diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
index ea623b5..2580f33 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_backend.c
@@ -8291,27 +8291,12 @@ wl_workspace_badge_render(WScreen *scr, WNativeWindow badge_win,
         W_RegisterBacking(fb->id, fb->image);
     }
 
-    /* Fill black */
-    pixman_image_t *black_fill = pixman_image_create_bits(PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8, width, height, NULL, 0);
-    if (black_fill) {
-        uint32_t *data = pixman_image_get_data(black_fill);
-        for (int i = 0; i < width * height; i++)
-            data[i] = 0xFF000000;
-        pixman_image_composite32(PIXMAN_OP_SRC, black_fill, NULL, fb->image,
-                                 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, width, height);
-        pixman_image_unref(black_fill);
-    }
-
-    /* Draw text (shadow passes + final) */
-    for (int x = 0; x <= 4; x++)
-        for (int y = 0; y <= 4; y++)
-            WMDrawString(scr->wmscreen, (WMDrawable)badge_win, scr->white,
-                         scr->workspace_name_font, x, y, name, name_len);
-
-    /* Clear and redraw final text centered */
+    /* Fill transparent */
     uint32_t *px = pixman_image_get_data(fb->image);
     for (int i = 0; i < width * height; i++)
-        px[i] = 0xFF000000;
+        px[i] = 0x00000000;
+
+    /* Draw white text */
     WMDrawString(scr->wmscreen, (WMDrawable)badge_win, scr->white,
                  scr->workspace_name_font, 2, 2, name, name_len);
 
@@ -8319,15 +8304,16 @@ wl_workspace_badge_render(WScreen *scr, WNativeWindow badge_win,
     if (fb->scene_buf)
         wlr_scene_buffer_set_buffer_with_damage(fb->scene_buf, &fb->base, NULL);
 
-    /* Return RImage copy for fade animation */
-    RImage *result = RCreateImage(width, height, False);
+    /* Return RGBA RImage copy for fade animation */
+    RImage *result = RCreateImage(width, height, True);
     if (result) {
         uint32_t *src = pixman_image_get_data(fb->image);
         for (int i = 0; i < width * height; i++) {
             uint32_t p = src[i];
-            result->data[i * 3 + 0] = (p >> 16) & 0xFF; /* R */
-            result->data[i * 3 + 1] = (p >> 8) & 0xFF;  /* G */
-            result->data[i * 3 + 2] = p & 0xFF;         /* B */
+            result->data[i * 4 + 0] = (p >> 16) & 0xFF; /* R */
+            result->data[i * 4 + 1] = (p >> 8) & 0xFF;  /* G */
+            result->data[i * 4 + 2] = p & 0xFF;         /* B */
+            result->data[i * 4 + 3] = (p >> 24) & 0xFF; /* A */
         }
     }
     return result;
@@ -8337,9 +8323,10 @@ static RImage *
 wl_workspace_badge_get_background(WScreen *scr, int x, int y, int width, int height)
 {
     (void)scr; (void)x; (void)y;
-    RImage *img = RCreateImage(width, height, False);
+    /* Return a fully transparent background so the badge floats over the desktop */
+    RImage *img = RCreateImage(width, height, True);
     if (img)
-        memset(img->data, 8, width * height * 3);
+        memset(img->data, 0, width * height * 4);
     return img;
 }
 
@@ -8365,7 +8352,8 @@ wl_workspace_badge_update(WScreen *scr, WNativeWindow badge_win, RImage *img)
             uint8_t r = img->data[si];
             uint8_t g = img->data[si + 1];
             uint8_t b = img->data[si + 2];
-            dst[y * fb->width + x] = 0xFF000000 | (r << 16) | (g << 8) | b;
+            uint8_t a = (bpp == 4) ? img->data[si + 3] : 0xFF;
+            dst[y * fb->width + x] = ((uint32_t)a << 24) | (r << 16) | (g << 8) | b;
         }
     }