diff --git a/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf b/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5574934
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
+<fontconfig>
+  <match target="pattern">
+    <test name="family" qual="any">
+      <string>monospace</string>
+    </test>
+    <edit name="family" mode="prepend_first" binding="strong">
+      <string>JetBrainsMono Nerd Font</string>
+    </edit>
+  </match>
+</fontconfig>
diff --git a/docs/install.md b/docs/install.md
index c0d0761..00a26e1 100644
--- a/docs/install.md
+++ b/docs/install.md
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@ with `--check`.
    resolves cannot cost you the other hundred and the config, service and login
    steps below. See [packages.md](packages.md).
 4. **Config** is copied into `~/.config`: `hypr/`, the themed app configs,
-   `blob/shell.json`, the uwsm environment, and the icon font.
+   `blob/shell.json`, the uwsm environment, `fontconfig/fonts.conf`, and the
+   icon font, and the font cache is refreshed. The shell draws every icon as a
+   Nerd Font glyph in the `monospace` family, and on a fresh Arch install
+   fontconfig resolves that to a font with no such glyphs, so the bar and its
+   panels come up full of blanks. `fonts.conf` binds `monospace` to
+   `JetBrainsMono Nerd Font`; `blob font set` rewrites the same file, and the
+   installer then reports it as a local change and keeps your choice.
    `session/profile.sh` also goes to `/etc/profile.d/blob.sh`, which sources
    `session/env-bootstrap` and is what puts `blob` on `PATH` in a login shell.
    Without it `BLOB_PATH` and `$BLOB_PATH/bin` are only set by
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index d60615a..d437708 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ link_blob_path
 install_packages
 
 install_shipped_config
+refresh_font_cache
 install_shell_profile
 install_user_units
 install_systemd_dropins
diff --git a/install/steps/config.sh b/install/steps/config.sh
index 23aefcd..2283269 100644
--- a/install/steps/config.sh
+++ b/install/steps/config.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,21 @@ install_shipped_config() {
   install_file "$repo_dir/fonts/omarchy.ttf" "$font_dir/omarchy.ttf" "fonts/omarchy.ttf"
 }
 
+refresh_font_cache() {
+  if ! command -v fc-cache &>/dev/null; then
+    say "SKIP  font cache (fc-cache not installed)"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ $check == true ]]; then
+    say "would refresh the font cache"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  fc-cache -f "$font_dir" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  say "ok    font cache"
+}
+
 install_shell_profile() {
   install_root_file "$repo_dir/session/profile.sh" /etc/profile.d/blob.sh "profile.d/blob.sh"
 }
diff --git a/shell/plugins/panels/quick-settings/QuickSettings.qml b/shell/plugins/panels/quick-settings/QuickSettings.qml
index db747b1..1900e31 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/panels/quick-settings/QuickSettings.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/panels/quick-settings/QuickSettings.qml
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ Item {
 
   readonly property string pluginId: (manifest && manifest.id) || "blob.quick-settings"
 
+  readonly property int barInset: {
+    var bar = root.shell ? root.shell.bar : null
+    if (!bar || bar.barHidden === true) return 0
+    if (String(bar.position || "top") !== "top") return 0
+    return Math.max(0, bar.barSize || 0)
+  }
+
   function open(payloadJson) {
     root.opened = true
   }
@@ -187,7 +194,7 @@ Item {
 
     Row {
       anchors.top: parent.top
-      anchors.topMargin: Style.spaceReal(10)
+      anchors.topMargin: Style.spaceReal(10) + root.barInset
       anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
       spacing: Style.spaceReal(12)