diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/style/style.css b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/style/style.css
index e677f85..74ef87e 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/style/style.css
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/style/style.css
@@ -8,16 +8,24 @@
 }
 
 /* ---- window / letterbox --------------------------------------------- */
-/* The backmost surface must be fully transparent so each module floats on its own
- * drawn border/background. The bare `window` (and its default `.background` node)
- * is included because the GTK theme paints a solid colour there that a plain
- * `.menu-window` rule does not always override. */
+/* The CyberQueer GTK theme paints `* { background-color: #1a1a1a }` on EVERY node,
+ * which fills the gaps between modules with a solid slab. Each module carries its
+ * own drawn (Cairo) card background via bordered(fill_bg=True), so blank the
+ * structural container nodes here to let the desktop show between the floating
+ * modules. `drawingarea` is the bordered() ring canvas — transparent so only its
+ * Cairo-drawn rounded fill shows, not a full-bleed square. */
 window,
 window.background,
 .menu-window,
 #menu-window,
 .panel,
-#panel-root {
+#panel-root,
+overlay,
+revealer,
+grid,
+scrolledwindow,
+viewport,
+drawingarea {
   background: transparent;
   background-color: transparent;
 }
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/theme.py b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/theme.py
index 41cce8d..6b732a5 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/theme.py
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/theme.py
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ _colors.css (generated from ~/Dotfiles/colors.conf by apply-theme.sh) defines th
 five CyberQueer @define-color names; style.css consumes them. They are loaded as
 two separate providers rather than via @import, because GTK4 resolves @import
 paths unreliably.
+
+Priority is USER+1, not APPLICATION: the CyberQueer GTK theme is installed as
+~/.config/gtk-4.0/gtk.css (a symlink), which GTK4 loads at PRIORITY_USER (800) —
+above APPLICATION (600). Its aggressive `* { background-color: #1a1a1a }` would
+otherwise beat our rules (e.g. the transparent structural containers that let the
+modules float), so we must sit just above the user-level theme.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -25,5 +31,5 @@ def load_css() -> None:
         provider = Gtk.CssProvider()
         provider.load_from_path(str(path))
         Gtk.StyleContext.add_provider_for_display(
-            display, provider, Gtk.STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_APPLICATION
+            display, provider, Gtk.STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_USER + 1
         )
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/ui/quadgrid.py b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/ui/quadgrid.py
index 0af6b75..3b4475c 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/ui/quadgrid.py
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/ui/quadgrid.py
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ class QuadGrid(Gtk.Overlay):
             card = QuadCard(spec, settings, services,
                             self.request_expand, self.request_collapse)
             self.cards[spec.id] = card
-            self.grid.attach(bordered(card, radius=16), index % 2, index // 2, 1, 1)
+            self.grid.attach(bordered(card, radius=16, fill_bg=True),
+                             index % 2, index // 2, 1, 1)
 
         # overlay used for the expanded quad
         self._expand_reveal = Gtk.Revealer(
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/window.py b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/window.py
index 58c1cc9..471d500 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/window.py
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/astal-menu/window.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class MenuWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
         self.taskbar_reveal = Gtk.Revealer(
             transition_type=Gtk.RevealerTransitionType.SLIDE_DOWN,
             transition_duration=160, reveal_child=True)
-        self.taskbar_reveal.set_child(bordered(self.taskbar))
+        self.taskbar_reveal.set_child(bordered(self.taskbar, fill_bg=True))
         self.root.append(self.taskbar_reveal)
 
         # quads
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class MenuWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
         # appdrawer
         self.appdrawer = AppDrawer(settings, on_launch=self.hide_menu,
                                    on_toggle_expand=self._on_appdrawer_expand)
-        self.appdrawer_wrap = bordered(self.appdrawer)
+        self.appdrawer_wrap = bordered(self.appdrawer, fill_bg=True)
         self.appdrawer_wrap.set_valign(Gtk.Align.FILL)
         self.root.append(self.appdrawer_wrap)