diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 98f6a9f..9abf59d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ The Material You scheme type is Skwd-wall's setting (`matugen.schemeType`).
 cover_colors = false   # true: the open media card and equalizer take the song cover's colours as background
 transition_ms = 400    # how long a colour change cross-fades; 0 switches instantly
 glass = 1.0            # surface opacity, 0.05 to 1; below 1 the desktop shows through
+blur = 3               # Hyprland's blur strength behind the glass, 1 to 30 (Hyprland default 8)
 ```
 
 ## Glass
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ amane_glass = hl.layer_rule({
 
 The look of the surfaces (fill, rim, highlight, shadow) lives in `src/surface.rs`.
 
+`blur` in `shell.conf` sets how much the glass frosts: low values leave the background nearly readable. Hyprland's blur strength is one global setting (a layer rule can only turn blur on), so the shell sets `decoration.blur.size` for everything Hyprland blurs, and sets it again after every Hyprland config reload. Leave `blur` out to keep Hyprland's own value.
+
 ## Layout
 
 ```
diff --git a/shell.conf b/shell.conf
index 7f105fe..e908b45 100644
--- a/shell.conf
+++ b/shell.conf
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ cover_colors = false
 # how long a colour change cross-fades, in milliseconds; 0 switches instantly
 transition_ms = 400
 
+# how strongly Hyprland blurs what is behind the glass: 1 (barely, nearly readable) to 30;
+# Hyprland's own default is 8. its blur strength is global, so this also changes the blur
+# of any other translucent window. leave it out to keep Hyprland's value
+blur = 3
+
 # how opaque the shell's surfaces are, 0.05 to 1 (1 = solid). below 1 the desktop shows
 # through; to frost it, Hyprland has to blur behind the shell (README: Glass)
 glass = 0.4
diff --git a/src/theme.rs b/src/theme.rs
index edf9528..dcf406c 100644
--- a/src/theme.rs
+++ b/src/theme.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 use std::cell::Cell;
+use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader};
+use std::os::unix::net::UnixStream;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::process::Command;
 use std::sync::{Mutex, PoisonError};
 use std::time::Duration;
 use std::{env, fs, thread};
@@ -97,6 +100,9 @@ impl Service for Theme {
 
         thread::spawn(|| follow("shell.conf"));
 
+        // a hyprland config reload puts its own blur back: ask for ours again
+        thread::spawn(follow_hyprland);
+
         follow("theme");
     }
 }
@@ -130,6 +136,59 @@ fn reload() {
     *last = Some(read);
 }
 
+/*
+ * shell.conf `blur`: how strongly Hyprland blurs behind the glass. hyprland's blur
+ * strength is global (a layer rule can only switch blur on), so this sets
+ * decoration.blur.size for everything it blurs. none leaves hyprland's own value
+ */
+static BLUR: Mutex<Option<u32>> = Mutex::new(None);
+
+fn set_blur(size: Option<u32>) {
+    let changed = {
+        let mut blur = BLUR.lock().unwrap_or_else(PoisonError::into_inner);
+
+        let changed = *blur != size;
+
+        *blur = size;
+
+        changed
+    };
+
+    if changed {
+        send_blur();
+    }
+}
+
+// on its own thread, so hyprctl never holds up the theme
+fn send_blur() {
+    let Some(size) = *BLUR.lock().unwrap_or_else(PoisonError::into_inner) else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        let lua = format!("hl.config({{ [\"decoration.blur.size\"] = {size} }})");
+
+        let _ = Command::new("hyprctl").arg("eval").arg(lua).output();
+    });
+}
+
+// hyprland's event socket says configreloaded>> after every reload, which resets the blur
+fn follow_hyprland() {
+    let (Some(runtime), Some(instance)) = (env::var_os("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"), env::var_os("HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE")) else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    let Ok(events) = UnixStream::connect(PathBuf::from(runtime).join("hypr").join(instance).join(".socket2.sock")) else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    for line in BufReader::new(events).lines().map_while(Result::ok) {
+        if line.starts_with("configreloaded") {
+            send_blur();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn read(name: &str) -> String {
     fs::read_to_string(config_file(name)).unwrap_or_default()
 }
@@ -180,6 +239,8 @@ fn apply(theme: &str, config: &str, startup: bool) {
     theme.cover_colors = setting("cover_colors") == Some("true");
     theme.glass = setting("glass").and_then(|glass| glass.parse::<f32>().ok()).map_or(1.0, |glass| glass.clamp(0.05, 1.0));
 
+    set_blur(setting("blur").and_then(|size| size.parse::<u32>().ok()).map(|size| size.clamp(1, 30)));
+
     // a change in the middle of a fade starts from the colours on screen now
     let now = theme.colors.value();