diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 62a622cd..37016db9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Changed
+- `internal/tray`: The module must use the `<tray>` tag (this is the default) ([`#3037`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/pull/3037))
+
+## Fixed
+- `internal/tray`: Fixed `module-margin` and `separator` being applied to completely empty tray module ([`#3036`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/issues/3036), [`#3037`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/pull/3037))
 
 ## [3.7.0] - 2023-11-05
 ### Breaking
diff --git a/include/modules/meta/base.hpp b/include/modules/meta/base.hpp
index 80e41a2f..a49e1b0c 100644
--- a/include/modules/meta/base.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/meta/base.hpp
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ namespace modules {
     string get_format() const;
     string get_output();
 
-    void set_visible(bool value);
+    virtual void set_visible(bool value);
 
     void action_module_toggle();
     void action_module_show();
diff --git a/include/modules/tray.hpp b/include/modules/tray.hpp
index add0a845..f7ec365e 100644
--- a/include/modules/tray.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/tray.hpp
@@ -8,11 +8,21 @@
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 namespace modules {
+/**
+ * Wraps the tray_manager in a module.
+ *
+ * The module produces the `%{Pt}` formatting tag, which is used by the renderer
+ * to place the tray.
+ * The visibility of the tray icons is directly tied to the visibility of the
+ * module.
+ */
 class tray_module : public static_module<tray_module> {
  public:
   explicit tray_module(const bar_settings& bar_settings, string name_, const config&);
   string get_format() const;
 
+  void set_visible(bool value) override;
+
   void start() override;
 
   bool build(builder* builder, const string& tag) const;
diff --git a/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp b/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
index 466b7cbc..1c0302a8 100644
--- a/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/x11/tray_manager.hpp
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ class manager : public xpp::event::sink<evt::expose, evt::client_message, evt::c
 
   bool is_visible() const;
 
+  bool change_visibility(bool visible);
+
  protected:
   void recalculate_width();
   void reconfigure_clients();
@@ -130,7 +132,6 @@ class manager : public xpp::event::sink<evt::expose, evt::client_message, evt::c
   void remove_client(const client& client);
   void remove_client(xcb_window_t win);
   void clean_clients();
-  bool change_visibility(bool visible);
 
   void handle(const evt::expose& evt) override;
   void handle(const evt::client_message& evt) override;
diff --git a/src/components/renderer.cpp b/src/components/renderer.cpp
index d2cf34f8..fbedb8d6 100644
--- a/src/components/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/components/renderer.cpp
@@ -839,13 +839,10 @@ bool renderer::on(const signals::ui::request_snapshot& evt) {
 }
 
 void renderer::apply_tray_position(const tags::context& context) {
-  if (context.get_relative_tray_position() != std::pair<alignment, int>()) {
-    int absolute_x = static_cast<int>(
-        block_x(context.get_relative_tray_position().first) + context.get_relative_tray_position().second);
+  auto [alignment, pos] = context.get_relative_tray_position();
+  if (alignment != alignment::NONE) {
+    int absolute_x = static_cast<int>(block_x(alignment) + pos);
     m_sig.emit(signals::ui_tray::tray_pos_change{absolute_x});
-    m_sig.emit(signals::ui_tray::tray_visibility{true});
-  } else {
-    m_sig.emit(signals::ui_tray::tray_visibility{false});
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/tray.cpp b/src/modules/tray.cpp
index 23c73448..93bb47bf 100644
--- a/src/modules/tray.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/tray.cpp
@@ -8,27 +8,46 @@ namespace modules {
   template class module<tray_module>;
 
   tray_module::tray_module(const bar_settings& bar_settings, string name_, const config& config)
-      : static_module<tray_module>(bar_settings, move(name_), config)
+      : static_module<tray_module>(bar_settings, std::move(name_), config)
       , m_tray(connection::make(), signal_emitter::make(), m_log, bar_settings, [&] { this->broadcast(); }) {
     m_formatter->add(DEFAULT_FORMAT, TAG_TRAY, {TAG_TRAY});
+
+    /* There are a bunch of edge cases with regards to tray visiblity when the
+     * <tray> tag is not there (in that case the tray icons should under no
+     * circumnstances appear). To avoid this, we simply disallow the situation.
+     * The module is basically useless without that tag anyway.
+     */
+    if (!m_formatter->has(TAG_TRAY, DEFAULT_FORMAT)) {
+      throw module_error("The " + std::string(TAG_TRAY) + " tag is required in " + name() + "." + DEFAULT_FORMAT);
+    }
+
+    // Otherwise the tray does not see the initial module visibility
+    m_tray.change_visibility(visible());
   }
 
   string tray_module::get_format() const {
     return DEFAULT_FORMAT;
   }
 
+  void tray_module::set_visible(bool value) {
+    m_tray.change_visibility(value);
+    static_module<tray_module>::set_visible(value);
+  }
+
   void tray_module::start() {
     m_tray.setup(m_conf, name());
     this->static_module<tray_module>::start();
   }
 
   bool tray_module::build(builder* builder, const string& tag) const {
-    if (tag == TAG_TRAY) {
+    // Don't produce any output if the tray is empty so that the module can be hidden
+    if (tag == TAG_TRAY && m_tray.get_width() > 0) {
       builder->control(tags::controltag::t);
       extent_val offset_extent = {extent_type::PIXEL, static_cast<float>(m_tray.get_width())};
       builder->offset(offset_extent);
       return true;
     }
+
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
index 09fa288e..28c70787 100644
--- a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ void manager::clean_clients() {
 }
 
 bool manager::change_visibility(bool visible) {
-  if (!is_active() || m_hidden == !visible) {
+  if (m_hidden == !visible) {
     return false;
   }