diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.test.ts
index 2f704df62c..761f216727 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.test.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ test('a registered host is required, and losing its owner reports loss exactly o
   dispose()
 })
 
+test('dbus-native 0.15 returns the registered flag as a bare boolean', async () => {
+  const instance = bus(true)
+  instance.invoke.mockResolvedValue(true)
+  const lost = vi.fn()
+  const dispose = await watchLinuxTrayHost(lost)
+  expect(lost).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  dispose()
+})
+
 test('a missing host and a failed query reject without leaving an open bus connection', async () => {
   const lost = vi.fn()
   const absent = bus(false)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.ts
index 3a730c1eeb..5a2aed29a4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/tray-host.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 import { createClient, type Message, type Variant } from 'dbus-native'
 
+// dbus-native 0.15 defaults plainValues to true, so a property Get returns the
+// bare boolean. Older builds still wrap it as { value }.
+function statusNotifierHostRegistered(value: unknown): boolean {
+  if (value === true) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && (value as { value?: unknown }).value === true
+}
+
 // Electron can construct a Linux Tray even when the desktop has no tray host
 // (notably stock GNOME). Never use that object alone as proof of a restore path.
 export async function watchLinuxTrayHost(onLost: () => void): Promise<() => void> {
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@ export async function watchLinuxTrayHost(onLost: () => void): Promise<() => void
       options
     )
 
-    if (disposed || value.value !== true) {
+    if (disposed || !statusNotifierHostRegistered(value)) {
       throw new Error('No system tray host is available')
     }