diff --git a/Commons/Settings.qml b/Commons/Settings.qml
index e45489b0..e7279585 100644
--- a/Commons/Settings.qml
+++ b/Commons/Settings.qml
@@ -380,6 +380,12 @@ Singleton {
   // If the settings structure has changed, ensure
   // backward compatibility by upgrading the settings
   function upgradeSettingsData() {
+    // Wait for BarWidgetRegistry to be ready
+    if (!BarWidgetRegistry.widgets || Object.keys(BarWidgetRegistry.widgets).length === 0) {
+      Logger.warn("Settings", "BarWidgetRegistry not ready, deferring upgrade")
+      Qt.callLater(upgradeSettingsData)
+      return
+    }
 
     const sections = ["left", "center", "right"]
 
@@ -409,6 +415,7 @@ Singleton {
 
     // -----------------
     // 2nd. remove any non existing widget type
+    var removedWidget = false
     for (var s = 0; s < sections.length; s++) {
       const sectionName = sections[s]
       const widgets = adapter.bar.widgets[sectionName]
@@ -418,12 +425,13 @@ Singleton {
         if (!BarWidgetRegistry.hasWidget(widget.id)) {
           Logger.warn(`Settings`, `Deleted invalid widget ${widget.id}`)
           widgets.splice(i, 1)
+          removedWidget = true
         }
       }
     }
 
     // -----------------
-    // 3nd. migrate global settings to user settings
+    // 3nd. upgrade widget settings
     for (var s = 0; s < sections.length; s++) {
       const sectionName = sections[s]
       for (var i = 0; i < adapter.bar.widgets[sectionName].length; i++) {
@@ -441,11 +449,27 @@ Singleton {
       }
     }
 
-    // Upgrade the density of the bar so the look stay the same for people who upgrade.
-    // TODO: remove soon
-    if (adapter.settingsVersion == 2) {
-      adapter.bar.density = "comfortable"
-      adapter.settingsVersion++
+    // -----------------
+    // 4th. safety check
+    // if a widget was deleted, ensure we still have a control center
+    if (removedWidget) {
+      var gotControlCenter = false
+      for (var s = 0; s < sections.length; s++) {
+        const sectionName = sections[s]
+        for (var i = 0; i < adapter.bar.widgets[sectionName].length; i++) {
+          var widget = adapter.bar.widgets[sectionName][i]
+          if (widget.id === "ControlCenter") {
+            gotControlCenter = true
+            break
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (!gotControlCenter) {
+        //const obj = JSON.parse('{"id": "ControlCenter"}');
+        adapter.bar.widgets["right"].push(({"id": "ControlCenter"}))
+        Logger.warn("Settings", "Added a ControlCenter widget to the right section")
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -454,16 +478,6 @@ Singleton {
     // Backup the widget definition before altering
     const widgetBefore = JSON.stringify(widget)
 
-    switch (widget.id) {
-      // Get back to global settings for these two clock settings
-    case "Clock":
-      if (widget.use12HourClock !== undefined) {
-        adapter.location.use12hourFormat = widget.use12HourClock
-        delete widget.use12HourClock
-      }
-      break
-    }
-
     // Get all existing custom settings keys
     const keys = Object.keys(BarWidgetRegistry.widgetMetadata[widget.id])
 
diff --git a/Services/BarService.qml b/Services/BarService.qml
index 11f8a1de..9f8611ed 100644
--- a/Services/BarService.qml
+++ b/Services/BarService.qml
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ Singleton {
   // Registry to store actual widget instances
   // Key format: "screenName|section|widgetId|index"
   property var widgetInstances: ({})
+
+  Component.onCompleted: {
+    Logger.log("BarService", "Service started")
+  }
+
   // Register a widget instance
   function registerWidget(screenName, section, widgetId, index, instance) {
     const key = [screenName, section, widgetId, index].join("|")
diff --git a/Services/BarWidgetRegistry.qml b/Services/BarWidgetRegistry.qml
index d9fa14e4..bab1a4b4 100644
--- a/Services/BarWidgetRegistry.qml
+++ b/Services/BarWidgetRegistry.qml
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ Singleton {
     Taskbar {}
   }
 
+  function init() {
+    Logger.log("BarWidgetRegistry", "Service started")
+  }
+
   // ------------------------------
   // Helper function to get widget component by name
   function getWidget(id) {
diff --git a/shell.qml b/shell.qml
index 5a90a74e..cd1689bc 100644
--- a/shell.qml
+++ b/shell.qml
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ ShellRoot {
   Component.onCompleted: {
     // Save a ref. to our lockScreen so we can access it  easily
     PanelService.lockScreen = lockScreen
+
+    BarWidgetRegistry.init()
   }
 
   Connections {