diff --git a/KeyVisualizer.qml b/KeyVisualizer.qml
index 319e4f6..67568fe 100644
--- a/KeyVisualizer.qml
+++ b/KeyVisualizer.qml
@@ -96,10 +96,9 @@ Item {
   // display is frozen (keys are ignored). The bar button writes/removes the
   // file; both sides watch it, so a click on any monitor updates all of them.
   property bool paused: false
-  readonly property string pausePath: {
-    var runtime = Quickshell.env("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR")
-    return (runtime && runtime.length > 0 ? runtime : "/tmp") + "/omarchy-key-visualizer.paused"
-  }
+  // Persisted next to the config so the pause state survives restarts
+  // (the runtime dir is wiped on reboot).
+  readonly property string pausePath: Quickshell.env("HOME") + "/.config/omarchy/key-visualizer.paused"
 
   // ------------------------------------------------------------- layout
 
diff --git a/Panel.qml b/Panel.qml
index 53d60da..14ba72e 100644
--- a/Panel.qml
+++ b/Panel.qml
@@ -35,10 +35,9 @@ Panel {
   // code on any file change under ~/.config/omarchy/plugins/), so editing it
   // updates the display live instead of restarting the plugin.
   readonly property string configPath: Quickshell.env("HOME") + "/.config/omarchy/key-visualizer.json"
-  readonly property string pausePath: {
-    var runtime = Quickshell.env("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR")
-    return (runtime && runtime.length > 0 ? runtime : "/tmp") + "/omarchy-key-visualizer.paused"
-  }
+  // Persisted next to the config so the pause state survives restarts
+  // (the runtime dir is wiped on reboot).
+  readonly property string pausePath: Quickshell.env("HOME") + "/.config/omarchy/key-visualizer.paused"
 
   // ------------------------------------------------------------- pause