diff --git a/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml b/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
index b8cbcbb7..788c20d8 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/SettingsData.qml
@@ -1591,8 +1591,8 @@ Singleton {
         const spacing = barSpacing !== undefined ? barSpacing : (defaultBar?.spacing ?? 4);
         const position = barPosition !== undefined ? barPosition : (defaultBar?.position ?? SettingsData.Position.Top);
         const rawBottomGap = barConfig ? (barConfig.bottomGap !== undefined ? barConfig.bottomGap : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0)) : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0);
-        const bottomGap = Math.max(0, rawBottomGap);
         const isConnected = frameEnabled && motionEffect === 1 && directionalAnimationMode === 3;
+        const bottomGap = isConnected ? 0 : Math.max(0, rawBottomGap);
 
         const useAutoGaps = (barConfig && barConfig.popupGapsAuto !== undefined) ? barConfig.popupGapsAuto : (defaultBar?.popupGapsAuto ?? true);
         const manualGapValue = (barConfig && barConfig.popupGapsManual !== undefined) ? barConfig.popupGapsManual : (defaultBar?.popupGapsManual ?? 4);
@@ -1715,7 +1715,9 @@ Singleton {
         const screenWidth = screen.width;
         const screenHeight = screen.height;
         const position = barPosition !== undefined ? barPosition : (defaultBar?.position ?? SettingsData.Position.Top);
-        const bottomGap = barConfig ? (barConfig.bottomGap !== undefined ? barConfig.bottomGap : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0)) : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0);
+        const isConnected = frameEnabled && motionEffect === 1 && directionalAnimationMode === 3;
+        const rawBottomGap = barConfig ? (barConfig.bottomGap !== undefined ? barConfig.bottomGap : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0)) : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0);
+        const bottomGap = isConnected ? 0 : rawBottomGap;
 
         let topOffset = 0;
         let bottomOffset = 0;
@@ -1737,7 +1739,7 @@ Singleton {
                 const otherSpacing = other.spacing !== undefined ? other.spacing : (defaultBar?.spacing ?? 4);
                 const otherPadding = other.innerPadding !== undefined ? other.innerPadding : (defaultBar?.innerPadding ?? 4);
                 const otherThickness = Math.max(26 + otherPadding * 0.6, Theme.barHeight - 4 - (8 - otherPadding)) + otherSpacing + wingSize;
-                const otherBottomGap = other.bottomGap !== undefined ? other.bottomGap : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0);
+                const otherBottomGap = isConnected ? 0 : (other.bottomGap !== undefined ? other.bottomGap : (defaultBar?.bottomGap ?? 0));
 
                 switch (other.position) {
                 case SettingsData.Position.Top:
diff --git a/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml b/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
index 32fcd7ac..cbbacc85 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
@@ -1162,6 +1162,8 @@ Singleton {
     property real popupTransparency: {
         if (typeof SettingsData === "undefined")
             return 1.0;
+        if (isConnectedEffect)
+            return SettingsData.frameOpacity !== undefined ? SettingsData.frameOpacity : 1.0;
         return SettingsData.popupTransparency !== undefined ? SettingsData.popupTransparency : 1.0;
     }
 
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarWindow.qml b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarWindow.qml
index a835e9f2..a7f5b621 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarWindow.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/DankBar/DankBarWindow.qml
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ PanelWindow {
     anchors.left: !isVertical ? true : (barPos === SettingsData.Position.Left)
     anchors.right: !isVertical ? true : (barPos === SettingsData.Position.Right)
 
-    exclusiveZone: (!(barConfig?.visible ?? true) || topBarCore.autoHide) ? -1 : (barWindow.effectiveBarThickness + effectiveSpacing + (barConfig?.bottomGap ?? 0))
+    exclusiveZone: (!(barConfig?.visible ?? true) || topBarCore.autoHide) ? -1 : (barWindow.effectiveBarThickness + effectiveSpacing + (Theme.isConnectedEffect ? 0 : (barConfig?.bottomGap ?? 0)))
 
     Item {
         id: inputMask
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/FrameTab.qml b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/FrameTab.qml
index 597ad6be..4fcb7e74 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/FrameTab.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/FrameTab.qml
@@ -115,8 +115,9 @@ Item {
                 SettingsSliderRow {
                     id: opacitySlider
                     settingKey: "frameOpacity"
-                    tags: ["frame", "border", "opacity", "transparency"]
-                    text: I18n.tr("Frame Opacity")
+                    tags: ["frame", "border", "surface", "popup", "opacity", "transparency"]
+                    text: I18n.tr("Surface Opacity")
+                    description: I18n.tr("Frame border opacity. Controls all surface opacity globally when Connected Mode is active")
                     unit: "%"
                     minimum: 0
                     maximum: 100
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/ThemeColorsTab.qml b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/ThemeColorsTab.qml
index 2b9a5c5f..1aac93bf 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/ThemeColorsTab.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/ThemeColorsTab.qml
@@ -1618,11 +1618,11 @@ Item {
 
                 SettingsSliderRow {
                     tab: "theme"
-                    tags: ["popup", "transparency", "opacity", "modal"]
+                    tags: ["surface", "popup", "transparency", "opacity", "modal"]
                     settingKey: "popupTransparency"
-                    text: I18n.tr("Popup Transparency")
+                    text: I18n.tr("Surface Opacity")
                     description: themeColorsTab.connectedFrameModeActive
-                        ? I18n.tr("Connected Frame mode follows Frame Opacity for connected popouts, docks, and modal surfaces")
+                        ? I18n.tr("Connected Frame mode follows Surface Opacity from the Frame tab for connected popouts, docks, and modal surfaces")
                         : I18n.tr("Controls opacity of all popouts, modals, and their content layers")
                     enabled: !themeColorsTab.connectedFrameModeActive
                     opacity: themeColorsTab.connectedFrameModeActive ? 0.5 : 1.0
diff --git a/quickshell/translations/settings_search_index.json b/quickshell/translations/settings_search_index.json
index 50dbdb41..14d872bc 100644
--- a/quickshell/translations/settings_search_index.json
+++ b/quickshell/translations/settings_search_index.json
@@ -3400,7 +3400,7 @@
   },
   {
     "section": "popupTransparency",
-    "label": "Popup Transparency",
+    "label": "Surface Opacity",
     "tabIndex": 10,
     "category": "Theme & Colors",
     "keywords": [
@@ -3418,6 +3418,7 @@
       "popup",
       "scheme",
       "style",
+      "surface",
       "their",
       "theme",
       "translucent",