A system and method for improved communication notification forwarding on a network. An instant messaging (IM) server program receives at least one communication notification from a first client among a collection of clients on a network, wherein the at least one communication notification is targeted to a second client among the collection of clients. A notification manager compares a current network performance level to a predetermined threshold. In response to said comparing the current network performance level to the predetermined threshold, the notification manager parses a first list to determine if a first user indicator associated with said first client is present on the first list, wherein the first list indicates a first collection of user indicators of clients from which communication notifications are to be forwarded as high priority communication notifications. If the user indicator associated with the first client is present on the first list, the IM server program forwards the at least one communication notification as a high priority communication notification to said second client.