diff --git a/docs/omarchy-shell.md b/docs/omarchy-shell.md
index 6e999682..d62661a7 100644
--- a/docs/omarchy-shell.md
+++ b/docs/omarchy-shell.md
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ The lower-level IPC methods remain available through `omarchy-shell shell ...`.
 
 ## Elsewhen
 
-Elsewhen (`omacom.elsewhen`) ships in the `elsewhen` package at `/usr/share/omarchy/plugins/omacom.elsewhen`. A symlink in `~/.config/omarchy/plugins/` makes it available to the shell. New installs place it immediately before the clock; the migration uses `omarchy bar put omacom.elsewhen --before omarchy.clock`, which preserves an existing placement and uses Elsewhen's normal right-side placement if the clock is absent. Existing plugin directories and symlinks are left intact.
+Elsewhen (`omacom.elsewhen`) ships in the `elsewhen` package at `/usr/share/omarchy/plugins/omacom.elsewhen`. A symlink in `~/.config/omarchy/plugins/` makes it available to the shell. New installs place it immediately before the clock; the migration uses `omarchy bar put omacom.elsewhen --before omarchy.clock`, which preserves an existing placement and uses Elsewhen's normal right-side placement if the clock is absent. Existing plugin directories and symlinks are left intact. The normal update flow restarts the shell after migrations; the migration does not interrupt plugin loading with an immediate restart.
 
 ## IPC
 
diff --git a/migrations/1789581661.sh b/migrations/1789581661.sh
index 10f18e66..5c022e1c 100644
--- a/migrations/1789581661.sh
+++ b/migrations/1789581661.sh
@@ -10,4 +10,3 @@ fi
 
 omarchy-shell shell rescanPlugins
 omarchy-bar put omacom.elsewhen --before omarchy.clock
-omarchy-restart-shell
diff --git a/test/shell.d/elsewhen-default-migration-test.sh b/test/shell.d/elsewhen-default-migration-test.sh
index bda62fd6..c0a2de8f 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/elsewhen-default-migration-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/elsewhen-default-migration-test.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ printf '%s\n' "${TEST_PUT_RESULT:-ok}"
 SH
 cat >"$test_dir/bin/omarchy-restart-shell" <<'SH'
 #!/bin/bash
-printf 'restart\n' >>"$CALL_LOG"
+echo 'migration must leave the restart to omarchy update' >&2
+exit 1
 SH
 chmod +x "$test_dir/bin/"*
 
@@ -46,9 +47,9 @@ run_migration
 [[ $(readlink "$ROOT/config/omarchy/plugins/omacom.elsewhen") == "$(readlink "$plugin")" ]] || fail "fresh installs use the same package link"
 pass "migration and fresh installs link to the package"
 
-expected=$'package elsewhen\nshell rescanPlugins\nshell putBarWidget omacom.elsewhen {"before":"omarchy.clock"}\nrestart'
-[[ $(cat "$CALL_LOG") == "$expected" ]] || fail "install, scan, placement and restart run in order" "$(cat "$CALL_LOG")"
-pass "real bar helper enables and places before the clock, then restarts"
+expected=$'package elsewhen\nshell rescanPlugins\nshell putBarWidget omacom.elsewhen {"before":"omarchy.clock"}'
+[[ $(cat "$CALL_LOG") == "$expected" ]] || fail "install, scan and placement run in order" "$(cat "$CALL_LOG")"
+pass "real bar helper enables and places before the clock without restarting during reload"
 
 run_migration
 [[ $(cat "$CALL_LOG") == "$expected" ]] || fail "migration can be rerun"