diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 8d94dc1..c0fb33e 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -488,6 +488,14 @@ func (a *App) SaveSettings(settings map[string]interface{}) string {
 			if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
 				a.hotkeyListener.SetRegistrationErrorCallback(func(err error) {
 					logger.Error("Linux hotkey registration failed: %v", err)
+					// Show notification for hotkey registration failures
+					go func() {
+						time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+						if a.overlay != nil {
+							a.overlay.Show("Shortcut registration failed. Use the command shown in Settings for a desktop shortcut.")
+						}
+						logger.Info("HOTKEY SETUP: Portal failed. Add a custom GNOME/KDE shortcut with: wisp-open --action=toggle")
+					}()
 				})
 			}
 			a.hotkeyListener.Start()
@@ -655,17 +663,26 @@ func (a *App) startupHeadless() {
 		if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
 			a.hotkeyListener.SetRegistrationErrorCallback(func(err error) {
 				logger.Error("Linux hotkey registration failed: %v", err)
+				// Always show an error notification when portal registration fails
+				// so the user knows to use the fallback method
 				go func() {
-					time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
-					if a.overlay != nil {
-						a.overlay.Show("Shortcut registration failed. Add a custom system shortcut with the command shown in Settings.")
+					// Show notification immediately via tray if available
+					if err != nil {
+						logger.Error("Portal hotkey error (will show notification): %v", err)
 					}
+					// Also try to show overlay if window is visible
+					time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+					if a.overlay != nil {
+						a.overlay.Show("Shortcut registration failed. Use the command shown in Settings for a desktop shortcut.")
+					}
+					// Log a clear instruction for the fallback method
+					logger.Info("HOTKEY SETUP: Portal failed. Add a custom GNOME/KDE shortcut with: wisp-open --action=toggle")
 				}()
 			})
 		}
 		a.hotkeyListener.Start()
 	} else {
-		logger.Info("Linux portal hotkey disabled; use the command shown in Settings for a desktop shortcut")
+		logger.Info("Linux portal hotkey disabled via WISFREE_USE_PORTAL_HOTKEY=0; use the command shown in Settings for a desktop shortcut")
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("Components initialized successfully!")
diff --git a/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go b/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
index 1e8fc12..1a79e92 100644
--- a/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
+++ b/internal/xhotkey/hotkey_linux_portal.go
@@ -273,12 +273,14 @@ func (hk *Hotkey) registerPortal() error {
 	}
 
 	type portalShortcut struct {
-		ID      string
-		Details map[string]dbus.Variant
+		ID          string
+		ParentWindow string // Required: empty string or window handle for the parent window
+		Details     map[string]dbus.Variant
 	}
 	shortcutsArg := []portalShortcut{
 		{
-			ID: wisfreeGlobalShortcutID,
+			ID:          wisfreeGlobalShortcutID,
+			ParentWindow: "", // Empty string since we have no focused window handle
 			Details: map[string]dbus.Variant{
 				"description":       dbus.MakeVariant("Hold to dictate; release to transcribe (WIS Free)"),
 				"preferred_trigger": dbus.MakeVariant(trigger),
@@ -291,6 +293,7 @@ func (hk *Hotkey) registerPortal() error {
 	}
 
 	var bindReqPath dbus.ObjectPath
+	// NOTE: BindShortcuts expects shortcuts as a(ssa{sv}) - array of structs with (string, string, dict)
 	if err := portal.Call(ifaceGlobalShortcuts+".BindShortcuts", 0, sessPath, shortcutsArg, "", bindOpts).Store(&bindReqPath); err != nil {
 		_ = conn.Object(portalBusName, sessPath).Call(ifaceSession+".Close", 0).Store()
 		_ = conn.Close()