diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index e102b70d9..a5e6aabc2 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS"/>
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />
     <!-- necessary to allow users to select ex-/included apps and EAP-TNC -->
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES"
         tools:ignore="QueryAllPackagesPermission" />
diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/VpnTileService.java b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/VpnTileService.java
index ac8c49ade..05c3e2da9 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/VpnTileService.java
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/VpnTileService.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Icon;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.IBinder;
+import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.service.quicksettings.Tile;
 import android.service.quicksettings.TileService;
 
@@ -191,6 +192,15 @@ public class VpnTileService extends TileService implements VpnStateService.VpnSt
 				}
 				else
 				{
+					/* a bug in Android 14+ requires us to request this permission in
+					 * order to start the activity from this "background" service */
+					if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.UPSIDE_DOWN_CAKE && !Settings.canDrawOverlays(this))
+					{
+						Intent permIntent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION);
+						permIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
+						startActivityAndCollapse(PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, permIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE));
+						return;
+					}
 					startActivity(intent);
 				}
 				return;