diff --git a/compositor/src/handlers/layer_shell.rs b/compositor/src/handlers/layer_shell.rs
index 38f38f5..1bc458a 100644
--- a/compositor/src/handlers/layer_shell.rs
+++ b/compositor/src/handlers/layer_shell.rs
@@ -42,11 +42,24 @@ impl WlrLayerShellHandler for Ferese {
         }
 
         tracing::debug!(%namespace, output = %output.name(), "mapped layer surface");
+        super::set_surface_tree_scale(
+            layer.wl_surface(),
+            output.current_scale().fractional_scale(),
+        );
         self.relayout();
         crate::backends::direct::render_all(self);
     }
 
-    fn new_popup(&mut self, _parent: LayerSurface, popup: PopupSurface) {
+    fn new_popup(&mut self, parent: LayerSurface, popup: PopupSurface) {
+        let scale = self.space.outputs().find_map(|output| {
+            layer_map_for_output(output)
+                .layers()
+                .any(|layer| layer.wl_surface() == parent.wl_surface())
+                .then(|| output.current_scale().fractional_scale())
+        });
+        if let Some(scale) = scale {
+            super::set_surface_tree_scale(popup.wl_surface(), scale);
+        }
         self.unconstrain_popup(&popup);
         if let Err(error) = self.popups.track_popup(PopupKind::Xdg(popup)) {
             tracing::warn!(?error, "failed to track layer-shell popup");
diff --git a/compositor/src/handlers/mod.rs b/compositor/src/handlers/mod.rs
index 827d38e..611f12c 100644
--- a/compositor/src/handlers/mod.rs
+++ b/compositor/src/handlers/mod.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ pub(crate) mod screencopy;
 mod xdg_shell;
 
 use smithay::{
+    desktop::{PopupManager, layer_map_for_output},
     input::{
         Seat, SeatHandler, SeatState,
         pointer::{CursorImageStatus, PointerHandle},
@@ -159,18 +160,39 @@ impl Ferese {
                 continue;
             };
 
-            with_surface_tree_downward(
-                toplevel.wl_surface(),
-                (),
-                |_, _, &()| TraversalAction::DoChildren(()),
-                |_, states, &()| {
-                    with_fractional_scale(states, |surface_scale| {
-                        surface_scale.set_preferred_scale(scale);
-                    });
-                },
-                |_, _, &()| true,
-            );
+            set_surface_tree_scale(toplevel.wl_surface(), scale);
         }
+
+        // Layer surfaces are not Space elements. Use their own output's scale,
+        // rather than broadcasting one output's density to every bar.
+        for output in self.space.outputs() {
+            let scale = output.current_scale().fractional_scale();
+            let layers: Vec<_> = layer_map_for_output(output).layers().cloned().collect();
+            for layer in layers {
+                set_surface_tree_scale(layer.wl_surface(), scale);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn set_surface_tree_scale(surface: &WlSurface, scale: f64) {
+    let update_tree = |root: &WlSurface| {
+        with_surface_tree_downward(
+            root,
+            (),
+            |_, _, &()| TraversalAction::DoChildren(()),
+            |_, states, &()| {
+                with_fractional_scale(states, |surface_scale| {
+                    surface_scale.set_preferred_scale(scale);
+                });
+            },
+            |_, _, &()| true,
+        );
+    };
+    update_tree(surface);
+    // XDG popups are separate surface trees, not wl_subsurfaces.
+    for (popup, _) in PopupManager::popups_for_surface(surface) {
+        update_tree(popup.wl_surface());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/shell/ferese-shell/src/main.rs b/shell/ferese-shell/src/main.rs
index 014e779..02145d0 100644
--- a/shell/ferese-shell/src/main.rs
+++ b/shell/ferese-shell/src/main.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use cosmic::iced::{
     window,
 };
 use cosmic::theme;
-use cosmic::widget::{button, container, icon, image, row, text};
+use cosmic::widget::{button, container, icon, image, row};
 use ferese_protocols::effects::v1::client::{
     ferese_effects_manager_v1::FereseEffectsManagerV1,
     ferese_surface_effects_v1::{self, FereseSurfaceEffectsV1},
@@ -43,6 +43,23 @@ use crate::control::{ShellControl, ShellSnapshot};
 
 const APP_ID: &str = "dev.ferese.Shell";
 
+static SHELL_FONT: std::sync::OnceLock<cosmic::font::Font> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
+
+fn configured_font(family: Option<&str>) -> cosmic::font::Font {
+    family.map_or_else(cosmic::font::default, |family| {
+        let family = Box::leak(family.to_owned().into_boxed_str());
+        cosmic::font::Font::with_name(family)
+    })
+}
+
+// COSMIC's text helper explicitly selects its interface font, overriding
+// Settings::default_font. Use this helper for every bar and menu label.
+fn text<'a>(
+    content: impl Into<std::borrow::Cow<'a, str>> + 'a,
+) -> cosmic::widget::Text<'a, cosmic::Theme, cosmic::Renderer> {
+    cosmic::widget::text(content).font(*SHELL_FONT.get_or_init(cosmic::font::default))
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
 struct BarMetrics {
     height: f32,
@@ -87,6 +104,8 @@ fn main() -> cosmic::iced::Result {
         unsafe { std::env::set_var("ICED_BACKEND", "tiny-skia,wgpu") };
     }
     let config = config::load();
+    let shell_font = configured_font(config.font_family.as_deref());
+    let _ = SHELL_FONT.set(shell_font);
     // Decode alongside toolkit/GPU initialization, never during a UI draw.
     let wallpaper = config.wallpaper.path.clone().map(|path| {
         let (sender, receiver) = cosmic::iced::futures::channel::oneshot::channel();
@@ -106,11 +125,7 @@ fn main() -> cosmic::iced::Result {
         .client_decorations(false)
         .transparent(true)
         .is_daemon(true);
-    if let Some(font_family) = config.font_family.clone() {
-        let font_family = Box::leak(font_family.into_boxed_str());
-
-        settings = settings.default_font(cosmic::font::Font::with_name(font_family));
-    }
+    settings = settings.default_font(shell_font);
 
     cosmic::app::run::<FereseShell>(settings, (config, wallpaper))
 }
@@ -1025,6 +1040,15 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use crate::control::{OutputSnapshot, WindowSnapshot};
 
+    #[test]
+    fn shell_font_respects_configured_family() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            configured_font(Some("JetBrainsMono Nerd Font")),
+            cosmic::font::Font::with_name("JetBrainsMono Nerd Font")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(configured_font(None), cosmic::font::default());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn icons_use_theme_accent_and_preserve_battery_status_colors() {
         for (source, accent) in [