diff --git a/settings/hyprland.nix b/settings/hyprland.nix
index 6a93dc4..0857ddb 100644
--- a/settings/hyprland.nix
+++ b/settings/hyprland.nix
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ in
               follow_mouse = 1;
               accel_profile = "flat";
               sensitivity = 0;
+              # An open special workspace otherwise swallows focus for the
+              # regular workspace underneath. Both scratchpads hold exactly one
+              # floating window, which is the case this unblocks — and the
+              # click-away handler below needs that focus change to fire.
+              special_fallthrough = true;
             } // lib.optionalAttrs isMacbook {
               touchpad = {
                 tap_to_click = true;
@@ -306,6 +311,19 @@ in
               if cmd and not shutting_down then hl.exec_cmd(cmd) end
             end)
 
+            -- Click-away dismiss: focus landing on anything outside the open
+            -- special workspace slides it back out, so a scratchpad never has
+            -- to be toggled off by hand. Generic on purpose — any special
+            -- workspace, not just these two.
+            hl.on("window.active", function(win)
+              local special = hl.get_active_special_workspace()
+              if not special then return end
+              if win and win.workspace and win.workspace.special then return end
+              -- Workspace name is "special:scratch"; toggle_special wants the
+              -- bare "scratch" (and "" for the unnamed "special" workspace).
+              hl.dispatch(hl.dsp.workspace.toggle_special(special.name:match("^special:(.*)$") or ""))
+            end)
+
             -- Startup
             hl.on("hyprland.start", function()
               -- Ensure hyprland-session.target starts even if HM's
diff --git a/settings/quickshell.nix b/settings/quickshell.nix
index 29dbea4..0e80bee 100644
--- a/settings/quickshell.nix
+++ b/settings/quickshell.nix
@@ -2265,11 +2265,18 @@ in
                         ? Qt.vector4d(surfLeftX + chrome.width / 2, (panelTop + panelBottom) / 2,
                                       meltInto / 2 + chrome.width / 2, (panelBottom - panelTop) / 2)
                         : Qt.vector4d(0, 0, 0, 0)
-                    // Toast sits under the top frame band and melts up into it.
-                    readonly property real toastBot: toastItem.y + 8 + _toastRect.height
+                    // Toast melts into whichever frame band it lands against —
+                    // same snap test the panel uses, since the toast now
+                    // follows the clock instead of sitting at the top.
+                    readonly property real toastRawTop: toastItem.y + 8
+                    readonly property real toastRawBot: toastRawTop + _toastRect.height
+                    readonly property real toastTop: toastRawTop <= Theme.frameWidth + snapDist
+                        ? meltTop : toastRawTop
+                    readonly property real toastBot: toastRawBot >= bar.height - Theme.frameWidth - snapDist
+                        ? meltBot : toastRawBot
                     property vector4d toast: toastItem.visible && _toastRect.width > 0.5
-                        ? Qt.vector4d(surfLeftX + _toastRect.width / 2, (meltTop + toastBot) / 2,
-                                      meltInto / 2 + _toastRect.width / 2, (toastBot - meltTop) / 2)
+                        ? Qt.vector4d(surfLeftX + _toastRect.width / 2, (toastTop + toastBot) / 2,
+                                      meltInto / 2 + _toastRect.width / 2, (toastBot - toastTop) / 2)
                         : Qt.vector4d(0, 0, 0, 0)
                     // The launcher is the one surface that stays put: it still
                     // grows from the bottom frame band at screen centre.
@@ -7137,7 +7144,14 @@ in
                     readonly property bool isPrimary: bar.screen === Quickshell.screens[0]
 
                     x: Theme.barWidth
-                    y: Theme.frameWidth + 8
+                    // Hangs off the clock, exactly like the calendar popup
+                    // (same clamp as BarDropdown). Move the clock in the bar
+                    // column and both the popup and the toast follow it.
+                    y: {
+                        const c = clockText.mapToItem(bar.contentItem, 0, clockText.height / 2).y;
+                        return Math.round(Math.max(Theme.frameWidth,
+                            Math.min(bar.height - Theme.frameWidth - height, c - height / 2)));
+                    }
                     width: _toastRect.width + 4
                     height: _toastRect.height + 16