diff --git a/lua/dapui/config/init.lua b/lua/dapui/config/init.lua
index 32f09f0..fb936ff 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/config/init.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/config/init.lua
@@ -117,12 +117,7 @@ local function dep_warning(message)
   vim.schedule(function()
     if not dep_warnings[message] then
       dep_warnings[message] = true
-      vim.notify(message, vim.log.levels.WARN, {
-        title = "nvim-dap-ui",
-        on_open = function(win)
-          vim.api.nvim_buf_set_option(vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(win), "filetype", "markdown")
-        end,
-      })
+      require("dapui.util").notify(message, vim.log.levels.WARN)
     end
   end)
 end
diff --git a/lua/dapui/init.lua b/lua/dapui/init.lua
index 58c4a3d..9772618 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/init.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/init.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 ---@tag nvim-dap-ui
+
+local dap = require("dap")
 local dapui = {}
 
 local windows = require("dapui.windows")
 local config = require("dapui.config")
+local util = require("dapui.util")
 local ui_state
 
 ---@return Element
@@ -78,12 +81,16 @@ local prev_expr = nil
 ---@field height integer: Fixed height of window
 ---@field enter boolean: Whether or not to enter the window after opening
 function dapui.eval(expr, settings)
+  if not dap.session() then
+    util.notify("No active debug session", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    return
+  end
   settings = settings or {}
   if not expr then
     if vim.fn.mode() == "v" then
       local start = vim.fn.getpos("v")
       local finish = vim.fn.getpos(".")
-      local lines = require("dapui.util").get_selection(start, finish)
+      local lines = util.get_selection(start, finish)
       expr = table.concat(lines, "\n")
     else
       expr = expr or vim.fn.expand("<cexpr>")
@@ -121,13 +128,9 @@ end
 local refresh_control_panel = function() end
 
 function dapui.setup(user_config)
-  local dap = require("dap")
   local render = require("dapui.render")
   if ui_state then
-    vim.notify("Setup called twice", vim.log.levels.DEBUG, {
-      title = "nvim-dap-ui",
-      icon = " ",
-    })
+    util.notify("Setup called twice", vim.log.levels.DEBUG)
   end
   render.loop.clear()
 
@@ -150,7 +153,7 @@ function dapui.setup(user_config)
     end
   end
 
-  if config.controls.enabled and config.controls.element ~= '' then
+  if config.controls.enabled and config.controls.element ~= "" then
     local buf_name = buf_name_map[config.controls.element]
 
     local group = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("DAPUIControls", {})
@@ -351,8 +354,6 @@ function dapui.toggle(opts)
   refresh_control_panel()
 end
 
-local dap = require("dap")
-
 _G._dapui = {
   play = function()
     local session = dap.session()
diff --git a/lua/dapui/render/canvas.lua b/lua/dapui/render/canvas.lua
index 91bcf3f..9f70b36 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/render/canvas.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/render/canvas.lua
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function M._mapping(action)
   local line = vim.fn.line(".")
   local callbacks = _mappings[buffer][action][line]
   if not callbacks then
-    vim.notify("No " .. action .. " action for current line", vim.log.levels.INFO)
+    util.notify("No " .. action .. " action for current line", vim.log.levels.INFO)
     return
   end
   for _, callback in pairs(callbacks) do
diff --git a/lua/dapui/state.lua b/lua/dapui/state.lua
index 7be038b..94b8fc3 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/state.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/state.lua
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function UIState:set_variable(container_ref, variable, value)
         { expression = variable.evaluateName, value = value, frameId = frame_id },
         function(err)
           if err then
-            vim.notify(util.format_error(err))
+            util.notify(util.format_error(err))
           end
         end
       )
@@ -243,12 +243,12 @@ function UIState:set_variable(container_ref, variable, value)
         { variablesReference = container_ref, name = variable.name, value = value },
         function(err)
           if err then
-            vim.notify(util.format_error(err))
+            util.notify(util.format_error(err))
           end
         end
       )
     else
-      vim.notify(
+      util.notify(
         "Debug server doesn't support setting " .. (variable.evaluateName or variable.name),
         vim.log.levels.WARN
       )
diff --git a/lua/dapui/util.lua b/lua/dapui/util.lua
index e5b3da6..bb67d86 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/util.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/util.lua
@@ -12,6 +12,20 @@ function M.round(num)
   end
 end
 
+function M.notify(msg, level, opts)
+  return vim.notify(
+    msg,
+    level or vim.log.levels.INFO,
+    vim.tbl_extend("keep", opts or {}, {
+      title = "nvim-dap-ui",
+      icon = "",
+      on_open = function(win)
+        vim.api.nvim_buf_set_option(vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(win), "filetype", "markdown")
+      end,
+    })
+  )
+end
+
 function M.is_uri(path)
   local scheme = path:match("^([a-z]+)://.*")
   if scheme then
@@ -76,7 +90,7 @@ function M.jump_to_frame(frame, session, set_frame)
         return
       end
       if not response.body.content then
-        vim.notify("No source available for frame", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+        M.notify("No source available for frame", vim.log.levels.WARN)
         return
       end
       vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(buf, 0, 0, true, vim.split(response.body.content, "\n"))
@@ -88,7 +102,7 @@ function M.jump_to_frame(frame, session, set_frame)
   end
 
   if not source.path then
-    vim.notify("No source available for frame", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    M.notify("No source available for frame", vim.log.levels.WARN)
   end
 
   local path = source.path
diff --git a/lua/dapui/windows/init.lua b/lua/dapui/windows/init.lua
index 1523d41..60b7ba2 100644
--- a/lua/dapui/windows/init.lua
+++ b/lua/dapui/windows/init.lua
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ local function create_win_states(win_configs)
       win_state.init_size = win_state.size
       win_states[#win_states + 1] = win_state
     else
-      vim.notify("nvim-dap-ui: Element " .. win_state.id .. " does not exist", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+      util.notify("nvim-dap-ui: Element " .. win_state.id .. " does not exist", vim.log.levels.WARN)
     end
   end
   return win_states