diff --git a/quickshell/services/WallpaperService.qml b/quickshell/services/WallpaperService.qml
index 0cda4a4..09605a0 100644
--- a/quickshell/services/WallpaperService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/services/WallpaperService.qml
@@ -17,6 +17,27 @@ Item {
         running: true
     }
 
+    // Read saved user wallpaper on startup
+    Process {
+        id: readWallpaperProc
+        command: ["python3", Quickshell.env("HOME") + "/.config/quickshell/services/python/read_wallpaper.py"]
+        running: true
+        stdout: SplitParser {
+            onRead: data => {
+                try {
+                    let parsed = JSON.parse(data.trim())
+                    if (parsed && parsed.wallpaper && parsed.wallpaper !== "") {
+                        root.activeCustomWallpaper = parsed.wallpaper
+                        let fileUrl = parsed.wallpaper.startsWith("file://") ? parsed.wallpaper : "file://" + parsed.wallpaper
+                        Theme.wallpaperPath = fileUrl
+                        let rawPath = parsed.wallpaper.replace("file://", "")
+                        Quickshell.execDetached(["plasma-apply-wallpaperimage", rawPath])
+                    }
+                } catch (e) {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     // Auto-scan wallpapers in ~/Pictures/Wallpapers and ~/.config/quickshell/wallpapers
     Process {
         id: scanProc
@@ -43,6 +64,7 @@ Item {
     }
 
     Component.onCompleted: {
+        readWallpaperProc.running = true
         scanProc.running = true
     }
 
@@ -53,6 +75,7 @@ Item {
         Theme.wallpaperPath = fileUrl
         let rawPath = filePath.replace("file://", "")
         Quickshell.execDetached(["plasma-apply-wallpaperimage", rawPath])
+        Quickshell.execDetached(["python3", Quickshell.env("HOME") + "/.config/quickshell/services/python/save_wallpaper.py", rawPath])
     }
 
     function refresh() {
diff --git a/quickshell/services/python/read_wallpaper.py b/quickshell/services/python/read_wallpaper.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..49a72de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quickshell/services/python/read_wallpaper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import json
+import os
+
+def read_wallpaper():
+    user_file = os.path.expanduser('~/.config/quickshell_user_wallpaper.json')
+    if os.path.exists(user_file):
+        try:
+            with open(user_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+                data = json.load(f)
+                if isinstance(data, dict) and data.get("wallpaper"):
+                    print(json.dumps(data), flush=True)
+                    return
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+    print(json.dumps({"wallpaper": ""}), flush=True)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    read_wallpaper()
diff --git a/quickshell/services/python/save_wallpaper.py b/quickshell/services/python/save_wallpaper.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6581917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quickshell/services/python/save_wallpaper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+
+def save_wallpaper():
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        return
+    wp_path = sys.argv[1]
+    user_file = os.path.expanduser('~/.config/quickshell_user_wallpaper.json')
+    data = {"wallpaper": wp_path}
+    try:
+        with open(user_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+            json.dump(data, f, indent=2)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    save_wallpaper()
diff --git a/quickshell/theme/Theme.qml b/quickshell/theme/Theme.qml
index 62fa928..d6baf9d 100644
--- a/quickshell/theme/Theme.qml
+++ b/quickshell/theme/Theme.qml
@@ -165,9 +165,13 @@ Item {
                 AppLauncherService.reload()
 
                 let imgPath = getVariantWallpaper(v.name)
-                wallpaperPath = imgPath.startsWith("file://") ? imgPath : "file://" + imgPath
-                let rawPath = imgPath.replace("file://", "")
-                Quickshell.execDetached(["plasma-apply-wallpaperimage", rawPath])
+                if (WallpaperService) {
+                    WallpaperService.applyWallpaper(imgPath)
+                } else {
+                    wallpaperPath = imgPath.startsWith("file://") ? imgPath : "file://" + imgPath
+                    let rawPath = imgPath.replace("file://", "")
+                    Quickshell.execDetached(["plasma-apply-wallpaperimage", rawPath])
+                }
                 Quickshell.execDetached(["sh", "-c", "wallust run '" + rawPath + "' || ~/.cargo/bin/wallust run '" + rawPath + "' 2>/dev/null || true"])
 
                 // Persist selected theme variant to disk