diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5c0031bd..e178ac1a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ debian/*
 !debian/links
 !debian/rules
 !debian/source
+
+cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
+cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f2067ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=COSMIC Status Notifier Watcher backend
+
+[Service]
+Type=dbus
+BusName=com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher
+ExecStart=@bindir@/cosmic-applet-status-area --status-notifier-watcher
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c3345d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[D-BUS Service]
+Name=com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher
+Exec=@bindir@/cosmic-applet-status-area --status-notifier-watcher
+SystemdService=com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/org.freedesktop.impl.portal.desktop.cosmic.service.in b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/org.freedesktop.impl.portal.desktop.cosmic.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f2067ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/data/org.freedesktop.impl.portal.desktop.cosmic.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=COSMIC Status Notifier Watcher backend
+
+[Service]
+Type=dbus
+BusName=com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher
+ExecStart=@bindir@/cosmic-applet-status-area --status-notifier-watcher
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/lib.rs b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/lib.rs
index 371b8aff..17166cbc 100644
--- a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,23 @@
 // Copyright 2023 System76 <info@system76.com>
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
 
+use std::{env, process};
+
 mod components;
 mod subscriptions;
 
+pub mod status_notifier_watcher;
+mod unique_names;
+
 pub fn run() -> cosmic::iced::Result {
-    components::app::main()
+    if let Some(arg) = env::args().nth(1) {
+        if arg == "--status-notifier-watcher" {
+            status_notifier_watcher::run()
+        } else {
+            tracing::error!("Invalid argument `{arg}` for status-area applet`");
+            process::exit(1);
+        }
+    } else {
+        components::app::main()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/status_notifier_watcher.rs b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/status_notifier_watcher.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1bb75d79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/status_notifier_watcher.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+// Copyright 2023 System76 <info@system76.com>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
+
+//! A seperate DBus socket-activated daemon to serve as the status notifier watcher
+//!
+//! By socket-activating this daemon, panel configuration changes do not end up terminating
+//! the daemon and having different applet instances race to start it.
+//!
+//! This provides a seperate interface from the standard one, with a single register method, so it
+//! can be socket-activated and not conflict with anything else running as a status notifier
+//! watcher.
+//!
+//! The daemon runs as long as as there is at least one client still connected. Which it checks
+//! for every `REFRESH_INTERVAL`.
+
+use crate::subscriptions::status_notifier_watcher::server::create_service;
+use crate::unique_names::UniqueNames;
+
+use futures::StreamExt;
+use std::{collections::HashSet, time::Duration};
+use zbus::fdo;
+use zbus::message::Header;
+
+const DBUS_NAME: &str = "com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher";
+const OBJECT_PATH: &str = "/CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher";
+const REFRESH_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(60);
+
+/// Run daemon
+pub fn run() -> cosmic::iced::Result {
+    if let Err(err) = run_inner() {
+        eprintln!("Zbus error running status notifier watcher: {}", err);
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Register client with daemon
+pub async fn cosmic_register(conn: &zbus::Connection) -> zbus::Result<()> {
+    let cosmic_watcher = CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcherProxy::new(conn).await?;
+    cosmic_watcher.register_applet().await?;
+    let mut stream = cosmic_watcher.0.receive_owner_changed().await?;
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        while let Some(value) = stream.next().await {
+            if let Some(_unique_name) = value {
+                /// Register with new owner
+                let _ = cosmic_watcher.register_applet().await;
+            }
+        }
+    });
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[zbus::proxy(
+    interface = "com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher",
+    default_service = "com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher",
+    default_path = "/CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher"
+)]
+trait CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher {
+    async fn register_applet(&self) -> zbus::Result<()>;
+}
+
+struct CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher {
+    applets: HashSet<zbus::names::UniqueName<'static>>,
+    unique_names: UniqueNames,
+}
+
+#[zbus::interface(name = "com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher")]
+impl CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher {
+    fn register_applet(&mut self, #[zbus(header)] hdr: Header<'_>) {
+        if let Some(sender) = hdr.sender() {
+            if self.unique_names.has_unique_name(sender) {
+                self.applets.insert(sender.to_owned());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher {
+    fn has_client(&self) -> bool {
+        !self.applets.is_empty()
+    }
+
+    /// Purge registered clients that no longer exist on bus
+    fn refresh(&mut self) {
+        self.applets
+            .retain(|n| self.unique_names.has_unique_name(n));
+    }
+}
+
+#[tokio::main]
+pub async fn run_inner() -> zbus::Result<()> {
+    let (running, abort_handle) = futures::future::abortable(std::future::pending::<()>());
+
+    let conn = zbus::Connection::session().await?;
+    create_service(&conn).await?;
+    let dbus = zbus::fdo::DBusProxy::new(&conn).await?;
+    conn.object_server()
+        .at(
+            OBJECT_PATH,
+            CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher {
+                applets: HashSet::new(),
+                unique_names: UniqueNames::new(&conn).await?,
+            },
+        )
+        .await?;
+    let interface = conn
+        .object_server()
+        .interface::<_, CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher>(OBJECT_PATH)
+        .await?;
+    tokio::spawn(refresh_task(interface.clone(), abort_handle.clone()));
+    let name_lost_stream = dbus.receive_name_lost().await?;
+    tokio::spawn(name_lost_task(name_lost_stream, abort_handle));
+    conn.request_name(DBUS_NAME).await?;
+
+    let _ = running.await;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+// Task to terminate daemon with the owned name is lost.
+// (If a different instance of this daemon is manually started.)
+async fn name_lost_task(
+    mut name_lost_stream: fdo::NameLostStream,
+    abort_handle: futures::future::AbortHandle,
+) {
+    while let Some(name_lost) = name_lost_stream.next().await {
+        let Ok(args) = name_lost.args() else {
+            return;
+        };
+        if args.name == DBUS_NAME {
+            eprintln!("'{}' name on bus lost. Exiting.", DBUS_NAME);
+            abort_handle.abort();
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async fn refresh_task(
+    interface: zbus::object_server::InterfaceRef<CosmicAppletStatusNotifierWatcher>,
+    abort_handle: futures::future::AbortHandle,
+) {
+    let mut interval = tokio::time::interval(std::time::Duration::from_secs(60));
+    interval.set_missed_tick_behavior(tokio::time::MissedTickBehavior::Skip);
+    // Initial tick, waiting for first client to connect
+    interval.tick().await;
+    loop {
+        interval.tick().await;
+        let mut watcher = interface.get_mut().await;
+        if !watcher.has_client() {
+            // No clients since last refresh; exit
+            abort_handle.abort();
+            return;
+        }
+        watcher.refresh();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/subscriptions/status_notifier_watcher/mod.rs b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/subscriptions/status_notifier_watcher/mod.rs
index af0f74ae..9f9c7d14 100644
--- a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/subscriptions/status_notifier_watcher/mod.rs
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/subscriptions/status_notifier_watcher/mod.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use futures::{StreamExt, stream};
 use crate::subscriptions::status_notifier_item::StatusNotifierItem;
 
 mod client;
-mod server;
+pub(crate) mod server;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum Event {
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ async fn connect() -> zbus::Result<(zbus::Connection, client::EventStream)> {
     let connection = zbus::Connection::session().await?;
 
     // Start `StatusNotifierWatcher` service, if there isn't one running already
-    server::create_service(&connection).await?;
+    if let Err(err) = crate::status_notifier_watcher::cosmic_register(&connection).await {
+        eprintln!("Failed to start status notifier watcher: {}", err);
+    }
 
     // Connect client and listen for registered/unregistered
     let stream = client::watch(&connection).await?;
diff --git a/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/unique_names.rs b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/unique_names.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cab6483e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-applet-status-area/src/unique_names.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+// Copyright 2026 System76 <info@system76.com>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
+
+// Based on https://github.com/pop-os/cosmic-comp/blob/master/src/dbus/name_owners.rs,
+// but only tracking unique names, and using tokio executor.
+
+use futures::StreamExt;
+use std::{
+    collections::HashSet,
+    future::{Future, poll_fn},
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex, Weak},
+    task::{Context, Poll, Waker},
+};
+use zbus::{
+    fdo,
+    names::{BusName, UniqueName},
+};
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct Inner {
+    unique_names: HashSet<UniqueName<'static>>,
+    stream: fdo::NameOwnerChangedStream,
+    // Waker from `update_task` is stored, so that task will still be woken after
+    // polling elsewhere.
+    waker: Waker,
+}
+
+impl Drop for Inner {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // Wake `update_task` so it can terminate
+        self.waker.wake_by_ref();
+    }
+}
+
+impl Inner {
+    /// Process all events so far on `stream`, and update `unique_names`.
+    fn update_if_needed(&mut self) {
+        let mut context = Context::from_waker(&self.waker);
+        while let Poll::Ready(val) = self.stream.poll_next_unpin(&mut context) {
+            let val = val.unwrap();
+            let args = val.args().unwrap();
+            match args.name {
+                BusName::Unique(name) => {
+                    if args.new_owner.is_some() {
+                        self.unique_names.insert(name.to_owned());
+                    } else {
+                        self.unique_names.remove(&name.to_owned());
+                    }
+                }
+                BusName::WellKnown(_) => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// This task polls the steam regularly, to make sure events on the stream aren't just
+/// buffered indefinitely.
+fn update_task(inner: Weak<Mutex<Inner>>) -> impl Future<Output = ()> {
+    poll_fn(move |context| {
+        if let Some(inner) = inner.upgrade() {
+            let mut inner = inner.lock().unwrap();
+            inner.waker = context.waker().clone();
+            inner.update_if_needed();
+            // Nothing to do now until waker is invoked
+            Poll::Pending
+        } else {
+            // All strong references have been dropped, so task has nothing left to do.
+            Poll::Ready(())
+        }
+    })
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct UniqueNames(Arc<Mutex<Inner>>);
+
+impl UniqueNames {
+    pub async fn new(connection: &zbus::Connection) -> zbus::Result<Self> {
+        let dbus = fdo::DBusProxy::new(connection).await?;
+        let stream = dbus.receive_name_owner_changed().await?;
+
+        let names = dbus.list_names().await?;
+        let unique_names = names
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|n| match n.inner() {
+                BusName::Unique(name) => Some(name.to_owned()),
+                BusName::WellKnown(_) => None,
+            })
+            .collect();
+
+        let inner = Arc::new(Mutex::new(Inner {
+            unique_names,
+            stream,
+            waker: Waker::noop().clone(),
+        }));
+
+        tokio::spawn(update_task(Arc::downgrade(&inner)));
+
+        Ok(UniqueNames(inner))
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn has_unique_name(&self, name: &UniqueName<'_>) -> bool {
+        let mut inner = self.0.lock().unwrap();
+        inner.update_if_needed();
+        inner.unique_names.contains(name)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index a1ea651c..6c5033d3 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ sharedir := rootdir + prefix + '/share'
 iconsdir := sharedir + '/icons/hicolor'
 prefixdir := prefix + '/bin'
 bindir := rootdir + prefixdir
+libdir := rootdir + prefix + '/lib'
 default-schema-target := sharedir / 'cosmic'
 
 cosmic-applets-bin := prefixdir / 'cosmic-applets'
@@ -57,8 +58,14 @@ _install_button id name: (_install_icons name) (_install_desktop name + '/data/'
 _install_metainfo:
     install -Dm0644 {{metainfo-src}} {{metainfo-dst}}
 
+_install_status_notifier_watcher:
+    sed "s|@bindir@|{{prefixdir}}|" cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in > cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
+    install -Dm0644 cosmic-applet-status-area/data/dbus-1/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service {{sharedir}}/dbus-1/services/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
+    sed "s|@bindir@|{{prefixdir}}|" cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service.in > cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
+    install -Dm0644 cosmic-applet-status-area/data/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service {{libdir}}/systemd/user/com.system76.CosmicStatusNotifierWatcher.service
+
 # Installs files into the system
-install: (_install_bin 'cosmic-applets') (_link_applet 'cosmic-panel-button') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppList' 'cosmic-app-list') (_install_default_schema 'cosmic-app-list') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletA11y' 'cosmic-applet-a11y') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletAudio' 'cosmic-applet-audio') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletInputSources' 'cosmic-applet-input-sources') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletBattery' 'cosmic-applet-battery') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletBluetooth' 'cosmic-applet-bluetooth') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletMinimize' 'cosmic-applet-minimize') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletNetwork' 'cosmic-applet-network') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletNotifications' 'cosmic-applet-notifications') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletPower' 'cosmic-applet-power') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletStatusArea' 'cosmic-applet-status-area') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletTiling' 'cosmic-applet-tiling') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletTime' 'cosmic-applet-time') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletWorkspaces' 'cosmic-applet-workspaces') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelAppButton' 'cosmic-panel-app-button') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelLauncherButton' 'cosmic-panel-launcher-button') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelWorkspacesButton' 'cosmic-panel-workspaces-button') (_install_metainfo)
+install: (_install_bin 'cosmic-applets') (_link_applet 'cosmic-panel-button') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppList' 'cosmic-app-list') (_install_default_schema 'cosmic-app-list') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletA11y' 'cosmic-applet-a11y') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletAudio' 'cosmic-applet-audio') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletInputSources' 'cosmic-applet-input-sources') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletBattery' 'cosmic-applet-battery') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletBluetooth' 'cosmic-applet-bluetooth') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletMinimize' 'cosmic-applet-minimize') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletNetwork' 'cosmic-applet-network') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletNotifications' 'cosmic-applet-notifications') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletPower' 'cosmic-applet-power') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletStatusArea' 'cosmic-applet-status-area') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletTiling' 'cosmic-applet-tiling') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletTime' 'cosmic-applet-time') (_install_applet 'com.system76.CosmicAppletWorkspaces' 'cosmic-applet-workspaces') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelAppButton' 'cosmic-panel-app-button') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelLauncherButton' 'cosmic-panel-launcher-button') (_install_button 'com.system76.CosmicPanelWorkspacesButton' 'cosmic-panel-workspaces-button') (_install_metainfo) (_install_status_notifier_watcher)
 
 # Vendor Cargo dependencies locally
 vendor: