diff --git a/quickshell/services/python/lockscreen_auth_service.py b/quickshell/services/python/lockscreen_auth_service.py
index 3cd5dde..ae729d0 100755
--- a/quickshell/services/python/lockscreen_auth_service.py
+++ b/quickshell/services/python/lockscreen_auth_service.py
@@ -4,33 +4,60 @@ import os
 import ctypes
 import ctypes.util
 import getpass
+import subprocess
 
-libpam = None
-try:
-    libpam_path = ctypes.util.find_library('pam') or 'libpam.so.0'
-    libpam = ctypes.CDLL(libpam_path)
-except Exception:
-    libpam = None
-
-libc = ctypes.CDLL(None)
-
-class PamMessage(ctypes.Structure):
-    _fields_ = [('msg_style', ctypes.c_int), ('msg', ctypes.c_char_p)]
-
-class PamResponse(ctypes.Structure):
-    _fields_ = [('resp', ctypes.c_char_p), ('resp_retcode', ctypes.c_int)]
-
-CONV_FUNC = ctypes.CFUNCTYPE(ctypes.c_int, ctypes.c_int, ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.POINTER(PamMessage)), ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.POINTER(PamResponse)), ctypes.c_void_p)
-
-class PamConv(ctypes.Structure):
-    _fields_ = [('conv', CONV_FUNC), ('appdata_ptr', ctypes.c_void_p)]
-
-def verify_password(username, password):
-    if not password:
+def verify_via_chkpwd(username, password):
+    """Uses setuid unix_chkpwd helper for unprivileged Linux desktop password verification."""
+    chkpwd_paths = [
+        '/sbin/unix_chkpwd',
+        '/usr/sbin/unix_chkpwd',
+        '/usr/libexec/unix_chkpwd',
+        '/usr/lib/security/unix_chkpwd',
+        '/usr/lib/chkpwd/unix_chkpwd'
+    ]
+    
+    chkpwd_bin = None
+    for p in chkpwd_paths:
+        if os.path.exists(p):
+            chkpwd_bin = p
+            break
+            
+    if not chkpwd_bin:
         return False
-    if not libpam:
+        
+    try:
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            [chkpwd_bin, username, 'nullhelper'],
+            stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+        )
+        pwd_bytes = password.encode('utf-8') + b'\x00'
+        proc.communicate(input=pwd_bytes, timeout=3)
+        return (proc.returncode == 0)
+    except Exception:
         return False
 
+def verify_via_libpam(username, password):
+    """Uses libpam C API for PAM service authentication."""
+    try:
+        libpam_path = ctypes.util.find_library('pam') or 'libpam.so.0'
+        libpam = ctypes.CDLL(libpam_path)
+        libc = ctypes.CDLL(None)
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+    class PamMessage(ctypes.Structure):
+        _fields_ = [('msg_style', ctypes.c_int), ('msg', ctypes.c_char_p)]
+
+    class PamResponse(ctypes.Structure):
+        _fields_ = [('resp', ctypes.c_char_p), ('resp_retcode', ctypes.c_int)]
+
+    CONV_FUNC = ctypes.CFUNCTYPE(ctypes.c_int, ctypes.c_int, ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.POINTER(PamMessage)), ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.POINTER(PamResponse)), ctypes.c_void_p)
+
+    class PamConv(ctypes.Structure):
+        _fields_ = [('conv', CONV_FUNC), ('appdata_ptr', ctypes.c_void_p)]
+
     pwd_bytes = password.encode('utf-8')
 
     def conv_cb(num_msg, msg, resp, appdata_ptr):
@@ -44,22 +71,40 @@ def verify_password(username, password):
     cb = CONV_FUNC(conv_cb)
     conv = PamConv(cb, None)
 
-    for service in ['system-auth', 'login', 'passwd', 'kde', 'sddm', 'gdm', 'su', 'shadow']:
-        pamh = ctypes.c_void_p()
-        res = libpam.pam_start(service.encode('utf-8'), username.encode('utf-8'), ctypes.byref(conv), ctypes.byref(pamh))
-        if res == 0:
-            auth_res = libpam.pam_authenticate(pamh, 0)
-            libpam.pam_end(pamh, auth_res)
-            if auth_res == 0:
-                return True
+    for service in ['system-auth', 'system-local-login', 'system-login', 'login', 'passwd', 'kde', 'sddm', 'gdm', 'su', 'other']:
+        try:
+            pamh = ctypes.c_void_p()
+            res = libpam.pam_start(service.encode('utf-8'), username.encode('utf-8'), ctypes.byref(conv), ctypes.byref(pamh))
+            if res == 0:
+                auth_res = libpam.pam_authenticate(pamh, 0)
+                libpam.pam_end(pamh, auth_res)
+                if auth_res == 0:
+                    return True
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+            
+    return False
+
+def verify_password(username, password):
+    if not password:
+        return False
+        
+    # 1. Primary method for non-root desktop processes: unix_chkpwd
+    if verify_via_chkpwd(username, password):
+        return True
+
+    # 2. Fallback method: libpam API
+    if verify_via_libpam(username, password):
+        return True
+
     return False
 
 def main():
-    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-        # Read from stdin
-        password = sys.stdin.read().strip()
+    password = ""
+    if len(sys.argv) >= 2:
+        password = sys.argv[1]
     else:
-        password = sys.argv[1].strip()
+        password = sys.stdin.read().strip()
 
     username = getpass.getuser()
     if len(sys.argv) >= 3: