diff --git a/client/systray/systray.go b/client/systray/systray.go
index 65c1bec20..d0287e647 100644
--- a/client/systray/systray.go
+++ b/client/systray/systray.go
@@ -621,11 +621,9 @@ func (menu *Menu) rebuildExitNodeMenu(ctx context.Context) {
 				title += strings.Split(sugg.Name, ".")[0]
 			}
 			menu.exitNodes.AddSeparator()
-			rm := menu.exitNodes.AddSubMenuItemCheckbox(title, "", false)
+			active := recommendedIsActive(status, sugg.ID, sugg.Location.CountryCode(), sugg.Location.City())
+			rm := menu.exitNodes.AddSubMenuItemCheckbox(title, "", active)
 			setExitNodeOnClick(rm, sugg.ID)
-			if status.ExitNodeStatus != nil && sugg.ID == status.ExitNodeStatus.ID {
-				rm.Check()
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -647,13 +645,11 @@ func (menu *Menu) rebuildExitNodeMenu(ctx context.Context) {
 			if !ps.Online {
 				name += " (offline)"
 			}
-			sm := menu.exitNodes.AddSubMenuItemCheckbox(name, "", false)
+			active := status.ExitNodeStatus != nil && ps.ID == status.ExitNodeStatus.ID
+			sm := menu.exitNodes.AddSubMenuItemCheckbox(name, "", active)
 			if !ps.Online {
 				sm.Disable()
 			}
-			if status.ExitNodeStatus != nil && ps.ID == status.ExitNodeStatus.ID {
-				sm.Check()
-			}
 			setExitNodeOnClick(sm, ps.ID)
 		}
 	}
@@ -743,6 +739,30 @@ func (mc *mvCountry) sortedCities() []*mvCity {
 	return cities
 }
 
+// recommendedIsActive reports whether the suggested exit node corresponds to
+// the currently active exit node in status.
+func recommendedIsActive(status *ipnstate.Status, suggID tailcfg.StableNodeID, suggCountry, suggCity string) bool {
+	if status == nil || status.ExitNodeStatus == nil || status.ExitNodeStatus.ID.IsZero() {
+		return false
+	}
+	if suggID == status.ExitNodeStatus.ID {
+		return true
+	}
+	if suggCountry == "" || suggCity == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, p := range status.Peer {
+		if p.ID != status.ExitNodeStatus.ID {
+			continue
+		}
+		if loc := p.Location; loc != nil && loc.CountryCode == suggCountry && loc.City == suggCity {
+			return true
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // countryFlag takes a 2-character ASCII string and returns the corresponding emoji flag.
 // It returns the empty string on error.
 func countryFlag(code string) string {
diff --git a/client/systray/systray_test.go b/client/systray/systray_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b8ce8b95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/systray/systray_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+// Copyright (c) Tailscale Inc & contributors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+//go:build cgo || !darwin
+
+package systray
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"tailscale.com/ipn/ipnstate"
+	"tailscale.com/tailcfg"
+	"tailscale.com/types/key"
+)
+
+func TestRecommendedIsActive(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const (
+		activeID = tailcfg.StableNodeID("active")
+		suggID   = tailcfg.StableNodeID("suggestion")
+	)
+	usNYC := &tailcfg.Location{CountryCode: "US", City: "New York"}
+	usCHI := &tailcfg.Location{CountryCode: "US", City: "Chicago"}
+	seSTO := &tailcfg.Location{CountryCode: "SE", City: "Stockholm"}
+
+	statusWith := func(activePeer *ipnstate.PeerStatus) *ipnstate.Status {
+		s := &ipnstate.Status{
+			ExitNodeStatus: &ipnstate.ExitNodeStatus{ID: activeID},
+		}
+		if activePeer != nil {
+			s.Peer = map[key.NodePublic]*ipnstate.PeerStatus{{}: activePeer}
+		}
+		return s
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name        string
+		status      *ipnstate.Status
+		suggID      tailcfg.StableNodeID
+		suggCountry string
+		suggCity    string
+		isActive    bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:   "nil_status",
+			status: nil,
+			suggID: suggID,
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "no_exit_node",
+			status: &ipnstate.Status{},
+			suggID: suggID,
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "exit_node_id_is_zero",
+			status: &ipnstate.Status{ExitNodeStatus: &ipnstate.ExitNodeStatus{}},
+			suggID: suggID,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "exact_id_match_short-circuits",
+			status:      statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID, Location: usCHI}),
+			suggID:      activeID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+			isActive:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "id_mismatch_but_same_city",
+			status:      statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID, Location: usNYC}),
+			suggID:      suggID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+			isActive:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "different_city",
+			status:      statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID, Location: usCHI}),
+			suggID:      suggID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "different_country",
+			status:      statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID, Location: seSTO}),
+			suggID:      suggID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "id_mismatch_suggestion_has_no_location",
+			status: statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID, Location: usNYC}),
+			suggID: suggID,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "id_mismatch_active_peer_has_no_location",
+			status:      statusWith(&ipnstate.PeerStatus{ID: activeID}),
+			suggID:      suggID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "active_peer_not_in_status",
+			status:      statusWith(nil),
+			suggID:      suggID,
+			suggCountry: "US",
+			suggCity:    "New York",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			isExitNodeActive := recommendedIsActive(tt.status, tt.suggID, tt.suggCountry, tt.suggCity)
+			if isExitNodeActive != tt.isActive {
+				t.Errorf("recommendedIsActive; got %v, want %v", isExitNodeActive, tt.isActive)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}