diff --git a/settings/quickshell.nix b/settings/quickshell.nix
index a75cb83..55c5e47 100644
--- a/settings/quickshell.nix
+++ b/settings/quickshell.nix
@@ -2118,15 +2118,26 @@ in
                     // small, and nil when it is the same menu as last time.
                     readonly property bool menuLoaded:
                         menuOpener.children && menuOpener.children.values.length > 0
+                    // The model populating is NOT the same instant as the
+                    // layout catching up: the Repeater still has to build its
+                    // delegates and the Column re-measure. Gating on the model
+                    // alone left a frame where menuLoaded was true but the Card
+                    // was still empty-sized, so the panel collapsed and then
+                    // regrew — visible when switching between two tray icons,
+                    // which is the only path that reassigns the handle.
+                    // Require the height to have actually grown past an empty
+                    // Card (which measures 2*cardPad, not 0).
+                    readonly property bool menuReady:
+                        menuLoaded && menuItems.height > 2 * Theme.cardPad
                     property real lastMenuHeight: 0
-                    fullHeight: (menuLoaded ? menuItems.height
-                                            : Math.max(menuItems.height, lastMenuHeight))
+                    fullHeight: (menuReady ? menuItems.height
+                                           : Math.max(menuItems.height, lastMenuHeight))
                                 + 2 * Theme.panelGap
 
                     Connections {
                         target: menuItems
                         function onHeightChanged() {
-                            if (contextMenu.menuLoaded)
+                            if (contextMenu.menuReady)
                                 contextMenu.lastMenuHeight = menuItems.height;
                         }
                     }