diff --git a/.config/matugen/config.toml b/.config/matugen/config.toml
index 481a9753..863bc798 100644
--- a/.config/matugen/config.toml
+++ b/.config/matugen/config.toml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ output_path = '~/.config/matugen/generated/hyprlock-colors.conf'
 input_path  = '~/.config/matugen/templates/colors.css'
 output_path = '~/.config/matugen/generated/waybar-colors.css'
 post_hook   = '''
-~/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh || true;
+~/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh theme-change || true;
 '''
 
 [templates.swaync]
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ input_path  = '~/.config/matugen/templates/zathura-colors'
 output_path = '~/.config/matugen/generated/zathura-colors'
 post_hook   = 'ln -nfs $HOME/.config/matugen/generated/zathura-colors $HOME/.config/zathura/zathurarc'
 
-
 # [templates.starship]
 # input_path = '~/.config/matugen/templates/starship-colors.toml'
 # output_path = '~/.config/matugen/generated/starship-colors.toml'
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ ln -nfs $HOME/.config/matugen/generated/obsidian-theme.css $HOME/Documents/pensi
 input_path  = '~/.config/matugen/templates/midnight-discord.css'
 output_path = '~/.config/matugen/generated/midnight-discord.css'
 post_hook   = '''
-mkdir -p $HOME/~/.config/vesktop/themes/;
+mkdir -p $HOME/.config/vesktop/themes/;
 ln -nfs $HOME/.config/matugen/generated/midnight-discord.css $HOME/.config/vesktop/themes/midnight-discord.css
 '''
 
diff --git a/user_scripts/theme_matugen/theme_ctl.sh b/user_scripts/theme_matugen/theme_ctl.sh
index c7bc33d2..dface30a 100755
--- a/user_scripts/theme_matugen/theme_ctl.sh
+++ b/user_scripts/theme_matugen/theme_ctl.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ readonly DEFAULT_CONTRAST="0"
 readonly FLOCK_TIMEOUT_SEC=30
 readonly DAEMON_POLL_INTERVAL=0.1
 readonly DAEMON_POLL_LIMIT=50
+readonly WAYBAR_STATE_FILE="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/waybar_was_running"
 
 # --- STATE VARIABLES (populated by read_state) ---
 THEME_MODE=""
@@ -79,6 +80,21 @@ check_deps() {
     (( ${#missing[@]} == 0 )) || die "Missing required commands: ${missing[*]}"
 }
 
+# --- WAYBAR STATE ---
+
+detect_waybar_state() {
+    rm -f "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE"
+    pgrep -x waybar >/dev/null 2>&1 && touch "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE" || true
+}
+
+restore_waybar_state() {
+    local autostart="${HOME}/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh"
+    if [[ -f "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE" ]]; then
+        rm -f "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE"
+        [[ -x "$autostart" ]] && { "$autostart" & } || true
+    fi
+}
+
 # --- STATE MANAGEMENT ---
 
 update_public_state() {
@@ -318,6 +334,8 @@ apply_random_wallpaper() {
 
     log "Selected: ${wallpaper##*/}"
 
+    detect_waybar_state
+
     ensure_swww_running
     swww img "$wallpaper" \
         --transition-type grow \
@@ -325,6 +343,8 @@ apply_random_wallpaper() {
         --transition-fps 60
 
     generate_colors "$wallpaper"
+
+    restore_waybar_state
 }
 
 regenerate_current() {
@@ -358,7 +378,9 @@ regenerate_current() {
         log "Current wallpaper: ${resolved_wallpaper##*/}"
     fi
 
+    detect_waybar_state
     generate_colors "$resolved_wallpaper"
+    restore_waybar_state
 }
 
 generate_colors() {
diff --git a/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh b/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh
index 9a7c2163..58c95920 100755
--- a/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh
+++ b/user_scripts/waybar/waybar_autostart.sh
@@ -1,97 +1,104 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Description: Robustly restarts Waybar for Hyprland/UWSM sessions.
-#              Uses systemd-run to spawn from a clean user environment,
-#              avoiding XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN inheritance issues.
-# Author: dusk
-# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 set -euo pipefail
 
-# --- Constants ---
+# ------------------------------------------------------
+# Robust Waybar launcher for Hyprland / systemd
+# ------------------------------------------------------
 readonly APP_NAME="waybar"
 readonly TIMEOUT_SEC=5
 
-# --- Terminal-Aware Colors (stderr detection) ---
+# State file written by theme_ctl.sh before Matugen runs.
+# Presence means Waybar was running before the theme change.
+readonly WAYBAR_STATE_FILE="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/waybar_was_running"
+
+# Terminal-aware colors
 if [[ -t 2 ]]; then
     readonly C_RED=$'\033[0;31m'
     readonly C_GREEN=$'\033[0;32m'
     readonly C_BLUE=$'\033[0;34m'
     readonly C_RESET=$'\033[0m'
 else
-    readonly C_RED=''
-    readonly C_GREEN=''
-    readonly C_BLUE=''
-    readonly C_RESET=''
+    readonly C_RED='' C_GREEN='' C_BLUE='' C_RESET=''
 fi
 
-# --- Logging Functions (Strictly to stderr) ---
-# Redirecting logs to stderr keeps stdout clean for piping if needed.
-log_info()    { printf '%s[INFO]%s %s\n' "${C_BLUE}" "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
-log_success() { printf '%s[OK]%s %s\n' "${C_GREEN}" "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
-log_err()     { printf '%s[ERROR]%s %s\n' "${C_RED}" "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
+log_info()    { printf '%s[INFO]%s %s\n'    "${C_BLUE}"  "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
+log_success() { printf '%s[OK]%s %s\n'      "${C_GREEN}" "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
+log_err()     { printf '%s[ERROR]%s %s\n'   "${C_RED}"   "${C_RESET}" "$*" >&2; }
 
-# --- Fallback Strategy ---
-# Note: As discovered, this method may not cure the "workspace inheritance" 
-# bug, but it ensures Waybar launches if systemd is broken.
-launch_fallback() {
-    log_info "Attempting fallback launch (setsid)..."
-    (
-        unset XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID
-        setsid "${APP_NAME}" "$@" </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
-    )
-    log_success "${APP_NAME} launched (fallback mode)."
-}
+# ============================================================
+# STATE FILE GUARD
+# When called with "theme-change", respect the state file:
+#   - State file present  → Waybar was running → proceed to launch
+#   - State file absent   → Waybar was hidden  → exit cleanly
+# When called without "theme-change" (e.g. from a keybind or
+# session startup), always proceed regardless.
+# ============================================================
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "theme-change" ]]; then
+    if [[ ! -f "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE" ]]; then
+        log_info "theme-change mode: Waybar was hidden before theme change, skipping launch."
+        exit 0
+    fi
+    log_info "theme-change mode: Waybar was running before theme change, proceeding."
+    rm -f "$WAYBAR_STATE_FILE"
+    shift
+fi
 
-# --- Preflight Checks ---
-(( EUID != 0 )) || { log_err "This script must NOT be run as root."; exit 1; }
-command -v "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || { log_err "${APP_NAME} binary not found."; exit 1; }
-[[ -d ${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-} ]] || { log_err "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is not set or invalid."; exit 1; }
+# ============================================================
+# PREFLIGHT
+# ============================================================
+(( EUID != 0 )) || { log_err "Do NOT run as root"; exit 1; }
+command -v "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || { log_err "${APP_NAME} not found"; exit 1; }
+[[ -d ${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-} ]]            || { log_err "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR invalid"; exit 1; }
 
 readonly LOCK_FILE="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/${APP_NAME}_manager.lock"
-
-# --- Concurrency Lock ---
-# FD 9 is used to hold the lock until the script exits.
 exec 9>"${LOCK_FILE}"
-flock -n 9 || { log_err "Another instance is running. Exiting."; exit 1; }
+flock -n 9 || { log_err "Another instance running"; exit 1; }
 
-# --- Process Management ---
+# ============================================================
+# MANAGE EXISTING INSTANCES
+# ============================================================
 log_info "Managing ${APP_NAME} instances..."
 
 if pgrep -x "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     log_info "Stopping existing instances..."
     pkill -x "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 
-    # Poll for termination (Bash C-style loop)
-    for (( i = 0; i < TIMEOUT_SEC * 10; i++ )); do
+    for (( i=0; i < TIMEOUT_SEC*10; i++ )); do
         pgrep -x "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || break
         sleep 0.1
     done
 
-    # Force kill if still resistant
     if pgrep -x "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        log_err "Process hung. Sending SIGKILL..."
+        log_err "Hung process, sending SIGKILL..."
         pkill -9 -x "${APP_NAME}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
         sleep 0.2
     fi
+
     log_success "Cleanup complete."
 else
     log_info "No running instance found."
 fi
 
-# --- Launch Sequence ---
+# ============================================================
+# LAUNCH
+# ============================================================
+launch_fallback() {
+    log_info "Attempting fallback launch (setsid)..."
+    (
+        unset XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID
+        setsid "${APP_NAME}" "$@" </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
+    )
+    log_success "${APP_NAME} launched (fallback mode)."
+}
+
 log_info "Starting ${APP_NAME}..."
 
 if command -v systemd-run >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    # Optimization: Use Bash 5.0+ $EPOCHSECONDS instead of forking $(date)
-    # Security: Add $$ (PID) to unit name to prevent collision on rapid re-runs
     unit_name="${APP_NAME}-mgr-${EPOCHSECONDS}-$$"
-
-    # '--' separates options from the command to prevent flag injection
     if systemd-run --user --quiet --unit="${unit_name}" -- "${APP_NAME}" "$@" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         log_success "${APP_NAME} launched via systemd unit: ${unit_name}"
     else
-        log_err "systemd-run failed; attempting fallback."
+        log_err "systemd-run failed; trying fallback..."
         launch_fallback "$@"
     fi
 else