diff --git a/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/DefaultProgramNotificationService.java b/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/DefaultProgramNotificationService.java
index c0096e9cb405..00625655eba8 100644
--- a/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/DefaultProgramNotificationService.java
+++ b/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/DefaultProgramNotificationService.java
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ private Set<User> resolveDhisMessageRecipients(
         orgUnitInHierarchy.addAll(orgUnit.getAncestors());
 
         return userGroupMembers.stream()
+            .filter(User::isEnabled)
             .filter(r -> orgUnitInHierarchy.contains(r.getOrganisationUnit()))
             .collect(Collectors.toSet());
 
@@ -507,6 +508,7 @@ private Set<User> resolveDhisMessageRecipients(
         OrganisationUnit parentOrgUnit = orgUnit.getParent();
 
         return userGroupMembers.stream()
+            .filter(User::isEnabled)
             .filter(u -> u.getOrganisationUnit().equals(parentOrgUnit))
             .collect(Collectors.toSet());
       }
@@ -516,6 +518,9 @@ private Set<User> resolveDhisMessageRecipients(
       userGroupMembers.addAll(orgUnit.getUsers());
     }
 
+    // filter out all users that are disabled
+    userGroupMembers.removeIf(User::isDisabled);
+
     return userGroupMembers;
   }
 
diff --git a/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/ProgramNotificationServiceTest.java b/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/ProgramNotificationServiceTest.java
index e39818c9de93..4413329826d2 100644
--- a/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/ProgramNotificationServiceTest.java
+++ b/dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-core/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/program/notification/ProgramNotificationServiceTest.java
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ class ProgramNotificationServiceTest extends DhisConvenienceTest {
 
   private User userLvlTwoLeftLeft;
 
+  private User userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled;
+
   private User userLvlTwoLeftRight;
 
   private User userLvlOneLeft;
@@ -607,6 +609,7 @@ void testSendToHierarchy() {
     assertTrue(users.contains(userLvlOneLeft));
     assertTrue(users.contains(userRoot));
 
+    assertFalse(users.contains(userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled));
     assertFalse(users.contains(userLvlTwoLeftRight));
     assertFalse(users.contains(userLvlOneRight));
   }
@@ -734,10 +737,15 @@ private void setUpInstances() {
     userB = makeUser("V");
     userB.setPhoneNumber(USERB_PHONE_NUMBER);
     userB.getOrganisationUnits().add(lvlTwoLeftLeft);
+    userB.getOrganisationUnits().add(lvlOneLeft);
 
     userGroup = createUserGroup('G', Sets.newHashSet(userA, userB));
 
     // User based on hierarchy
+    userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled = makeUser("D");
+    userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled.setDisabled(true);
+    userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled.getOrganisationUnits().add(lvlTwoLeftLeft);
+    lvlTwoLeftLeft.getUsers().add(userLvlTwoLeftLeftDisabled);
 
     userLvlTwoLeftLeft = makeUser("K");
     userLvlTwoLeftLeft.getOrganisationUnits().add(lvlTwoLeftLeft);