diff --git a/src/event_loop/mod.rs b/src/event_loop/mod.rs
index b945dc6..e086efd 100644
--- a/src/event_loop/mod.rs
+++ b/src/event_loop/mod.rs
@@ -48,9 +48,11 @@ use std::collections::HashSet;
 /// Every variant maps to a fatal failure during init: the Wayland
 /// connection, the calloop event loop, or one of the protocol bindings
 /// the runtime cannot operate without (`wl_compositor`, `wl_shm`,
-/// `xdg_wm_base`). Once init succeeds, runtime errors during the dispatch
-/// loop still panic — they are non-recoverable from the caller's point
-/// of view since the surface is already on screen.
+/// `xdg_wm_base`). Once init succeeds, the compositor disconnecting
+/// (`BrokenPipe` / `ConnectionReset`) is treated as a clean exit; any
+/// other runtime error during the dispatch loop still panics, since the
+/// surface is already on screen and the state machine cannot be unwound
+/// from this entry point.
 ///
 /// Embedders that want a software-rendered fallback or that need to
 /// degrade gracefully should call [`crate::try_run`] and match on the
@@ -373,7 +375,31 @@ pub( crate ) fn try_run<A: App>( app: A ) -> Result<(), RunError>
 		// cap the wait at its deadline so a perfectly still press still
 		// fires on time.
 		let timeout = data.next_long_press_wakeup();
-		event_loop.dispatch( timeout, &mut data ).expect( "dispatch" );
+		match event_loop.dispatch( timeout, &mut data )
+		{
+			Ok( () ) => {},
+			Err( calloop::Error::IoError( ref e ) )
+				if matches!( e.kind(), std::io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe | std::io::ErrorKind::ConnectionReset ) =>
+			{
+				// On a fatal `wl_display.error` the compositor closes the
+				// socket; the backend has the typed error stashed but the
+				// dispatch result only carries the resulting `BrokenPipe`.
+				if let Some( pe ) = conn.protocol_error()
+				{
+					eprintln!(
+						"ltk: wayland protocol error — interface={} object_id={} code={}: {}",
+						pe.object_interface, pe.object_id, pe.code, pe.message
+					);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					eprintln!( "ltk: wayland connection lost ({e}); exiting" );
+				}
+				data.exit_requested = true;
+				continue;
+			}
+			Err( e ) => panic!( "dispatch: {e:?}" ),
+		}
 		// Any surface whose press has now crossed `long_press_duration`
 		// emits its stored message and flips into drag mode for the rest
 		// of the gesture.
diff --git a/src/theme/mod.rs b/src/theme/mod.rs
index a495cd0..0995255 100644
--- a/src/theme/mod.rs
+++ b/src/theme/mod.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@ pub struct LauncherSpec
 #[ derive( Debug, Clone, Copy ) ]
 pub struct WindowControlsSpec
 {
+	/// Background fill of the SSD title bar strip the controls sit on.
+	pub bar_bg:         Color,
 	/// Symbol colour for minimize / maximize / restore / close glyphs.
 	pub icon:           Color,
 	/// Button background while hovered.
@@ -972,6 +974,7 @@ pub ( super ) fn default_window_controls( palette: Palette ) -> WindowControlsSp
 {
 	WindowControlsSpec
 	{
+		bar_bg:         Color { a: 1.0, ..palette.surface },
 		icon:           palette.icon,
 		hover_bg:       palette.surface_alt,
 		pressed_bg:     palette.divider,
diff --git a/src/theme/schema.rs b/src/theme/schema.rs
index 46618cd..a7de459 100644
--- a/src/theme/schema.rs
+++ b/src/theme/schema.rs
@@ -740,6 +740,7 @@ struct RawLauncher
 #[ serde( deny_unknown_fields ) ]
 struct RawWindowControls
 {
+	#[ serde( default ) ] bar_bg:         Option<String>,
 	#[ serde( default ) ] icon:           Option<String>,
 	#[ serde( default ) ] hover_bg:       Option<String>,
 	#[ serde( default ) ] pressed_bg:     Option<String>,
@@ -814,6 +815,7 @@ fn window_controls_from_raw
 		Some( p ) => default_window_controls( *p ),
 		None      => WindowControlsSpec
 		{
+			bar_bg:         Color::WHITE,
 			icon:           Color::BLACK,
 			hover_bg:       Color::rgba( 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.08 ),
 			pressed_bg:     Color::rgba( 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.12 ),
@@ -824,6 +826,7 @@ fn window_controls_from_raw
 	};
 	Ok( WindowControlsSpec
 	{
+		bar_bg:         parse_opt( raw.bar_bg.as_deref(),         fallback.bar_bg         )?,
 		icon:           parse_opt( raw.icon.as_deref(),           fallback.icon           )?,
 		hover_bg:       parse_opt( raw.hover_bg.as_deref(),       fallback.hover_bg       )?,
 		pressed_bg:     parse_opt( raw.pressed_bg.as_deref(),     fallback.pressed_bg     )?,
diff --git a/themes/default/theme.json b/themes/default/theme.json
index 58279c6..1442a7c 100644
--- a/themes/default/theme.json
+++ b/themes/default/theme.json
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 		"navy":       "#0A032E",
 		"indigo":     "#221A5A",
 		"midnight":   "#181045",
+		"window-bar-dark": "#2B2838",
 		"white":      "#FFFFFF",
 		"off-white":  "#EAE9EB",
 		"sky":        "#2AA7F7",
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@
 		"light": {
 			"launcher":        { "background": "@white/E6", "border_radius": 24.0 },
 			"window_controls": {
+				"bar_bg":         "@off-white",
 				"icon":           "@slate",
 				"hover_bg":       "@navy/14",
 				"pressed_bg":     "@navy/24",
@@ -206,6 +208,7 @@
 		"dark": {
 			"launcher":        { "background": "@indigo/E6", "border_radius": 24.0 },
 			"window_controls": {
+				"bar_bg":         "@window-bar-dark",
 				"icon":           "@silver",
 				"hover_bg":       "@white/18",
 				"pressed_bg":     "@white/26",