diff --git a/config/sway/config b/config/sway/config
index dcf398c..7fcbfbc 100644
--- a/config/sway/config
+++ b/config/sway/config
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ set $mod Mod4
 # Wallpaper
 output * bg /usr/share/backgrounds/ekklesia/classroom-default.png fill
 
+# Notifications, started before the dock so nothing can race D-Bus into
+# activating an unstyled mako first. mako only ever searches ~/.config,
+# so the packaged config has to be named explicitly.
+exec --no-startup-id /usr/bin/mako --config /etc/ekklesia-classroom/mako/config
+
 # Ekklesia Classroom dock
 exec --no-startup-id /usr/local/bin/classroom-dock
 
-# Notifications. Styled by /etc/xdg/mako/config to match the dock.
-exec --no-startup-id /usr/bin/mako
-
 # Keep the interface intentionally minimal.
 # Additional classroom controls are added explicitly by Ekklesia Classroom.
 
diff --git a/tools/build-release.sh b/tools/build-release.sh
index 1a01bec..702cccf 100755
--- a/tools/build-release.sh
+++ b/tools/build-release.sh
@@ -119,10 +119,11 @@ install -Dm644 \
     "$ROOT/config/dock/style.css" \
     "$STAGE/etc/ekklesia-classroom/dock/style.css"
 
-# Notification styling, matched to the dock.
+# Notification styling, matched to the dock. mako only searches
+# ~/.config, so sway starts it with an explicit --config path.
 install -Dm644 \
     "$ROOT/config/mako/config" \
-    "$STAGE/etc/xdg/mako/config"
+    "$STAGE/etc/ekklesia-classroom/mako/config"
 
 # Chrome enterprise policy: suppress first-run and sign-in nags, and pin
 # Home to Wonder Ink. Nothing here restricts where teachers can browse.