQuery
+		}
+	})
+
+	switch {
+	case running:
+		state = stateRunning
+		tooltip = "Backrest — backup in progress…"
+	case last != nil:
+		when := relativeTime(last.GetUnixTimeEndMs())
+		switch last.GetStatus() {
+		case v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_SUCCESS:
+			state, tooltip = stateOK, "Backrest — last backup succeeded "+when
+		case v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_WARNING:
+			state, tooltip = stateWarning, "Backrest — last backup finished with warnings "+when
+		case v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_ERROR, v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_SYSTEM_CANCELLED:
+			state, tooltip = stateError, "Backrest — last backup failed "+when
+		case v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_USER_CANCELLED:
+			state, tooltip = stateIdle, "Backrest — last backup was cancelled "+when
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	changed := state != t.cur || tooltip != t.tooltip
+	t.cur, t.tooltip = state, tooltip
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+	if changed {
+		t.apply()
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *trayStatus) apply() {
+	if !t.ready.Load() {
+		return
+	}
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	state, tooltip := t.cur, t.tooltip
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if ic := statusIcon(state); ic != nil {
+		systray.SetIcon(ic)
+	}
+	systray.SetTooltip(tooltip)
+}
+
+func relativeTime(unixMs int64) string {
+	if unixMs == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	d := time.Since(time.UnixMilli(unixMs))
+	switch {
+	case d < time.Minute:
+		return "just now"
+	case d < time.Hour:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%dm ago", int(d.Minutes()))
+	case d < 24*time.Hour:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%dh ago", int(d.Hours()))
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%dd ago", int(d.Hours()/24))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/backrest/tray_status_test.go b/cmd/backrest/tray_status_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..29f4aab5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/backrest/tray_status_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+//go:build tray
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	v1 "github.com/garethgeorge/backrest/gen/go/v1"
+	"github.com/garethgeorge/backrest/internal/oplog"
+	"github.com/garethgeorge/backrest/internal/oplog/memstore"
+)
+
+func newTestOpLog(t *testing.T) *oplog.OpLog {
+	t.Helper()
+	log, err := oplog.NewOpLog(memstore.NewMemStore())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewOpLog: %v", err)
+	}
+	return log
+}
+
+var opStartTime int64 = 1_000
+
+func backupOp(status v1.OperationStatus) *v1.Operation {
+	opStartTime += 1_000
+	return &v1.Operation{
+		InstanceId:      "test-instance",
+		RepoId:          "test-repo",
+		RepoGuid:        "test-repo",
+		PlanId:          "test-plan",
+		UnixTimeStartMs: opStartTime,
+		UnixTimeEndMs:   opStartTime + 500,
+		Status:          status,
+		Op:              &v1.Operation_OperationBackup{OperationBackup: &v1.OperationBackup{}},
+	}
+}
+
+func nonBackupOp(status v1.OperationStatus) *v1.Operation {
+	opStartTime += 1_000
+	return &v1.Operation{
+		InstanceId:      "test-instance",
+		RepoId:          "test-repo",
+		RepoGuid:        "test-repo",
+		PlanId:          "test-plan",
+		UnixTimeStartMs: opStartTime,
+		UnixTimeEndMs:   opStartTime + 500,
+		Status:          status,
+		Op:              &v1.Operation_OperationForget{OperationForget: &v1.OperationForget{}},
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTrayStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	log := newTestOpLog(t)
+	ts := newTrayStatus()
+	ts.attach(log)
+
+	// No operations yet.
+	ts.doRefresh()
+	if ts.cur != stateIdle {
+		t.Fatalf("empty oplog: got %v, want stateIdle", ts.cur)
+	}
+
+	steps := []struct {
+		name string
+		op   *v1.Operation
+		want trayState
+	}{
+		{"successful backup", backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_SUCCESS), stateOK},
+		{"failed backup is newest", backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_ERROR), stateError},
+		{"non-backup success is ignored", nonBackupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_SUCCESS), stateError},
+		{"warning backup is newest", backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_WARNING), stateWarning},
+		{"in-progress backup shows running", backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_INPROGRESS), stateRunning},
+		{"completed success after run", backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_SUCCESS), stateOK},
+	}
+
+	for _, s := range steps {
+		if err := log.Add(s.op); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: Add: %v", s.name, err)
+		}
+		ts.doRefresh()
+		if ts.cur != s.want {
+			t.Errorf("%s: got state %v, want %v", s.name, ts.cur, s.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTrayStatusInProgressOverridesOlderResult(t *testing.T) {
+	log := newTestOpLog(t)
+	ts := newTrayStatus()
+	ts.attach(log)
+
+	if err := log.Add(backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_ERROR)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := log.Add(backupOp(v1.OperationStatus_STATUS_INPROGRESS)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	ts.doRefresh()
+	if ts.cur != stateRunning {
+		t.Errorf("in-progress over older error: got %v, want stateRunning", ts.cur)
+	}
+}