diff --git a/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh b/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
index c0d0aeff..3654a428 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/runtime-smoke-test.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@ fi
 
 require_command jq
 
+shell_ipc() {
+  OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-shell" "$@"
+}
+
+shell_ipc_quiet() {
+  OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-shell" -q "$@"
+}
+
+fail_with_log() {
+  local description="$1"
+  sed -n '1,240p' "$log" >&2
+  fail "$description"
+}
+
 TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
 test_root="$TMPDIR/omarchy"
 test_home="$TMPDIR/home"
@@ -45,6 +59,12 @@ exit 0
 SH
 chmod +x "$stub_bin/omarchy-update-available"
 
+cat >"$test_root/shell/plugins/panels/weather/status.sh" <<'SH'
+#!/bin/bash
+printf '{"text":"72F","class":"sunny"}\n'
+SH
+chmod +x "$test_root/shell/plugins/panels/weather/status.sh"
+
 OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" \
 HOME="$test_home" \
 PATH="$stub_bin:$ROOT/bin:$PATH" \
@@ -52,42 +72,124 @@ PATH="$stub_bin:$ROOT/bin:$PATH" \
 QS_PID=$!
 
 for _ in {1..80}; do
-  if OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-shell" -q shell ping >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  if shell_ipc_quiet shell ping >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     break
   fi
   if ! kill -0 "$QS_PID" 2>/dev/null; then
-    sed -n '1,200p' "$log" >&2
-    fail "test shell exited before IPC became available"
+    fail_with_log "test shell exited before IPC became available"
   fi
   sleep 0.1
 done
 
-OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-shell" -q omarchy.system-update refresh >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-sleep 0.8
-
-geometry=$(OMARCHY_PATH="$test_root" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-shell" shell debugBarGeometry)
-if [[ -z $geometry ]]; then
-  sed -n '1,200p' "$log" >&2
-  fail "debug bar geometry returned output"
-fi
+plugins=""
+for _ in {1..80}; do
+  plugins=$(shell_ipc shell listPlugins 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if jq -e 'length > 0' <<<"$plugins" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    break
+  fi
+  if ! kill -0 "$QS_PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+    fail_with_log "test shell exited before plugins were listed"
+  fi
+  sleep 0.1
+done
 
 jq -e '
-  map(select(.section == "center" and .visible == true)) as $center |
-  ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.weather" and .visible == true)) | length) >= 1 and
-  ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.system-update" and .visible == true and .width > 0)) | length) >= 1 and
-  ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.indicators" and .visible == true)) | length) >= 1 and
-  (
-    ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.weather")) | first | .x) <
-    ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.system-update")) | first | .x)
-  ) and
-  (
-    ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.system-update")) | first | .x) <
-    ($center | map(select(.id == "omarchy.indicators")) | first | .x)
-  )
+  map(.id) as $ids |
+  all(["omarchy.menu", "omarchy.settings", "omarchy.notifications", "omarchy.clock"][]; $ids | index(.)) and
+  all(.[]; (.kinds | type == "array") and (.enabled | type == "boolean") and (.firstParty | type == "boolean"))
+' <<<"$plugins" >/dev/null || {
+  printf 'Plugins:\n%s\n' "$plugins" | jq . >&2
+  fail_with_log "shell IPC lists plugin metadata"
+}
+pass "shell IPC lists plugin metadata"
+
+shell_config=$(shell_ipc shell listShellConfig)
+jq -e '
+  .version == 1 and
+  (.bar.layout.left | type == "array") and
+  (.bar.layout.center | type == "array") and
+  (.bar.layout.right | type == "array")
+' <<<"$shell_config" >/dev/null || {
+  printf 'Shell config:\n%s\n' "$shell_config" | jq . >&2
+  fail_with_log "shell IPC returns effective shell config"
+}
+pass "shell IPC returns effective shell config"
+
+[[ $(shell_ipc shell summon omarchy.settings "{}") == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "shell IPC summons settings panel"
+shell_ipc_quiet shell hide omarchy.settings >/dev/null
+[[ $(shell_ipc shell summon omarchy.launcher '{"query":"term"}') == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "shell IPC summons launcher overlay"
+shell_ipc_quiet shell hide omarchy.launcher >/dev/null
+[[ $(shell_ipc shell summon missing.plugin "{}") == "unknown" ]] || fail_with_log "shell IPC rejects unknown plugin"
+pass "shell IPC summon and hide contract works"
+
+[[ $(shell_ipc notifications ping) == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "notifications IPC responds"
+[[ $(shell_ipc notifications setDnd false) == "off" ]] || fail_with_log "notifications IPC toggles DND"
+[[ $(shell_ipc media ping) == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "media IPC responds"
+jq -e '.hasPlayer | type == "boolean"' <<<"$(shell_ipc media status)" >/dev/null || fail_with_log "media IPC returns status JSON"
+jq -e '.enabled | type == "boolean"' <<<"$(shell_ipc idle status)" >/dev/null || fail_with_log "idle IPC returns status JSON"
+jq -e '.locked | type == "boolean"' <<<"$(shell_ipc lock status)" >/dev/null || fail_with_log "lock IPC returns status JSON"
+[[ $(shell_ipc image-selector ping) == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "image selector IPC responds"
+[[ $(shell_ipc osd ping) == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "OSD IPC responds"
+[[ $(shell_ipc osd show '{"message":"Runtime smoke","duration":0}') == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "OSD IPC opens"
+[[ $(shell_ipc osd close) == "ok" ]] || fail_with_log "OSD IPC closes"
+pass "plugin IPC contracts respond"
+
+shell_ipc_quiet omarchy.system-update refresh >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+sleep 0.8
+
+default_ids=$(jq -c '(.bar.layout.left + .bar.layout.center + .bar.layout.right) | map(.id // .)' "$ROOT/config/omarchy/shell.json")
+visible_default_ids='[
+  "omarchy.menu",
+  "omarchy.workspaces",
+  "omarchy.clock",
+  "omarchy.weather",
+  "omarchy.system-update",
+  "omarchy.indicators",
+  "omarchy.network",
+  "omarchy.audio",
+  "omarchy.monitor"
+]'
+
+geometry=""
+for _ in {1..80}; do
+  geometry=$(shell_ipc shell debugBarGeometry 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if jq -e --argjson expected "$default_ids" '
+    . as $rows | all($expected[]; . as $id | any($rows[]; .id == $id))
+  ' <<<"$geometry" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    break
+  fi
+  if ! kill -0 "$QS_PID" 2>/dev/null; then
+    fail_with_log "test shell exited before default bar geometry settled"
+  fi
+  sleep 0.1
+done
+
+if [[ -z $geometry ]]; then
+  fail_with_log "debug bar geometry returned output"
+fi
+
+jq -e --argjson expected "$default_ids" --argjson visibleExpected "$visible_default_ids" '
+  . as $rows |
+  all($expected[]; . as $id | any($rows[]; .id == $id)) and
+  all($visibleExpected[]; . as $id | any($rows[]; .id == $id and .visible == true and .width > 0 and .height > 0))
 ' <<<"$geometry" >/dev/null || {
-  printf 'Geometry:\n%s\n' "$geometry" | jq . >&2
-  sed -n '1,200p' "$log" >&2
-  fail "runtime geometry places visible update between weather and indicators"
+  printf 'Geometry:\n' >&2
+  jq . <<<"$geometry" >&2
+  fail_with_log "default bar layout renders expected module slots"
+}
+pass "default bar layout renders expected module slots"
+
+jq -e '
+  map(select(.section == "center" and .visible == true and .width > 0)) | map(.id) as $center |
+  ($center | index("omarchy.weather")) != null and
+  ($center | index("omarchy.system-update")) != null and
+  ($center | index("omarchy.indicators")) != null and
+  (($center | index("omarchy.weather")) < ($center | index("omarchy.system-update"))) and
+  (($center | index("omarchy.system-update")) < ($center | index("omarchy.indicators")))
+' <<<"$geometry" >/dev/null || {
+  printf 'Geometry:\n' >&2
+  jq . <<<"$geometry" >&2
+  fail_with_log "runtime geometry places visible update between weather and indicators"
 }
 
 pass "runtime geometry places visible update between weather and indicators"