diff --git a/default/hypr/helpers.lua b/default/hypr/helpers.lua
index 289afe90..d1affbc7 100644
--- a/default/hypr/helpers.lua
+++ b/default/hypr/helpers.lua
@@ -18,9 +18,20 @@ local function file_exists(path)
   return false
 end
 
+-- Hyprland reaps its own children, so os.execute() can't retrieve an exit status
+-- from inside the compositor. Read a marker off stdout instead.
 function o.shell_succeeds(command)
-  local ok, _, code = os.execute(command .. " >/dev/null 2>&1")
-  return ok == true or ok == 0 or code == 0
+  -- Subshell, so the redirection covers every command rather than binding to
+  -- the last one and letting an earlier one write its own OK into the pipe.
+  local pipe = io.popen("( " .. command .. " ) >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo OK")
+  if not pipe then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  local output = pipe:read("*a") or ""
+  pipe:close()
+
+  return output:find("OK", 1, true) ~= nil
 end
 
 function o.cmd_present(command)