diff --git a/settings/quickshell.nix b/settings/quickshell.nix
index 107c2a3..5e80502 100644
--- a/settings/quickshell.nix
+++ b/settings/quickshell.nix
@@ -2110,9 +2110,14 @@ in
                     fullWidth: menuItems.width + 2 * Theme.panelGap
                     fullHeight: menuItems.height + 2 * Theme.panelGap
 
-                    onVisibleChanged: {
-                        if (!visible) menuOpener.menu = null;
-                    }
+                    // Deliberately NOT cleared on close. Nulling the menu threw
+                    // away the loaded items, and the only thing that refills
+                    // them is a hover-enter — which never fires if the cursor
+                    // is still sitting on the icon you just clicked. Reopening
+                    // then re-fetched over DBus and the panel grew to its empty
+                    // height first, then jumped once the items landed. Keeping
+                    // the handle assigned makes reopening the same item free;
+                    // openFor() reassigns it when you pick a different one.
 
                     QsMenuOpener {
                         id: menuOpener