diff --git a/bin/omarchy-menu-images b/bin/omarchy-menu-images
index 8305cb0f..6b41e65a 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-menu-images
+++ b/bin/omarchy-menu-images
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 # omarchy:summary=Open a generic image selector menu
-# omarchy:args=[--selected <image>] [--print-name] [--show-labels] [--filterable] [--lazy-thumbnails] [--preload] [--cache-only] <image-dir>...
+# omarchy:args=[--selected <image>] [--print-name] [--show-labels] [--filterable] [--lazy-thumbnails] [--preload] [--cache-only] [--print-rows] <image-dir>...
 
 selected_image=""
 print_name=false
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ lazy_thumbnails=false
 prepare_only=false
 preload=false
 cache_only=false
+print_rows=false
 image_dirs=()
 
 usage() {
-  echo "Usage: omarchy-menu-images [--selected <image>] [--print-name] [--show-labels] [--filterable] [--lazy-thumbnails] [--preload] [--cache-only] <image-dir>..."
+  echo "Usage: omarchy-menu-images [--selected <image>] [--print-name] [--show-labels] [--filterable] [--lazy-thumbnails] [--preload] [--cache-only] [--print-rows] <image-dir>..."
 }
 
 while (( $# > 0 )); do
@@ -56,6 +57,10 @@ while (( $# > 0 )); do
       cache_only=true
       shift
       ;;
+    --print-rows)
+      print_rows=true
+      shift
+      ;;
     --help|-h)
       usage
       exit 0
@@ -328,6 +333,13 @@ if [[ $cache_only == true || $prepare_only == true ]]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
+# The shell keeps a copy of these rows so its picker can open without waiting
+# on this script, and reads them back from stdout to refresh that copy.
+if [[ $print_rows == true ]]; then
+  printf '%s\n' "$rows"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 # Image rows can contain newlines and tabs, which don't survive positional
 # shell IPC arguments. Base64-encode for transit; the ImagePicker plugin
 # Qt.atob()s on the other side.
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-theme-set b/bin/omarchy-theme-set
index e440ee43..86a04e1e 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-theme-set
+++ b/bin/omarchy-theme-set
@@ -423,9 +423,7 @@ if [[ $THEME_HEADLESS != "1" ]]; then
   # Call hook on theme set
   omarchy-hook theme-set "$THEME_NAME" >/dev/null
 
-  # Warm selector caches after the theme is applied. The shell hot-reloads theme
-  # colors/backgrounds, so keep the running instance alive and preload the picker
-  # rows/selection to avoid first-open carousel settling after a theme change.
-  omarchy-theme-switcher --preload >/dev/null 2>&1
+  # Warm the background selector's thumbnails. The theme picker keeps its own
+  # rows in the shell and refreshes them each time it opens.
   omarchy-theme-bg-cache >/dev/null 2>&1 &
 fi
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-theme-switcher b/bin/omarchy-theme-switcher
index 49bc127c..51719fb9 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-theme-switcher
+++ b/bin/omarchy-theme-switcher
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 
 # omarchy:summary=Open the Omarchy theme switcher
 
-preload=false
+print_rows=false
 
-if [[ $1 == "--preload" ]]; then
-  preload=true
+# The shell's picker opens from rows it already holds and runs this to refresh
+# them, so the theme list never waits on the index below.
+if [[ $1 == "--print-rows" ]]; then
+  print_rows=true
   shift
 fi
 
@@ -121,8 +123,8 @@ menu_args=(
   --selected "$selected_preview"
 )
 
-if [[ $preload == true ]]; then
-  menu_args+=(--preload)
+if [[ $print_rows == true ]]; then
+  menu_args+=(--print-rows)
 fi
 
 exec omarchy-menu-images "${menu_args[@]}" "$preview_dir"
diff --git a/default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc b/default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc
index 415212e3..37251a7d 100644
--- a/default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc
+++ b/default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
   "trigger.tests.disk-speedtest": {"icon":"󰋊","label":"Disk Speed Test","action":"omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.disk-speedtest"},
 
   // Style
-  "style.theme": {"icon":"󰸌","label":"Theme","aliases":["theme","themes"],"action":"theme=$(omarchy-theme-switcher); [[ -n $theme ]] && omarchy-theme-set \"$theme\""},
+  "style.theme": {"icon":"󰸌","label":"Theme","aliases":["theme","themes"],"action":"omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.image-picker '{\"source\":\"themes\"}'"},
   "style.background": {"icon":"","label":"Background","aliases":["background","wallpaper"],"action":"background=$(omarchy-theme-bg-switcher); [[ -n $background ]] && omarchy-theme-bg-set \"$background\""},
   "style.unlock": {"icon":"󰟵","label":"Unlock","aliases":["unlock"],"action":"unlock=$(omarchy-plymouth-switcher); if [[ $unlock == default ]]; then omarchy-launch-floating-terminal-with-presentation omarchy-plymouth-reset; elif [[ -n $unlock ]]; then omarchy-launch-floating-terminal-with-presentation \"omarchy-plymouth-set-by-theme $(printf %q \"$unlock\")\"; fi"},
   "style.font": {"icon":"","label":"Font","provider":"fonts"},
diff --git a/shell/plugins/background/Background.qml b/shell/plugins/background/Background.qml
index b3dd7dab..7a02c686 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/background/Background.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/background/Background.qml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import qs.Ui
 Item {
   id: root
 
+  property var shell: null
   readonly property string home: Quickshell.env("HOME")
   readonly property string stateHome: home + "/.local/state"
   readonly property string currentBackgroundLink: stateHome + "/omarchy/current/background"
@@ -111,7 +112,12 @@ Item {
   }
 
   function openThemeSwitcher() {
-    if (!themeSwitchProc.running) themeSwitchProc.running = true
+    var payload = JSON.stringify({ source: "themes" })
+
+    // A cloned background may not summon the picker in-process, so it takes
+    // the IPC route instead.
+    if (!root.shell || !root.shell.summon("omarchy.image-picker", payload))
+      Util.execArgv(["omarchy-shell", "shell", "summon", "omarchy.image-picker", payload])
   }
 
   Process {
@@ -120,12 +126,6 @@ Item {
     onExited: root.refreshBackground()
   }
 
-  Process {
-    id: themeSwitchProc
-    command: ["bash", "-c", "theme=$(omarchy-theme-switcher); [[ -n $theme ]] && omarchy-theme-set \"$theme\" >/dev/null 2>&1 &"]
-    onExited: root.refreshBackground()
-  }
-
   Process {
     id: readlinkProc
     command: ["readlink", "-f", root.currentBackgroundLink]
diff --git a/shell/plugins/image-picker/ImagePicker.qml b/shell/plugins/image-picker/ImagePicker.qml
index 5c002402..69da2f0c 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/image-picker/ImagePicker.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/image-picker/ImagePicker.qml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import Quickshell
+import Quickshell.Hyprland
 import Quickshell.Io
 import Quickshell.Wayland
 import QtQuick
@@ -30,6 +31,14 @@ Item {
   property string doneFile: ""
   property string filterText: ""
   property var doneFilesToRelease: []
+  // Themes open from rows the shell already holds, so the picker shows without
+  // waiting on omarchy-theme-switcher; each open refreshes them behind it.
+  property string themeRows: ""
+  property bool themeMode: false
+  property bool themeOpenPending: false
+  // The surface outlives each open, so it no longer lands on the focused
+  // output by itself. Unset until the first open lets the compositor choose.
+  property var targetScreen: null
   // Bound to the central [image-picker] section in shell.toml via Color.qml.
   // `dimColor` tints unselected slices and text outlines on top of the scrim;
   // it intentionally tracks the foundational background, not a surface role.
@@ -151,6 +160,14 @@ Item {
 
   function applySelected() {
     var path = currentPath()
+
+    if (themeMode) {
+      themeMode = false
+      root.opened = false
+      if (path) Util.execArgv(["omarchy-theme-set", nameForPath(path)])
+      return
+    }
+
     if (!path || !selectionFile) {
       cancel()
       return
@@ -168,6 +185,8 @@ Item {
   }
 
   function cancel() {
+    themeOpenPending = false
+
     if (requestActive)
       finishDoneFile(doneFile)
 
@@ -179,6 +198,7 @@ Item {
 
   function closeSelector(nextDoneFile) {
     requestSerial += 1
+    themeOpenPending = false
 
     if (requestActive)
       finishDoneFile(doneFile)
@@ -212,6 +232,9 @@ Item {
       finishDoneFile(doneFile)
 
     requestSerial += 1
+    themeMode = false
+    themeOpenPending = false
+    targetScreen = focusedScreen() || targetScreen
 
     imageDirs = nextImageDirs
     imageRows = nextImageRows
@@ -255,6 +278,76 @@ Item {
 
   property var imageArray: []
 
+  function focusedScreen() {
+    var monitor = Hyprland.focusedMonitor
+    var name = monitor ? String(monitor.name || "") : ""
+    for (var i = 0; i < Quickshell.screens.length; i++) {
+      if (Quickshell.screens[i].name === name) return Quickshell.screens[i]
+    }
+    return null
+  }
+
+  function currentThemePreview() {
+    var name = String(themeNameFile.text() || "").trim()
+    var images = ImagePickerModel.loadRows(themeRows)
+    for (var i = 0; i < images.length; i++) {
+      if (nameForPath(images[i].filePath) === name) return images[i].filePath
+    }
+    return ""
+  }
+
+  function openThemes() {
+    if (themeRows) {
+      openThemeRows()
+    } else {
+      // First open before the startup refresh has landed.
+      themeOpenPending = true
+    }
+    refreshThemeRows()
+  }
+
+  function openThemeRows() {
+    openSelector("", themeRows, currentThemePreview(), "", "", true, true)
+    themeMode = true
+  }
+
+  function refreshThemeRows() {
+    if (!themeRowsProc.running) themeRowsProc.running = true
+  }
+
+  function updateThemeRows(rows) {
+    var changed = rows !== themeRows
+    themeRows = rows
+
+    if (themeOpenPending) {
+      themeOpenPending = false
+      if (rows) openThemeRows()
+    } else if (changed && rows && themeMode && opened) {
+      // A theme was added or removed since the rows were last read. Keep the
+      // user's place in the carousel rather than jumping back to the current.
+      selectedImage = currentPath() || currentThemePreview()
+      imageRows = rows
+      loadRows(rows, false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  FileView {
+    id: themeNameFile
+    path: root.stateHome + "/omarchy/current/theme.name"
+    watchChanges: true
+    onFileChanged: reload()
+  }
+
+  Process {
+    id: themeRowsProc
+    command: [root.omarchyPath + "/bin/omarchy-theme-switcher", "--print-rows"]
+    stdout: StdioCollector {
+      onStreamFinished: root.updateThemeRows(String(text || "").trim())
+    }
+  }
+
+  Component.onCompleted: refreshThemeRows()
+
   function startImageScan(serial, dirs) {
     if (loadImagesProc.running) {
       loadImagesProc.queuedSerial = serial
@@ -309,6 +402,10 @@ Item {
     if (payload) {
       try { args = JSON.parse(payload) || {} } catch (e) { args = {} }
     }
+    if (args.source === "themes") {
+      openThemes()
+      return
+    }
     var dirs = String(args.imageDirs || imageDirs)
     var rows = String(args.imageRows || "")
     var sel = String(args.selectedImage || selectedImage)
@@ -362,14 +459,23 @@ Item {
   PanelWindow {
     id: panel
 
-    visible: root.opened
+    // Stay mapped between opens. A fresh surface renders its first frames
+    // before the compositor sends its fractional scale, so the picker flashed
+    // blurry, and it had to re-upload every thumbnail texture. Closed, it
+    // waits transparent and input-less on the bottom layer: anything left on
+    // the overlay layer would block direct scanout for fullscreen apps.
+    visible: true
+    screen: root.targetScreen
     anchors { top: true; bottom: true; left: true; right: true }
     color: "transparent"
+    mask: root.opened ? null : closedMask
     WlrLayershell.namespace: "omarchy-image-selector"
-    WlrLayershell.layer: WlrLayer.Overlay
+    WlrLayershell.layer: root.opened ? WlrLayer.Overlay : WlrLayer.Bottom
     WlrLayershell.keyboardFocus: root.opened && root.imagesLoaded ? WlrKeyboardFocus.Exclusive : WlrKeyboardFocus.None
     exclusionMode: ExclusionMode.Ignore
 
+    Region { id: closedMask }
+
     Rectangle {
       anchors.fill: parent
       visible: root.opened && root.imagesLoaded
diff --git a/shell/plugins/menu/Menu.qml b/shell/plugins/menu/Menu.qml
index aa879c18..384d3b2a 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/menu/Menu.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/menu/Menu.qml
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ Item {
     var command = String(action || "")
     if (!command) return
 
+    var summon = MenuModel.summonAction(command)
+    if (summon && root.shell && root.shell.summon(summon.id, summon.payload)) return
+
     Util.execDetached(command)
   }
 
diff --git a/shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js b/shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js
index 28c995ea..53c49768 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js
+++ b/shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js
@@ -490,8 +490,19 @@ function guardScript(items) {
   return guards ? guardPrelude(guards) + guards : ""
 }
 
+// An action that only asks this shell to summon one of its own plugins can be
+// run in-process, skipping the bash and qs ipc spawns. Anything more than the
+// bare call, such as a second command or a shell-expanded payload, is left to
+// bash.
+function summonAction(action) {
+  var match = /^omarchy-shell shell summon ([A-Za-z0-9._-]+)(?: '([^']*)')?$/.exec(String(action || ""))
+  if (!match) return null
+  return { id: match[1], payload: match[2] || "{}" }
+}
+
 if (typeof module !== "undefined") {
   module.exports = {
+    summonAction: summonAction,
     guardReaders: GUARD_READERS,
     guardScript: guardScript,
     stripJsonc: stripJsonc,
diff --git a/test/acceptance.d/base-test.sh b/test/acceptance.d/base-test.sh
index 023223a1..668e908a 100644
--- a/test/acceptance.d/base-test.sh
+++ b/test/acceptance.d/base-test.sh
@@ -81,6 +81,16 @@ layer_absent() {
   ! layer_present "$1"
 }
 
+# The image selector stays mapped between opens, parked on the bottom layer, so
+# it keeps its textures and fractional scale. Showing means on the overlay.
+layer_on_overlay() {
+  hyprctl -j layers | jq -e --arg ns "$1" '[.[].levels["3"][]? | select(.namespace == $ns)] | length > 0'
+}
+
+layer_off_overlay() {
+  ! layer_on_overlay "$1"
+}
+
 # A layer can be mapped but parked off the monitor: the bar hides that way so
 # revealing it does not have to rebuild the surface. Assert on geometry when
 # what matters is that the user can actually see it. Layer boxes are local to
diff --git a/test/acceptance.d/shell-surfaces-test.sh b/test/acceptance.d/shell-surfaces-test.sh
index 9e10e85c..eac0c2a0 100644
--- a/test/acceptance.d/shell-surfaces-test.sh
+++ b/test/acceptance.d/shell-surfaces-test.sh
@@ -58,18 +58,18 @@ wait_until "system menu closes" 15 layer_absent "omarchy-menu"
 # Preview both visual selectors and cancel without changing user state. These
 # cover thumbnail generation, the image-grid overlay, and current selection.
 launch_app "omarchy-theme-bg-switcher"
-wait_until "background selector opens" 30 layer_present "omarchy-image-selector"
+wait_until "background selector opens" 30 layer_on_overlay "omarchy-image-selector"
 sleep 1
 screenshot "success-background-selector"
 wtype -k Escape
-wait_until "background selector closes" 15 layer_absent "omarchy-image-selector"
+wait_until "background selector closes" 15 layer_off_overlay "omarchy-image-selector"
 
 launch_app "omarchy-theme-switcher"
-wait_until "theme selector opens" 30 layer_present "omarchy-image-selector"
+wait_until "theme selector opens" 30 layer_on_overlay "omarchy-image-selector"
 sleep 1
 screenshot "success-theme-selector"
 wtype -k Escape
-wait_until "theme selector closes" 15 layer_absent "omarchy-image-selector"
+wait_until "theme selector closes" 15 layer_off_overlay "omarchy-image-selector"
 
 # Walk the reminder flow through each input screen, but dismiss before it
 # schedules a real timer in the test user's session.
diff --git a/test/shell.d/background-test.sh b/test/shell.d/background-test.sh
index 9762e6d3..c448c34e 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/background-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/background-test.sh
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ const fs = require('fs')
 const backgroundQml = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'shell/plugins/background/Background.qml'), 'utf8')
 
 assert(
-  /theme=\$\(omarchy-theme-switcher\); \[\[ -n \$theme \]\] && omarchy-theme-set \\"\$theme\\" >\/dev\/null 2>&1 &/.test(backgroundQml),
-  'background theme switcher starts theme application asynchronously after selection'
+  /function openThemeSwitcher\(\) \{[\s\S]*if \(!root\.shell \|\| !root\.shell\.summon\("omarchy\.image-picker", payload\)\)\s*Util\.execArgv\(\["omarchy-shell", "shell", "summon", "omarchy\.image-picker", payload\]\)/.test(backgroundQml) &&
+    !backgroundQml.includes('omarchy-theme-switcher'),
+  'background opens the in-shell theme picker instead of spawning the switcher script'
 )
 
 assert(
diff --git a/test/shell.d/image-picker-test.sh b/test/shell.d/image-picker-test.sh
index a37ff2e3..3657e29f 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/image-picker-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/image-picker-test.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,38 @@ assert(
   /function preloadRows[\s\S]*if \(opened \|\| requestActive\) return/.test(imagePickerQml),
   'image picker ignores cache preloads while a request is visible'
 )
+assert(
+  /if \(args\.source === "themes"\) \{\s*openThemes\(\)/.test(imagePickerQml) &&
+    /function openThemes\(\) \{\s*if \(themeRows\) \{\s*openThemeRows\(\)[\s\S]*refreshThemeRows\(\)/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker opens themes from held rows before refreshing them'
+)
+assert(
+  /command: \[root\.omarchyPath \+ "\/bin\/omarchy-theme-switcher", "--print-rows"\]/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker refreshes theme rows from the theme switcher'
+)
+assert(
+  /if \(themeMode\) \{[\s\S]*Util\.execArgv\(\["omarchy-theme-set", nameForPath\(path\)\]\)/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker applies a chosen theme itself'
+)
+assert(
+  /function cancel\(\) \{\s*themeOpenPending = false/.test(imagePickerQml) &&
+    /function closeSelector\(nextDoneFile\) \{\s*requestSerial \+= 1\s*themeOpenPending = false/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker drops a pending theme open once dismissed'
+)
+assert(
+  /function openSelector[\s\S]*?themeMode = false/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker leaves theme mode when another caller opens it'
+)
+assert(
+  /PanelWindow \{[\s\S]*?visible: true[\s\S]*?mask: root\.opened \? null : closedMask[\s\S]*?WlrLayershell\.layer: root\.opened \? WlrLayer\.Overlay : WlrLayer\.Bottom/.test(imagePickerQml) &&
+    /Region \{ id: closedMask \}/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker keeps its surface mapped, parked input-less below windows while closed'
+)
+assert(
+  /function openSelector[\s\S]*?targetScreen = focusedScreen\(\) \|\| targetScreen/.test(imagePickerQml) &&
+    /screen: root\.targetScreen/.test(imagePickerQml),
+  'image picker follows the focused monitor on each open'
+)
 assert(
   /source: item\.sourceActivated && item\.thumbnailPath \? Util\.fileUrl\(item\.thumbnailPath\) : ""[\s\S]*asynchronous: false/.test(imagePickerQml),
   'image picker loads activated thumbnails synchronously to avoid carousel flicker'
diff --git a/test/shell.d/menu-images-test.sh b/test/shell.d/menu-images-test.sh
index 179dcb6b..7f162a16 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/menu-images-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/menu-images-test.sh
@@ -139,3 +139,15 @@ PATH="$stub_bin:$PATH" XDG_CACHE_HOME="$cache_home" VIPSTHUMBNAIL_CALLS_FILE="$t
 
 (( $(wc -l <"$tmp/calls") == 6 )) || fail "image menu releases thumbnail locks after generation"
 pass "image menu owns locks for exactly one generator lifetime"
+
+rm -rf "$cache_home"
+mkdir -p "$cache_home"
+rows=$(PATH="$stub_bin:$PATH" XDG_CACHE_HOME="$cache_home" \
+  "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-menu-images" --print-rows "$images")
+
+(( $(wc -l <<<"$rows") == 3 )) || fail "image menu prints one row per image"
+while IFS=$'\t' read -r row_image row_thumbnail; do
+  [[ $row_image == "$images"/* && -f $row_thumbnail ]] ||
+    fail "image menu prints each image with its generated thumbnail"
+done <<<"$rows"
+pass "image menu prints its rows for the shell to hold"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/menu-test.sh b/test/shell.d/menu-test.sh
index a424379b..f752ffc8 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/menu-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/menu-test.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,24 @@ const menu = requireFromRoot('shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js')
 const menuQml = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'shell/plugins/menu/Menu.qml'), 'utf8')
 const defaultMenuJsonc = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc'), 'utf8')
 
+assertDeepEqual(
+  menu.summonAction("omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.speedtest"),
+  { id: 'omarchy.speedtest', payload: '{}' },
+  'menu runs a bare summon action in-process'
+)
+assertDeepEqual(
+  menu.summonAction(`omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.image-picker '{"source":"themes"}'`),
+  { id: 'omarchy.image-picker', payload: '{"source":"themes"}' },
+  'menu keeps a single-quoted summon payload'
+)
+assertEqual(menu.summonAction("omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.speedtest && echo done"), null, 'menu leaves compound summon commands to bash')
+assertEqual(menu.summonAction(`omarchy-shell shell summon omarchy.x "$(id)"`), null, 'menu leaves shell-expanded payloads to bash')
+assertEqual(menu.summonAction("omarchy-theme-set nord"), null, 'menu leaves ordinary actions to bash')
+assert(
+  /var summon = MenuModel\.summonAction\(command\)\s*if \(summon && root\.shell && root\.shell\.summon\(summon\.id, summon\.payload\)\) return\s*Util\.execDetached\(command\)/.test(menuQml),
+  'menu falls back to bash when an in-process summon is refused'
+)
+
 const parsed = menu.parseMenuJsonc(`
 {
   // comment