diff --git a/include/components/controller.hpp b/include/components/controller.hpp
index cb0a72e7..70edcaf7 100644
--- a/include/components/controller.hpp
+++ b/include/components/controller.hpp
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class controller : public signal_receiver<SIGN_PRIORITY_CONTROLLER, signals::eve
 
  protected:
   void trigger_notification();
+  void start_modules();
   void read_events(bool confwatch);
   void process_inputdata(string&& cmd);
   bool process_update(bool force);
diff --git a/include/modules/tray.hpp b/include/modules/tray.hpp
index db963be8..99f9ca9e 100644
--- a/include/modules/tray.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/tray.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "common.hpp"
 #include "components/bar.hpp"
 #include "modules/meta/static_module.hpp"
+#include "x11/tray_manager.hpp"
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 namespace modules {
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ namespace modules {
     explicit tray_module(const bar_settings& bar_settings, string name_);
     string get_format() const;
 
+    void start() override;
+
     bool build(builder* builder, const string& tag) const;
     void update() {}
     void teardown();
@@ -23,7 +26,9 @@ namespace modules {
    private:
     static constexpr const char* TAG_TRAY{"<tray>"};
 
+    tray_manager m_tray;
+
     int m_width{0};
   };
-}  // namespace modules
+} // namespace modules
 POLYBAR_NS_END
diff --git a/src/components/bar.cpp b/src/components/bar.cpp
index 5e2eb0d3..ffa8985b 100644
--- a/src/components/bar.cpp
+++ b/src/components/bar.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ bar::bar(connection& conn, signal_emitter& emitter, const config& config, const
     , m_action_ctxt(forward<decltype(action_ctxt)>(action_ctxt)) {
   string bs{m_conf.section()};
 
-  m_tray = tray_manager::make(m_opts);
+  // m_tray = tray_manager::make(m_opts);
 
   // Get available RandR outputs
   auto monitor_name = m_conf.get(bs, "monitor", ""s);
@@ -840,9 +840,9 @@ void bar::handle(const evt::button_press& evt) {
  */
 void bar::handle(const evt::expose& evt) {
   if (evt->window == m_opts.x_data.window && evt->count == 0) {
-    if (m_tray->running()) {
-      broadcast_visibility();
-    }
+    // if (m_tray->running()) {
+    //   broadcast_visibility();
+    // }
 
     m_log.trace("bar: Received expose event");
     m_renderer->flush();
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ void bar::start(const string& tray_module_name) {
   m_renderer->end();
 
   m_log.trace("bar: Setup tray manager");
-  m_tray->setup(tray_module_name);
+  // m_tray->setup(tray_module_name);
 
   broadcast_visibility();
 }
diff --git a/src/components/controller.cpp b/src/components/controller.cpp
index bf953d49..84f77c2a 100644
--- a/src/components/controller.cpp
+++ b/src/components/controller.cpp
@@ -100,27 +100,6 @@ bool controller::run(bool writeback, string snapshot_dst, bool confwatch) {
 
   m_sig.attach(this);
 
-  size_t started_modules{0};
-  for (const auto& module : m_modules) {
-    auto evt_handler = dynamic_cast<event_handler_interface*>(&*module);
-
-    if (evt_handler != nullptr) {
-      evt_handler->connect(m_connection);
-    }
-
-    try {
-      m_log.info("Starting %s", module->name());
-      module->start();
-      started_modules++;
-    } catch (const application_error& err) {
-      m_log.err("Failed to start '%s' (reason: %s)", module->name(), err.what());
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (!started_modules) {
-    throw application_error("No modules started");
-  }
-
   m_connection.flush();
 
   read_events(confwatch);
@@ -242,6 +221,29 @@ void controller::screenshot_handler() {
   trigger_update(true);
 }
 
+void controller::start_modules() {
+  size_t started_modules{0};
+  for (const auto& module : m_modules) {
+    auto evt_handler = dynamic_cast<event_handler_interface*>(&*module);
+
+    if (evt_handler != nullptr) {
+      evt_handler->connect(m_connection);
+    }
+
+    try {
+      m_log.info("Starting %s", module->name());
+      module->start();
+      started_modules++;
+    } catch (const application_error& err) {
+      m_log.err("Failed to start '%s' (reason: %s)", module->name(), err.what());
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!started_modules) {
+    throw application_error("No modules started");
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Read events from configured file descriptors
  */
@@ -252,6 +254,8 @@ void controller::read_events(bool confwatch) {
     m_bar->start(m_tray_module_name);
   }
 
+  start_modules();
+
   auto& poll_handle = m_loop.handle<PollHandle>(m_connection.get_file_descriptor());
   poll_handle.start(
       UV_READABLE, [this](const auto&) { conn_cb(); },
diff --git a/src/modules/tray.cpp b/src/modules/tray.cpp
index c38fd8f2..d333c4c1 100644
--- a/src/modules/tray.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/tray.cpp
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #include "modules/tray.hpp"
 
 #include "modules/meta/base.inl"
+#include "x11/background_manager.hpp"
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 namespace modules {
   template class module<tray_module>;
 
   tray_module::tray_module(const bar_settings& bar_settings, string name_)
-      : static_module<tray_module>(bar_settings, move(name_)) {
+      : static_module<tray_module>(bar_settings, move(name_))
+      , m_tray(connection::make(), signal_emitter::make(), m_log, bar_settings) {
     m_formatter->add(DEFAULT_FORMAT, TAG_TRAY, {TAG_TRAY});
     m_sig.attach(this);
   }
@@ -16,6 +18,11 @@ namespace modules {
     return DEFAULT_FORMAT;
   }
 
+  void tray_module::start() {
+    m_tray.setup(name_raw());
+    this->static_module<tray_module>::start();
+  }
+
   bool tray_module::build(builder* builder, const string& tag) const {
     if (tag == TAG_TRAY) {
       builder->control(tags::controltag::t);
@@ -36,5 +43,5 @@ namespace modules {
     m_sig.detach(this);
   }
 
-}  // namespace modules
+} // namespace modules
 POLYBAR_NS_END
diff --git a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
index 46f732f7..f890ec24 100644
--- a/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/x11/tray_manager.cpp
@@ -65,15 +65,13 @@ tray_manager::~tray_manager() {
   deactivate();
 }
 
+/**
+ * TODO load settings from module section
+ */
 void tray_manager::setup(const string& tray_module_name) {
   const config& conf = config::make();
   auto bs = conf.section();
 
-  // TODO remove check once part of tray module
-  if (tray_module_name.empty()) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   auto inner_area = m_bar_opts.inner_area();
   unsigned client_height = inner_area.height;
 
@@ -99,6 +97,11 @@ void tray_manager::setup(const string& tray_module_name) {
 
   m_opts.selection_owner = m_bar_opts.x_data.window;
 
+  if (m_bar_opts.x_data.window == XCB_NONE) {
+    m_log.err("tray: No bar window found, disabling tray");
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Activate the tray manager
   query_atom();
   activate();