diff --git a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/src/main/java/org/kivy/android/PythonService.java b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/src/main/java/org/kivy/android/PythonService.java
index 4f20fb7808..f337782bed 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/src/main/java/org/kivy/android/PythonService.java
+++ b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/src/main/java/org/kivy/android/PythonService.java
@@ -18,6 +18,21 @@
 
 import org.renpy.android.Hardware;
 
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
+import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;
+import android.Manifest;
+import android.app.NotificationChannel;
+import android.app.Notification;
+import android.app.NotificationManager;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat;
+import android.graphics.Color;
+import android.app.Service;
+import android.content.ComponentName;
+import android.app.PendingIntent;
+
+import android.graphics.drawable.Icon;
+import android.provider.Settings;
 
 public class PythonService extends Service implements Runnable {
 
@@ -35,6 +50,7 @@ public class PythonService extends Service implements Runnable {
     private String pythonServiceArgument;
     public static PythonService mService = null;
     private Intent startIntent = null;
+    private String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID = "BackgroundService";
 
     private boolean autoRestartService = false;
 
@@ -67,8 +83,13 @@ public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
             return START_NOT_STICKY;
         }
 
-		startIntent = intent;
+        startIntent = intent;
         Bundle extras = intent.getExtras();
+
+        if (canDisplayNotification()) {
+            doStartForeground(extras);
+        }
+
         androidPrivate = extras.getString("androidPrivate");
         androidArgument = extras.getString("androidArgument");
         serviceEntrypoint = extras.getString("serviceEntrypoint");
@@ -80,10 +101,6 @@ public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
         pythonThread = new Thread(this);
         pythonThread.start();
 
-        if (canDisplayNotification()) {
-            doStartForeground(extras);
-        }
-
         return startType();
     }
 
@@ -96,6 +113,7 @@ protected void doStartForeground(Bundle extras) {
         Intent contextIntent = new Intent(context, PythonActivity.class);
         PendingIntent pIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, contextIntent,
             PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
+
         if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB) {
             notification = new Notification(
                 context.getApplicationInfo().icon, serviceTitle, System.currentTimeMillis());
@@ -108,6 +126,25 @@ protected void doStartForeground(Bundle extras) {
             } catch (NoSuchMethodException | IllegalAccessException |
                      IllegalArgumentException | InvocationTargetException e) {
             }
+        } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+            String channelName = "Service";
+            NotificationChannel chan = new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID, channelName, NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_MIN);
+            chan.setLightColor(Color.BLUE);
+            chan.setLockscreenVisibility(Notification.VISIBILITY_PRIVATE);
+
+            NotificationManager manager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
+            assert manager != null;
+            manager.createNotificationChannel(chan);
+
+            NotificationCompat.Builder notificationBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(context, "persistent");
+            notification = notificationBuilder.setOngoing(true)
+                    .setSmallIcon(context.getApplicationInfo().icon)
+                    .setContentTitle(serviceTitle)
+                    .setContentIntent(pIntent)
+                    .setPriority(Notification.PRIORITY_MIN)
+                    .setShowWhen(false)
+                    .setOnlyAlertOnce(true)             
+                    .build();
         } else {
             Notification.Builder builder = new Notification.Builder(context);
             builder.setContentTitle(serviceTitle);
@@ -127,17 +164,14 @@ public void onDestroy() {
             Log.v("python service", "service restart requested");
             startService(startIntent);
         }
-        Process.killProcess(Process.myPid());
     }
 
     /**
-     * Stops the task gracefully when killed.
-     * Calling stopSelf() will trigger a onDestroy() call from the system.
+     * Stops the task gracefully, but don t kill the process.
      */
     @Override
     public void onTaskRemoved(Intent rootIntent) {
         super.onTaskRemoved(rootIntent);
-        stopSelf();
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/Service.tmpl.java b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/Service.tmpl.java
index 3ed10c2690..9b1c62986e 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/Service.tmpl.java
+++ b/pythonforandroid/bootstraps/common/build/templates/Service.tmpl.java
@@ -11,8 +11,23 @@
 import org.kivy.android.PythonService;
 import org.kivy.android.PythonActivity;
 
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
+import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;
+import android.Manifest;
+import android.app.NotificationChannel;
+import android.app.Notification;
+import android.app.NotificationManager;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat;
+import android.graphics.Color;
+import android.app.Service;
+import android.content.ComponentName;
+import android.app.PendingIntent;
 
 public class Service{{ name|capitalize }} extends PythonService {
+
+    private boolean autoRestartService = true;
+
     {% if sticky %}
     @Override
     public int startType() {
@@ -46,6 +61,25 @@ protected void doStartForeground(Bundle extras) {
             } catch (NoSuchMethodException | IllegalAccessException |
                      IllegalArgumentException | InvocationTargetException e) {
             }
+        } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+            String channelName = "{{ name| capitalize }}";
+            NotificationChannel chan = new NotificationChannel("{{ args.name }}", channelName, NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_MIN);
+            chan.setLightColor(Color.BLUE);
+            chan.setLockscreenVisibility(Notification.VISIBILITY_PRIVATE);
+
+            NotificationManager manager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
+            assert manager != null;
+            manager.createNotificationChannel(chan);
+
+            NotificationCompat.Builder notificationBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(context, "{{ args.name }}");
+            notification = notificationBuilder.setOngoing(true)
+                    .setSmallIcon(context.getApplicationInfo().icon)
+                    .setContentTitle(channelName)
+                    .setContentIntent(pIntent)
+                    .setPriority(Notification.PRIORITY_MIN)
+                    .setShowWhen(false)
+                    .setOnlyAlertOnce(true)             
+                    .build();
         } else {
             Notification.Builder builder = new Notification.Builder(context);
             builder.setContentTitle("{{ args.name }}");
@@ -53,7 +87,7 @@ protected void doStartForeground(Bundle extras) {
             builder.setContentIntent(pIntent);
             builder.setSmallIcon(context.getApplicationInfo().icon);
             notification = builder.build();
-        }
+        }        
         startForeground({{ service_id }}, notification);
     }
 
@@ -67,9 +101,20 @@ static public void start(Context ctx, String pythonServiceArgument) {
         intent.putExtra("pythonHome", argument);
         intent.putExtra("pythonPath", argument + ":" + argument + "/lib");
         intent.putExtra("pythonServiceArgument", pythonServiceArgument);
-        ctx.startService(intent);
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
+            ctx.startForegroundService(intent);
+        } else {
+            ctx.startService(intent);
+        }
     }
 
+
+    @Override
+    public void onDestroy() {
+        super.onDestroy();
+    }
+
+
     static public void stop(Context ctx) {
         Intent intent = new Intent(ctx, Service{{ name|capitalize }}.class);
         ctx.stopService(intent);