diff --git a/internal/commands/plugins.go b/internal/commands/plugins.go
index e826c69..2e3a6df 100644
--- a/internal/commands/plugins.go
+++ b/internal/commands/plugins.go
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ func RunBinaryWithOptions(ctx context.Context, cmd string, args []string, wg *sy
 		webservice.SendAlert(
 			webservice.Error,
 			fmt.Sprintf("Plugin '%s' failed to start: %v", cmd, err),
+			true,
 		)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/commands/plugins_windows.go b/internal/commands/plugins_windows.go
index cc0ff4e..342e605 100644
--- a/internal/commands/plugins_windows.go
+++ b/internal/commands/plugins_windows.go
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ func RunBinaryWithOptions(ctx context.Context, cmd string, args []string, wg *sy
 		webservice.SendAlert(
 			webservice.Error,
 			fmt.Sprintf("Plugin '%s' failed to start: %v", cmd, err),
+			true,
 		)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/commands/root.go b/internal/commands/root.go
index bf2761b..f92f6be 100644
--- a/internal/commands/root.go
+++ b/internal/commands/root.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func launch(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 	} else {
 		log.Printf("config %s", err)
-		webservice.SendAlert(webservice.Info, fmt.Sprintf("%s", err))
+		webservice.SendAlert(webservice.Info, fmt.Sprintf("%s", err), true)
 	}
 
 	// just a little ditty to see if we should open the ui or the webservice or both
diff --git a/internal/webservice/alerts.go b/internal/webservice/alerts.go
index 482967b..1e67e9c 100644
--- a/internal/webservice/alerts.go
+++ b/internal/webservice/alerts.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const (
 type Alert struct {
 	Level   AlertLevel
 	Message string
+	Fade    bool
 }
 
 // Alerts serves as a queue to hold alerts to be sent to the UI,
@@ -44,10 +45,11 @@ var Alerts []Alert
 // SendAlert tests for the existence of an established websocket
 // and either sends the message over the websocket, or adds it
 // to the Alerts queue to be sent later
-func SendAlert(lvl AlertLevel, msg string) {
+func SendAlert(lvl AlertLevel, msg string, fade bool) {
 	alert := Alert{
 		Level:   lvl,
 		Message: msg,
+		Fade:    fade,
 	}
 
 	if ws == nil {
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ func sendAlertMessage(a Alert) {
 		"component": "alert",
 		"level":     a.Level,
 		"message":   a.Message,
+		"fade":      a.Fade,
 		"timestamp": time.Now().UnixNano() / 1000000,
 	}); err != nil {
 		onError(err)
diff --git a/web/index.html b/web/index.html
index 3383e76..8856f4b 100755
--- a/web/index.html
+++ b/web/index.html
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
                   spinner.style.display = "none";
               }
               const loadFail = (err) => {
-                  showDismissableAlert("danger", `Error loading '${err.validatedURL}': ${err.errorDescription} (${err.errorCode})`);
+                  showDismissableAlert("danger", `Error loading '${err.validatedURL}': ${err.errorDescription} (${err.errorCode})`, true);
               }
               webview.addEventListener("did-start-loading", loadStart)
               webview.addEventListener("did-stop-loading", loadStop)
diff --git a/web/js/common.js b/web/js/common.js
index 5c6e1a8..f045340 100755
--- a/web/js/common.js
+++ b/web/js/common.js
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ function removeElement(id) { // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
     }
 }
 
-function showDismissableAlert(alertLevel, msg) { // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
+// show a dismissable alert in the UI
+// if 'fade' is set to true, the alert will fade out and disappear after 5s
+function showDismissableAlert(alertLevel, msg, fade) { // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
     let e = document.getElementById("alert-div");
+    let alertId = `alert-${Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000)}`;
     let alertHeading = "";
 
     switch (alertLevel) {
@@ -113,9 +116,11 @@ function showDismissableAlert(alertLevel, msg) { // eslint-disable-line no-unuse
     }
 
     let div = document.createElement("div");
+    div.id = alertId;
     div.className = `alert alert-${alertLevel} alert-dismissable fade show`;
     div.setAttribute("role", "alert");
     div.innerHTML = `<strong>${alertHeading}: </strong>${msg}`;
+    div.style.opacity = "1";
 
     // dismissable button
     let btn = document.createElement("button");
@@ -131,5 +136,24 @@ function showDismissableAlert(alertLevel, msg) { // eslint-disable-line no-unuse
     btn.appendChild(span);
     div.appendChild(btn);
 
+    // add auto-hide if fade is true
+    if (fade === true) {
+        let script = document.createElement("script");
+        let inline = `alertFadeOut("${alertId}")`;
+        script.innerText = inline;
+        div.appendChild(script);
+    }
+
     e.appendChild(div);
+}
+
+function alertFadeOut(id) { // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
+    let element = document.getElementById(id);
+    setTimeout(function() {
+        element.style.transition = "opacity 2s ease";
+        element.style.opacity = "0";
+    }, 5000);
+    element.addEventListener("transitionend", function() {
+        element.parentNode.removeChild(element);
+    });
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/js/websocket.js b/web/js/websocket.js
index c0eb6bc..f08b2d4 100755
--- a/web/js/websocket.js
+++ b/web/js/websocket.js
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function handleMessages(message) {
         } else if (json["component"] === "authcomplete") {
             authComplete();
         } else if (json["component"] === "alert") {
-            showDismissableAlert(json["level"], json["message"]);
+            showDismissableAlert(json["level"], json["message"], json["fade"]);
         }
     } else {
         // TODO: determine if we're dispatching events or just doing function calls