diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprdrive/orbit-menu/actions.py b/desktopenvs/hyprdrive/orbit-menu/actions.py
index e0838a1..86fe63c 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprdrive/orbit-menu/actions.py
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprdrive/orbit-menu/actions.py
@@ -20,8 +20,14 @@ from lib.proc import fire
 
 def launch(cmd: str) -> None:
     """Run cmd via Hyprland's exec dispatcher — cmd may carry a `[tag ...]` /
-    `[workspace ...]` window-rule-on-launch prefix, same as binds.lua."""
-    fire(["hyprctl", "dispatch", "exec", cmd])
+    `[workspace ...]` window-rule-on-launch prefix, same as binds.lua.
+
+    NB: `hyprctl dispatch` evaluates its argument as Lua here (hyprlua), so this
+    must go through `hl.dsp.exec_cmd(...)` — NOT the native `dispatch exec <cmd>`
+    form, which Lua parses as a syntax error and silently drops (see binds.lua's
+    `hl.dsp.exec_cmd("[tag +mixer] ...")`)."""
+    esc = cmd.replace("\\", "\\\\").replace('"', '\\"')
+    fire(["hyprctl", "dispatch", f'hl.dsp.exec_cmd("{esc}")'])
 
 
 def hyprshutdown(post_cmd: str | None = None) -> None: