diff --git a/bin/omarchy-system-sleep-lock b/bin/omarchy-system-sleep-lock
index 2ebf79c1..ec4d5748 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-system-sleep-lock
+++ b/bin/omarchy-system-sleep-lock
@@ -10,12 +10,17 @@ if [[ ! $wait_attempts =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || (( wait_attempts < 1 )); then
   wait_attempts=100
 fi
 
-omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal-mirror recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+recover_internal_monitor_toggles() {
+  omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal-mirror recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+}
 
+recover_internal_monitor_toggles
 omarchy-shell lock lock >/dev/null 2>&1 || exit 1
 
 for (( attempt = 0; attempt < wait_attempts; attempt++ )); do
+  (( attempt % 5 == 0 )) && recover_internal_monitor_toggles
+
   status=$(omarchy-shell lock status 2>/dev/null || true)
 
   if jq -e '.secure == true' <<<"$status" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
diff --git a/shell/plugins/lock/Service.qml b/shell/plugins/lock/Service.qml
index 06d6a7b0..ac1bed40 100644
--- a/shell/plugins/lock/Service.qml
+++ b/shell/plugins/lock/Service.qml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Item {
   readonly property string currentBackgroundLink: stateHome + "/omarchy/current/background"
 
   property bool lockRequested: false
+  property bool pendingSessionLock: false
   property bool authenticatingPassword: false
   property bool fingerprintAuthenticating: false
   property bool passwordPamConfigured: false
@@ -34,6 +35,37 @@ Item {
   readonly property bool locked: lockRequested || sessionLock.locked || sessionLock.secure
   readonly property bool authenticating: authenticatingPassword || fingerprintAuthenticating
 
+  function realScreenCount() {
+    var screens = Quickshell.screens || []
+    var count = 0
+
+    for (var i = 0; i < screens.length; i++) {
+      var screen = screens[i]
+      if (screen && screen.name && screen.width > 0 && screen.height > 0) count += 1
+    }
+
+    return count
+  }
+
+  function hasRealScreen() {
+    return realScreenCount() > 0
+  }
+
+  function requestSessionLock() {
+    if (!lockRequested || sessionLock.locked || sessionLock.secure) return
+
+    if (!hasRealScreen()) {
+      if (!pendingSessionLock) logEvent("lock-pending: no-real-screen")
+      pendingSessionLock = true
+      if (!pendingSessionLockTimer.running) pendingSessionLockTimer.start()
+      return
+    }
+
+    pendingSessionLock = false
+    pendingSessionLockTimer.stop()
+    sessionLock.locked = true
+  }
+
   function refreshBackground() {
     if (!readlinkProc.running) readlinkProc.running = true
   }
@@ -68,9 +100,9 @@ Item {
 
     resetAuthenticationState()
     lockRequested = true
-    sessionLock.locked = true
     idleBlankTimer.restart()
     logEvent("lock-requested")
+    requestSessionLock()
 
     Qt.callLater(function() {
       root.refreshBackground()
@@ -84,6 +116,8 @@ Item {
     if (!root.locked && !lockRequested) return
 
     lockRequested = false
+    pendingSessionLock = false
+    pendingSessionLockTimer.stop()
     resetAuthenticationState()
     idleBlankTimer.stop()
     sessionLock.locked = false
@@ -161,14 +195,25 @@ Item {
 
     onSecureStateChanged: {
       root.logEvent("secure=" + secure)
-      if (secure) root.startFingerprint()
+      if (secure) {
+        root.pendingSessionLock = false
+        pendingSessionLockTimer.stop()
+        root.startFingerprint()
+      }
     }
 
     onLockStateChanged: {
       root.logEvent("session-locked=" + locked)
 
+      if (locked) {
+        root.pendingSessionLock = false
+        pendingSessionLockTimer.stop()
+      }
+
       if (!locked && root.lockRequested) {
         root.lockRequested = false
+        root.pendingSessionLock = false
+        pendingSessionLockTimer.stop()
         root.resetAuthenticationState()
         root.runWake()
       }
@@ -316,6 +361,18 @@ Item {
     onTriggered: if (root.lockRequested && !root.authenticating) root.runBlank()
   }
 
+  Timer {
+    id: pendingSessionLockTimer
+    interval: 100
+    repeat: true
+    onTriggered: root.requestSessionLock()
+  }
+
+  Connections {
+    target: Quickshell
+    function onScreensChanged() { root.requestSessionLock() }
+  }
+
   onAuthenticatingChanged: {
     if (!lockRequested) return
     if (authenticating) idleBlankTimer.stop()
@@ -353,8 +410,10 @@ Item {
       return JSON.stringify({
         locked: root.locked,
         requested: root.lockRequested,
+        pending: root.pendingSessionLock,
         sessionLocked: sessionLock.locked,
         secure: sessionLock.secure,
+        realScreens: root.realScreenCount(),
         passwordPam: root.passwordPamConfigured,
         fingerprint: root.fingerprintConfigured,
         authenticating: root.authenticating,
diff --git a/test/shell.d/monitor-recovery-test.sh b/test/shell.d/monitor-recovery-test.sh
index 7ff6c361..e11c6f39 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/monitor-recovery-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/monitor-recovery-test.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ source "$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)/base-test.sh"
 
 monitor_watch="$ROOT/bin/omarchy-hyprland-monitor-watch"
 sleep_lock="$ROOT/bin/omarchy-system-sleep-lock"
+lock_service="$ROOT/shell/plugins/lock/Service.qml"
 
 grep -F 'recover_after_monitor_removal' "$monitor_watch" >/dev/null
 grep -F 'sleep 1' "$monitor_watch" >/dev/null
@@ -15,4 +16,10 @@ pass "monitor watcher retries internal monitor recovery after removal"
 
 grep -F 'omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true' "$sleep_lock" >/dev/null
 grep -F 'omarchy-hyprland-monitor-internal-mirror recover >/dev/null 2>&1 || true' "$sleep_lock" >/dev/null
-pass "sleep lock recovers internal monitor toggles before suspend"
+grep -F '(( attempt % 5 == 0 )) && recover_internal_monitor_toggles' "$sleep_lock" >/dev/null
+pass "sleep lock recovers internal monitor toggles while waiting for secure lock"
+
+grep -F 'lock-pending: no-real-screen' "$lock_service" >/dev/null
+grep -F 'function onScreensChanged() { root.requestSessionLock() }' "$lock_service" >/dev/null
+grep -F 'realScreens: root.realScreenCount()' "$lock_service" >/dev/null
+pass "lock service defers session lock until a real screen exists"