diff --git a/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/PushNotificationIOS.js b/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/PushNotificationIOS.js
index 732d4c0294c9af..688c085477bcb1 100644
--- a/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/PushNotificationIOS.js
+++ b/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/PushNotificationIOS.js
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ var _notifHandlers = {};
 var _initialNotification = RCTPushNotificationManager &&
   RCTPushNotificationManager.initialNotification;
 
-var DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT = 'remoteNotificationReceived';
+var DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT_FOREGROUND = 'remoteNotificationReceivedForeground';
+var DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT_BACKGROUND = 'remoteNotificationReceivedBackground';
 var NOTIF_REGISTER_EVENT = 'remoteNotificationsRegistered';
 
 /**
@@ -55,19 +56,30 @@ class PushNotificationIOS {
    *
    * Valid events are:
    *
-   * - `notification` : Fired when a remote notification is received. The
-   *   handler will be invoked with an instance of `PushNotificationIOS`.
+   * - `notificationForeground` : Fired when a remote notification is received
+   *   and the app is running in foreground. The handler will be invoked with an
+   *   instance of `PushNotificationIOS`.
+   * - `notificationBackground` : Same as `notificationForeground`, only it will
+   *   only be fired when app is opening from background.
    * - `register`: Fired when the user registers for remote notifications. The
    *   handler will be invoked with a hex string representing the deviceToken.
    */
   static addEventListener(type: string, handler: Function) {
     invariant(
-      type === 'notification' || type === 'register',
-      'PushNotificationIOS only supports `notification` and `register` events'
+      type === 'notificationForeground' || type === 'notificationBackground' || type === 'register',
+      'PushNotificationIOS only supports `notificationForeground`, `notificationBackground`, and `register` events'
     );
-    if (type === 'notification') {
+
+    if (type === 'notificationForeground') {
       _notifHandlers[handler] = RCTDeviceEventEmitter.addListener(
-        DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT,
+        DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT_FOREGROUND,
+        (notifData) => {
+          handler(new PushNotificationIOS(notifData));
+        }
+      );
+    } else if (type === 'notificationBackground') {
+      _notifHandlers[handler] = RCTDeviceEventEmitter.addListener(
+        DEVICE_NOTIF_EVENT_BACKGROUND,
         (notifData) => {
           handler(new PushNotificationIOS(notifData));
         }
@@ -80,6 +92,7 @@ class PushNotificationIOS {
         }
       );
     }
+
   }
 
   /**
@@ -140,8 +153,8 @@ class PushNotificationIOS {
    */
   static removeEventListener(type: string, handler: Function) {
     invariant(
-      type === 'notification' || type === 'register',
-      'PushNotificationIOS only supports `notification` and `register` events'
+      type === 'notificationForeground' || type === 'notificationBackground' || type === 'register',
+      'PushNotificationIOS only supports `notificationForeground`, `notificationBackground`, and `register` events'
     );
     if (!_notifHandlers[handler]) {
       return;
diff --git a/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/RCTPushNotificationManager.m b/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/RCTPushNotificationManager.m
index 12d6ba45643b19..5f5b1af2da49a6 100644
--- a/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/RCTPushNotificationManager.m
+++ b/Libraries/PushNotificationIOS/RCTPushNotificationManager.m
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 
 #endif
 
-NSString *const RCTRemoteNotificationReceived = @"RemoteNotificationReceived";
+NSString *const RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedForeground = @"RemoteNotificationReceivedForeground";
+NSString *const RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedBackground = @"RemoteNotificationReceivedBackground";
 NSString *const RCTRemoteNotificationsRegistered = @"RemoteNotificationsRegistered";
 
 @implementation RCTPushNotificationManager
@@ -38,9 +39,15 @@ - (instancetype)init
 {
   if ((self = [super init])) {
     [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
-                                             selector:@selector(handleRemoteNotificationReceived:)
-                                                 name:RCTRemoteNotificationReceived
+                                             selector:@selector(handleRemoteNotificationReceivedForeground:)
+                                                 name:RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedForeground
                                                object:nil];
+
+    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
+                                             selector:@selector(handleRemoteNotificationReceivedBackground:)
+                                                 name:RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedBackground
+                                               object:nil];
+
     [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
                                              selector:@selector(handleRemoteNotificationsRegistered:)
                                                  name:RCTRemoteNotificationsRegistered
@@ -84,14 +91,30 @@ + (void)application:(UIApplication *)application didRegisterForRemoteNotificatio
 
 + (void)application:(UIApplication *)application didReceiveRemoteNotification:(NSDictionary *)notification
 {
-  [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:RCTRemoteNotificationReceived
-                                                      object:self
-                                                    userInfo:notification];
+  UIApplicationState state = [application applicationState];
+
+  if (state == UIApplicationStateActive) {
+    //app is in foreground
+    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedForeground
+                                                        object:self
+                                                      userInfo:notification];
+  } else {
+    //app is in background
+    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:RCTRemoteNotificationReceivedBackground
+                                                        object:self
+                                                      userInfo:notification];
+  }
+}
+
+- (void)handleRemoteNotificationReceivedForeground:(NSNotification *)notification
+{
+  [_bridge.eventDispatcher sendDeviceEventWithName:@"remoteNotificationReceivedForeground"
+                                              body:[notification userInfo]];
 }
 
-- (void)handleRemoteNotificationReceived:(NSNotification *)notification
+- (void)handleRemoteNotificationReceivedBackground:(NSNotification *)notification
 {
-  [_bridge.eventDispatcher sendDeviceEventWithName:@"remoteNotificationReceived"
+  [_bridge.eventDispatcher sendDeviceEventWithName:@"remoteNotificationReceivedBackground"
                                               body:[notification userInfo]];
 }