diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/DragDropGrid.qml b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/DragDropGrid.qml
index 697a1896..b2ef540b 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/DragDropGrid.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/DragDropGrid.qml
@@ -945,22 +945,31 @@ Column {
                 }
             }
 
-            Component.onCompleted: {
-                Qt.callLater(() => {
-                    const pluginComponent = PluginService.pluginWidgetComponents[pluginId];
-                    if (pluginComponent) {
-                        const instance = pluginComponent.createObject(null, {
-                            "pluginId": pluginId,
-                            "pluginService": PluginService,
-                            "visible": false,
-                            "width": 0,
-                            "height": 0
-                        });
-                        if (instance) {
-                            pluginInstance = instance;
-                        }
+            function tryCreatePluginInstance() {
+                const pluginComponent = PluginService.pluginWidgetComponents[pluginId];
+                if (!pluginComponent)
+                    return false;
+                try {
+                    const instance = pluginComponent.createObject(null, {
+                        "pluginId": pluginId,
+                        "pluginService": PluginService,
+                        "visible": false,
+                        "width": 0,
+                        "height": 0
+                    });
+                    if (instance) {
+                        pluginInstance = instance;
+                        return true;
                     }
-                });
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.warn("DragDropGrid: stale plugin component for", pluginId, "- reloading");
+                    PluginService.reloadPlugin(pluginId);
+                }
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            Component.onCompleted: {
+                Qt.callLater(() => tryCreatePluginInstance());
             }
 
             Connections {
@@ -970,6 +979,11 @@ Column {
                         pluginInstance.loadPluginData();
                     }
                 }
+                function onPluginLoaded(loadedPluginId) {
+                    if (loadedPluginId !== pluginId || pluginInstance)
+                        return;
+                    Qt.callLater(() => tryCreatePluginInstance());
+                }
             }
 
             Component.onDestruction: {
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/EditControls.qml b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/EditControls.qml
index d7987463..69e4b62c 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/EditControls.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Components/EditControls.qml
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ Row {
     property Item popoutContent: null
 
     signal addWidget(string widgetId)
-    signal resetToDefault()
-    signal clearAll()
+    signal resetToDefault
+    signal clearAll
 
     height: 48
     spacing: Theme.spacingS
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Row {
         y: parent ? Math.round((parent.height - height) / 2) : 0
         width: 400
         height: 300
-        modal: true
+        modal: false
         focus: true
         closePolicy: Popup.CloseOnEscape | Popup.CloseOnPressOutside
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ Row {
                         hoverEnabled: true
                         cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
                         onClicked: {
-                            root.addWidget(modelData.id)
+                            root.addWidget(modelData.id);
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Models/WidgetModel.qml b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Models/WidgetModel.qml
index 2192682b..ac616aec 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Models/WidgetModel.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/ControlCenter/Models/WidgetModel.qml
@@ -216,14 +216,18 @@ QtObject {
             }
 
             const pluginComponent = PluginService.pluginWidgetComponents[plugin.id];
-            if (!pluginComponent || typeof pluginComponent.createObject !== 'function') {
+            if (!pluginComponent)
                 continue;
-            }
 
-            const tempInstance = pluginComponent.createObject(null);
-            if (!tempInstance) {
+            let tempInstance;
+            try {
+                tempInstance = pluginComponent.createObject(null);
+            } catch (e) {
+                PluginService.reloadPlugin(plugin.id);
                 continue;
             }
+            if (!tempInstance)
+                continue;
 
             const hasCCWidget = tempInstance.ccWidgetIcon && tempInstance.ccWidgetIcon.length > 0;
             tempInstance.destroy();