diff --git a/settings/quickshell.nix b/settings/quickshell.nix
index 39be0dc..45b8c63 100644
--- a/settings/quickshell.nix
+++ b/settings/quickshell.nix
@@ -6304,14 +6304,30 @@ in
                                                         source: mediaCard.modelData.trackArtUrl
                                                     }
 
-                                                    // paused (not stopped) so resuming
-                                                    // picks up at the current angle
+                                                    // running is gated on the popup, NOT
+                                                    // left true: a paused animation is
+                                                    // still a *running* one to Qt's
+                                                    // animation driver, which holds the
+                                                    // window in continuous-update mode —
+                                                    // a commit every vblank, drawing
+                                                    // nothing. The bar's surface is the
+                                                    // whole screen, so each of those
+                                                    // commits makes Hyprland recomposite
+                                                    // the entire output, which halved
+                                                    // framerates in games. Once
+                                                    // spotify-player became a daemon an
+                                                    // MPRIS player is always present, so
+                                                    // this card — and this animation —
+                                                    // never went away.
+                                                    // paused (not stopped) still applies
+                                                    // while the popup is open, so play/
+                                                    // pause resumes at the current angle
                                                     // instead of snapping back to 0.
                                                     NumberAnimation on rotation {
                                                         from: 0; to: 360
                                                         duration: 8000
                                                         loops: Animation.Infinite
-                                                        running: true
+                                                        running: calPopup.open
                                                         paused: !vinyl.spinning
                                                     }
                                                 }