diff --git a/shell/applets/MprisApplet.qml b/shell/applets/MprisApplet.qml
index e06c531..1dd4de6 100644
--- a/shell/applets/MprisApplet.qml
+++ b/shell/applets/MprisApplet.qml
@@ -306,50 +306,58 @@ Column {
     // Player switcher
     Item {
         width: root.width
-        height: root.players.length > 1 ? _playerFlow.implicitHeight + 6 : 0
+        height: root.players.length > 1 ? 28 : 0
         visible: root.players.length > 1
 
-        Flow {
-            id: _playerFlow
-            anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
-            anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
-            width: parent.width - 16
-            spacing: 6
+        Flickable {
+            id: _switcher
+            anchors.centerIn: parent
+            width: Math.min(_playerRow.implicitWidth, parent.width - 16)
+            height: 22
+            contentWidth: _playerRow.implicitWidth
+            clip: true
 
-            Repeater {
-                model: root.players
+            Row {
+                id: _playerRow
+                height: 22
+                spacing: 6
 
-                delegate: Rectangle {
-                    required property var modelData
-                    required property int index
+                Repeater {
+                    model: root.players
 
-                    readonly property bool _active: index === root.playerIdx
+                    delegate: Rectangle {
+                        required property var modelData
+                        required property int index
 
-                    width: _pLabel.implicitWidth + 12
-                    height: 18
-                    radius: 9
-                    color: _active ? S.Theme.base02 : (pHover.hovered ? S.Theme.base02 : "transparent")
-                    border.color: _active ? root.accentColor : S.Theme.base03
-                    border.width: _active ? 1 : 0
+                        readonly property bool _active: index === root.playerIdx
 
-                    Text {
-                        id: _pLabel
-                        anchors.centerIn: parent
-                        text: modelData.identity ?? "Player"
-                        color: _active ? root.accentColor : S.Theme.base04
-                        font.pixelSize: S.Theme.fontSize - 2
-                        font.family: S.Theme.fontFamily
-                        font.bold: _active
-                    }
+                        width: _pLabel.implicitWidth + 12
+                        height: 18
+                        radius: 9
+                        color: _active ? S.Theme.base02 : (pHover.hovered ? S.Theme.base02 : "transparent")
+                        border.color: _active ? root.accentColor : S.Theme.base03
+                        border.width: _active ? 1 : 0
+                        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
 
-                    HoverHandler {
-                        id: pHover
-                        cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
-                    }
+                        Text {
+                            id: _pLabel
+                            anchors.centerIn: parent
+                            text: modelData.identity ?? "Player"
+                            color: _active ? root.accentColor : S.Theme.base04
+                            font.pixelSize: S.Theme.fontSize - 2
+                            font.family: S.Theme.fontFamily
+                            font.bold: _active
+                        }
 
-                    TapHandler {
-                        onTapped: {
-                            root.playerSwitched(index);
+                        HoverHandler {
+                            id: pHover
+                            cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
+                        }
+
+                        TapHandler {
+                            onTapped: {
+                                root.playerSwitched(index);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/shell/services/MprisService.qml b/shell/services/MprisService.qml
index c88aefa..d5941d5 100644
--- a/shell/services/MprisService.qml
+++ b/shell/services/MprisService.qml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 pragma Singleton
 
 import QtQuick
-import QtQml.Models
 import Quickshell.Services.Mpris
 
 QtObject {
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ QtObject {
 
     property string _selectedIdentity: ""
     property var _lastPlayedTime: ({})
+    property var _watchers: []
 
     onPlayerChanged: {
         if (player)
@@ -33,18 +33,33 @@ QtObject {
         }
     }
 
-    // Watch all raw players for state changes via Instantiator -
-    // delegates persist across state changes since the model only
-    // changes on player add/remove, not property changes
-    property Instantiator _stateWatchers: Instantiator {
-        model: Mpris.players
-        delegate: QtObject {
-            required property MprisPlayer modelData
-            property Connections _conn: Connections {
-                target: modelData
-                function onPlaybackStateChanged() {
-                    root._onPlaybackStateChanged(modelData);
-                }
+    // Watch raw Mpris.players for add/remove - this does NOT fire on state changes
+    property Connections _mprisConn: Connections {
+        target: Mpris
+        function onPlayersChanged() {
+            root._reconnectWatchers();
+        }
+    }
+
+    function _reconnectWatchers() {
+        for (const w of _watchers)
+            w.destroy();
+
+        const raw = Mpris.players.values ?? [];
+        const newWatchers = [];
+        for (const p of raw) {
+            const conn = _watcherComp.createObject(root, {
+                target: p
+            });
+            newWatchers.push(conn);
+        }
+        _watchers = newWatchers;
+    }
+
+    property Component _watcherComp: Component {
+        Connections {
+            function onPlaybackStateChanged() {
+                root._onPlaybackStateChanged(target);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -69,6 +84,7 @@ QtObject {
                 }
             }
         } else if (p.playbackState === MprisPlaybackState.Paused && p === player) {
+            // Current player paused - switch to a playing one if available
             _switchToPlaying();
         }
     }
@@ -123,4 +139,6 @@ QtObject {
         if (players[idx])
             _selectedIdentity = players[idx].identity ?? "";
     }
+
+    Component.onCompleted: _reconnectWatchers()
 }