diff --git a/sway/.config/sway/config b/sway/.config/sway/config
index 5dbedb8..f683eb6 100644
--- a/sway/.config/sway/config
+++ b/sway/.config/sway/config
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 exec dbus-update-activation-environment --systemd WAYLAND_DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway
 exec_always autotiling -l 2
 exec_always ~/.config/sway/scripts/workspace-colors.py
-exec_always eww daemon && (eww open bar0 || true) && (eww open bar1 || true)
+exec_always ~/.config/sway/scripts/eww-bars.sh
 exec_always mako
 
 exec /usr/libexec/polkit-mate-authentication-agent-1
+exec_always ~/.config/sway/scripts/watch-outputs.sh
 exec flatpak run org.signal.Signal
 
 exec swayidle -w \
diff --git a/sway/.config/sway/scripts/eww-bars.sh b/sway/.config/sway/scripts/eww-bars.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d28939f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/.config/sway/scripts/eww-bars.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Reconcile the eww bars with the currently-connected sway outputs.
+#
+# Mapping: eww window  ->  output (connector name) it must live on.
+# Each defwindow in ~/.config/eww/eww.yuck is bound to the SAME name via
+# `:monitor "<name>"`, so a bar's workspace list and its physical placement
+# can never drift apart. (The old numeric `:monitor 0/1` indices were not
+# stable across sway reloads / display hotplug, which is what mixed up the
+# bars: e.g. the internal panel showed the external display's workspaces.)
+#
+# Usage:
+#   eww-bars.sh           Open bars whose monitor is connected, close the rest.
+#                         Idempotent and flicker-free on a normal sway reload.
+#   eww-bars.sh --force   Also re-place already-open bars (close + reopen).
+#                         Use right after an external display is (dis)connected,
+#                         so a stale layer-surface can't keep a bar hidden.
+#
+# To support another monitor, just add a `window -> connector` pair below and
+# a matching `defwindow` in eww.yuck.
+
+set -u
+
+declare -A BARS=(
+    [bar0]="HDMI-A-1"   # external
+    [bar1]="eDP-1"      # internal / built-in
+)
+
+force=0
+[[ "${1:-}" == "--force" ]] && force=1
+
+eww daemon >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+
+output_active() {
+    swaymsg -t get_outputs 2>/dev/null \
+        | jq -e --arg n "$1" 'any(.[]; .name == $n and .active)' >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+for win in "${!BARS[@]}"; do
+    out="${BARS[$win]}"
+    if output_active "$out"; then
+        (( force )) && eww close "$win" >/dev/null 2>&1
+        eww open "$win" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    else
+        eww close "$win" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    fi
+done
diff --git a/sway/.config/sway/scripts/watch-outputs.sh b/sway/.config/sway/scripts/watch-outputs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9a59bb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/.config/sway/scripts/watch-outputs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Watches sway outputs over IPC (no polling) and keeps the eww bars and the
+# 1-3 workspaces in sync with the external display.
+#
+# Launched from the sway config with `exec_always` + the flock guard below, so:
+#   - a sway *reload* restarts it if it ever died (self-healing), and
+#   - it never spawns duplicate watchers (the second instance exits at flock).
+#
+# When a non-built-in output appears, workspaces 1-3 are moved to it and sway is
+# reloaded; on any output change the eww bars are re-placed (--force) so a bar
+# whose monitor was unplugged/replugged is rebuilt on the correct display.
+
+# --- single-instance guard -------------------------------------------------
+LOCK="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/watch-outputs.lock"
+exec 9>"$LOCK"
+flock -n 9 || exit 0   # another instance is already running
+
+BARS_SCRIPT="$HOME/.config/sway/scripts/eww-bars.sh"
+
+declare -A known_outputs
+
+list_outputs() { swaymsg -t get_outputs | jq -r '.[].name'; }
+
+seed_known_outputs() {
+    while IFS= read -r name; do
+        known_outputs[$name]=1
+    done < <(list_outputs)
+}
+
+on_output_event() {
+    local -A current
+    while IFS= read -r name; do
+        current[$name]=1
+    done < <(list_outputs)
+
+    local changed=0
+
+    # Detect newly connected outputs
+    for name in "${!current[@]}"; do
+        [[ -v "known_outputs[$name]" ]] && continue
+        known_outputs[$name]=1
+        changed=1
+
+        # Skip built-in display
+        [[ "$name" == eDP* ]] && continue
+
+        # External display connected — claim workspaces 1-3 and reload so the
+        # per-output position/scale rules (hdmi-setup.sh) are reapplied.
+        sleep 0.5
+        for i in {1..3}; do
+            swaymsg "workspace $i; move workspace to output $name"
+        done
+        swaymsg reload
+    done
+
+    # Detect disconnected outputs
+    for name in "${!known_outputs[@]}"; do
+        [[ -v "current[$name]" ]] && continue
+        unset "known_outputs[$name]"
+        changed=1
+    done
+
+    # Re-place the eww bars onto whatever is connected now. --force rebuilds a
+    # stale layer-surface left behind by an unplug so the bar reappears.
+    (( changed )) && "$BARS_SCRIPT" --force
+}
+
+seed_known_outputs
+"$BARS_SCRIPT"   # reconcile once at startup
+
+# Reconnect loop — re-subscribes if the IPC connection ever drops.
+while true; do
+    swaymsg -t subscribe '["output"]' --monitor | while IFS= read -r _; do
+        on_output_event
+    done
+    sleep 2
+done