diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/BarCanvas.qml b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/BarCanvas.qml
index 05bcc54f6..73282ec47 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/BarCanvas.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/BarCanvas.qml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Item {
     // M3 elevation shadow — Level 2 baseline (navigation bar), with per-bar override support
     readonly property bool hasPerBarOverride: (barConfig?.shadowIntensity ?? 0) > 0
     readonly property var elevLevel: Theme.elevationLevel2
-    readonly property bool shadowEnabled: (Theme.elevationEnabled && (typeof SettingsData !== "undefined" ? (SettingsData.barElevationEnabled ?? true) : false)) || hasPerBarOverride
+    readonly property bool shadowEnabled: Theme.elevationEnabled && (typeof SettingsData !== "undefined" ? (SettingsData.barElevationEnabled ?? true) : false)
     readonly property string autoBarShadowDirection: isTop ? "top" : (isBottom ? "bottom" : (isLeft ? "left" : (isRight ? "right" : "top")))
     readonly property string globalShadowDirection: Theme.elevationLightDirection === "autoBar" ? autoBarShadowDirection : Theme.elevationLightDirection
     readonly property string perBarShadowDirectionMode: barConfig?.shadowDirectionMode ?? "inherit"
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarBody.qml b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarBody.qml
index 28b74b088..e1a9404fb 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarBody.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarBody.qml
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ Item {
     readonly property real _wingR: Math.max(0, wingtipsRadius)
 
     // Shadow buffer: extra window space for shadow to render beyond bar bounds
-    readonly property bool _shadowActive: (Theme.elevationEnabled && (typeof SettingsData !== "undefined" ? (SettingsData.barElevationEnabled ?? true) : false)) || (renderBarConfig?.shadowIntensity ?? 0) > 0
+    readonly property bool _shadowActive: Theme.elevationEnabled && (typeof SettingsData !== "undefined" ? (SettingsData.barElevationEnabled ?? true) : false)
     readonly property real _shadowBuffer: {
         if (!_shadowActive)
             return 0;
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/DankBarTab.qml b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/DankBarTab.qml
index 9c096ba74..587117b0e 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/DankBarTab.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/DankBarTab.qml
@@ -1813,12 +1813,13 @@ Item {
                 visible: dankBarTab.appearanceOnly && (selectedBarConfig?.enabled ?? false) && !dankBarTab.selectedBarFrameSanitized && !dankBarTab.islandOwnsSelectedBarTop
 
                 readonly property bool shadowActive: (selectedBarConfig?.shadowIntensity ?? 0) > 0
+                readonly property bool barShadowsEnabled: (SettingsData.m3ElevationEnabled ?? true) && (SettingsData.barElevationEnabled ?? true)
                 readonly property bool isCustomColor: (selectedBarConfig?.shadowColorMode ?? "default") === "custom"
                 readonly property string directionSource: selectedBarConfig?.shadowDirectionMode ?? "inherit"
 
                 StyledText {
                     width: parent.width
-                    text: I18n.tr("Enable a custom override below to set per-bar shadow intensity, opacity, and color.")
+                    text: shadowCard.barShadowsEnabled ? I18n.tr("Enable a custom override below to set per-bar shadow intensity, opacity, and color.") : I18n.tr("Requires Bar Shadows to be enabled in Theme & Colors.")
                     font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSizeSmall
                     color: Theme.surfaceVariantText
                     wrapMode: Text.WordWrap