diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 481e5727215cc..79c42aedfa46f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 <a name="breaking_changes_1.7.0">[Breaking Changes:](#breaking_changes_1.7.0)</a>
 
 - [plugin-metrics] renamed `AnalyticsFromRequests.succesfulResponses` to `AnalyticsFromRequests.successfulResponses` []()
+- [core] change progress notification cancelable property default from true to false [#8479](https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/pull/8479)
+- [messages] empty notifications and progress notifications will not be shown [#8479](https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/pull/8479)
 
 ## v1.6.0 - 24/09/2020
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/common/message-service-protocol.ts b/packages/core/src/common/message-service-protocol.ts
index 277edb66059d8..b3c2f13686ce5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/common/message-service-protocol.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/common/message-service-protocol.ts
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ export interface ProgressMessage extends Message {
 export namespace ProgressMessage {
     export const Cancel = 'Cancel';
     export function isCancelable(message: ProgressMessage): boolean {
-        return !message.options
-            || message.options.cancelable === undefined
-            || message.options.cancelable === true;
+        return !!message.options?.cancelable;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/messages/src/browser/notification-component.tsx b/packages/messages/src/browser/notification-component.tsx
index 53565e85e25d1..38f60324634ad 100644
--- a/packages/messages/src/browser/notification-component.tsx
+++ b/packages/messages/src/browser/notification-component.tsx
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export class NotificationComponent extends React.Component<NotificationComponent
 
     render(): React.ReactNode {
         const { messageId, message, type, progress, collapsed, expandable, source, actions } = this.props.notification;
+        const isProgress = typeof progress === 'number';
         return (<div key={messageId} className='theia-notification-list-item'>
             <div className={`theia-notification-list-item-content ${collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''}`}>
                 <div className='theia-notification-list-item-content-main'>
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ export class NotificationComponent extends React.Component<NotificationComponent
                             <li className={collapsed ? 'expand' : 'collapse'} title={collapsed ? 'Expand' : 'Collapse'}
                                 data-message-id={messageId} onClick={this.onToggleExpansion} />
                         )}
-                        <li className='clear' title='Clear' data-message-id={messageId} onClick={this.onClear} />
+                        { !isProgress && (<li className='clear' title='Clear' data-message-id={messageId} onClick={this.onClear} />)}
                     </ul>
                 </div>
                 {(source || !!actions.length) && (
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ export class NotificationComponent extends React.Component<NotificationComponent
                     </div>
                 )}
             </div>
-            {typeof progress === 'number' && (
+            { isProgress && (
                 <div className='theia-notification-item-progress'>
                     <div className='theia-notification-item-progressbar' style={{ width: `${progress}%` }} />
                 </div>
diff --git a/packages/messages/src/browser/notifications-manager.ts b/packages/messages/src/browser/notifications-manager.ts
index 2c0f7b00fd752..c89e935e3bb01 100644
--- a/packages/messages/src/browser/notifications-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/messages/src/browser/notifications-manager.ts
@@ -66,8 +66,12 @@ export class NotificationManager extends MessageClient {
     protected readonly onUpdatedEmitter = new Emitter<NotificationUpdateEvent>();
     readonly onUpdated = this.onUpdatedEmitter.event;
     protected readonly fireUpdatedEvent = throttle(() => {
-        const notifications = deepClone(Array.from(this.notifications.values()));
-        const toasts = deepClone(Array.from(this.toasts.values()));
+        const notifications = deepClone(Array.from(this.notifications.values()).filter((notification: Notification) =>
+            notification.message
+        ));
+        const toasts = deepClone(Array.from(this.toasts.values()).filter((toast: Notification) =>
+            toast.message
+        ));
         const visibilityState = this.visibilityState;
         this.onUpdatedEmitter.fire({ notifications, toasts, visibilityState });
     }, 250, { leading: true, trailing: true });
@@ -269,8 +273,9 @@ export class NotificationManager extends MessageClient {
         if (cancellationToken.isCancellationRequested) {
             this.clear(messageId);
         } else {
-            notification.message = update.message ? `${originalMessage.text}: ${update.message}` : originalMessage.text;
-            notification.progress = this.toPlainProgress(update);
+            notification.message = originalMessage.text && update.message ? `${originalMessage.text}: ${update.message}` :
+                originalMessage.text || update?.message || notification.message;
+            notification.progress = this.toPlainProgress(update) || notification.progress;
         }
         this.fireUpdatedEvent();
     }