diff --git a/shell/Ui/Panel.qml b/shell/Ui/Panel.qml
index 7b7dfdf8..b8866b5b 100644
--- a/shell/Ui/Panel.qml
+++ b/shell/Ui/Panel.qml
@@ -45,17 +45,15 @@ Item {
     id: panelController
   }
 
-  property IpcHandler _ipc: manageIpc ? ipcComponent.createObject(root) : null
+  IpcHandler {
+    enabled: root.manageIpc && root.ipcTarget !== ""
+    target: root.ipcTarget
 
-  property Component ipcComponent: Component {
-    IpcHandler {
-      target: root.ipcTarget
-      function open(): void { root.open() }
-      function close(): void { root.close() }
-      function show(): void { root.open() }
-      function hide(): void { root.close() }
-      function toggle(): void { root.toggle() }
-    }
+    function open(): void { root.open() }
+    function close(): void { root.close() }
+    function show(): void { root.open() }
+    function hide(): void { root.close() }
+    function toggle(): void { root.toggle() }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh b/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
index 0f364d4f..2210373b 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
@@ -214,6 +214,12 @@ jq -e '
 
 pass "runtime geometry keeps update before indicators"
 
+for panel_id in omarchy.audio omarchy.bluetooth omarchy.monitor omarchy.network omarchy.power; do
+  shell_ipc "$panel_id" open >/dev/null || fail_with_log "direct panel IPC opens $panel_id"
+  shell_ipc "$panel_id" close >/dev/null || fail_with_log "direct panel IPC closes $panel_id"
+done
+pass "direct panel IPC opens and closes default panels"
+
 HOME="$test_home" OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" PATH="$ROOT/bin:$PATH" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-config-shell-bar" remove omarchy.audio
 
 for _ in {1..80}; do