diff --git a/Modules/Background/Background.qml b/Modules/Background/Background.qml
index 8c01040d..d5023fab 100644
--- a/Modules/Background/Background.qml
+++ b/Modules/Background/Background.qml
@@ -306,20 +306,37 @@ Variants {
         duration: transitionType == "stripes" ? Settings.data.wallpaper.transitionDuration * 1.6 : Settings.data.wallpaper.transitionDuration
         easing.type: Easing.InOutCubic
         onFinished: {
-          // Assign new image to current BEFORE clearing to prevent flicker
+          // Strategy: Keep transitionProgress at 1.0 (showing nextWallpaper)
+          // until currentWallpaper finishes loading asynchronously
           const tempSource = nextWallpaper.source
-          currentWallpaper.source = tempSource
-          transitionProgress = 0.0
+          const tempSourceSize = nextWallpaper.sourceSize
 
-          // Now clear nextWallpaper after currentWallpaper has the new source
-          // Force complete cleanup to free texture memory (~18-25MB per monitor)
-          Qt.callLater(() => {
-                         nextWallpaper.source = ""
-                         nextWallpaper.sourceSize = undefined
-                         Qt.callLater(() => {
-                                        currentWallpaper.asynchronous = true
-                                      })
-                       })
+          // Enable async loading to prevent blocking
+          currentWallpaper.asynchronous = true
+
+          // Create one-time connection to wait for async load to complete
+          const onCurrentLoaded = function () {
+            if (currentWallpaper.status === Image.Ready || currentWallpaper.status === Image.Error) {
+              // Disconnect this handler
+              currentWallpaper.statusChanged.disconnect(onCurrentLoaded)
+
+              // Now it's safe to reset progress and cleanup
+              transitionProgress = 0.0
+
+              // Force complete cleanup to free texture memory (~18-25MB per monitor)
+              Qt.callLater(() => {
+                             nextWallpaper.source = ""
+                             nextWallpaper.sourceSize = undefined
+                           })
+            }
+          }
+
+          // Connect the handler BEFORE changing source
+          currentWallpaper.statusChanged.connect(onCurrentLoaded)
+
+          // Trigger async load (keeps nextWallpaper visible via progress=1.0)
+          currentWallpaper.sourceSize = tempSourceSize
+          currentWallpaper.source = tempSource
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/Modules/Bar/Extras/TrayMenu.qml b/Modules/Bar/Extras/TrayMenu.qml
index 05729c38..f4e17e78 100644
--- a/Modules/Bar/Extras/TrayMenu.qml
+++ b/Modules/Bar/Extras/TrayMenu.qml
@@ -8,13 +8,15 @@ import qs.Widgets
 
 PopupWindow {
   id: root
+
+  property ShellScreen screen
+
   property var trayItem: null
   property var anchorItem: null
   property real anchorX
   property real anchorY
   property bool isSubMenu: false
   property bool isHovered: rootMouseArea.containsMouse
-  property ShellScreen screen
   property string widgetSection: ""
   property int widgetIndex: -1
 
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ PopupWindow {
   implicitWidth: menuWidth
 
   // Use the content height of the Flickable for implicit height
-  implicitHeight: Math.min(screen.height * 0.9, flickable.contentHeight + (Style.marginS * 2))
+  implicitHeight: Math.min(screen?.height * 0.9, flickable.contentHeight + (Style.marginS * 2))
   visible: false
   color: Color.transparent
   anchor.item: anchorItem
diff --git a/Modules/MainScreen/Backgrounds/AllBackgrounds.qml b/Modules/MainScreen/Backgrounds/AllBackgrounds.qml
index bd5e082e..50123f9a 100644
--- a/Modules/MainScreen/Backgrounds/AllBackgrounds.qml
+++ b/Modules/MainScreen/Backgrounds/AllBackgrounds.qml
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ Item {
   // Reference to MainScreen (for panel access)
   required property var windowRoot
 
+  readonly property color panelBackgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+
   anchors.fill: parent
 
   // Wrapper with layer caching for better shadow performance
@@ -69,91 +71,91 @@ Item {
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.audioPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Battery
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.batteryPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Bluetooth
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.bluetoothPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Calendar
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.calendarPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Control Center
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.controlCenterPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Launcher
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.launcherPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Notification History
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.notificationHistoryPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Session Menu
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.sessionMenuPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Settings
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.settingsPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Setup Wizard
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.setupWizardPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // TrayDrawer
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.trayDrawerPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // Wallpaper
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.wallpaperPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
 
       // WiFi
       PanelBackground {
         panel: root.windowRoot.wifiPanelPlaceholder
         shapeContainer: backgroundsShape
-        backgroundColor: Qt.alpha(Color.mSurface, Settings.data.ui.panelBackgroundOpacity)
+        backgroundColor: panelBackgroundColor
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/Modules/MainScreen/MainScreen.qml b/Modules/MainScreen/MainScreen.qml
index 2c15f406..3f51f134 100644
--- a/Modules/MainScreen/MainScreen.qml
+++ b/Modules/MainScreen/MainScreen.qml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ PanelWindow {
 
   // Wayland
   WlrLayershell.layer: WlrLayer.Top
-  WlrLayershell.namespace: "noctalia-screen-" + (screen?.name || "unknown")
+  WlrLayershell.namespace: "noctalia-background-" + (screen?.name || "unknown")
   WlrLayershell.exclusionMode: ExclusionMode.Ignore // Don't reserve space - BarExclusionZone handles that
   WlrLayershell.keyboardFocus: WlrKeyboardFocus.None