diff --git a/Cargo.deps.newer b/Cargo.deps.newer
index 914cc6aa..8dfae554 100644
--- a/Cargo.deps.newer
+++ b/Cargo.deps.newer
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-# Dependencies which change based on build flags
+# Dependencies and tools which change based on build flags
 # For the newer-than-Byzantium config
+
 bitflags = "1.3.*"
 clap = { version = "3.2.*", features=["std"], default-features = false }
 zbus = "1.9.*"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml.in b/Cargo.toml.in
index 65b14f37..f246d1c4 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml.in
+++ b/Cargo.toml.in
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ path = "@path@/examples/find_orphan_layouts.rs"
 
 [features]
 glib_v0_14 = []
+zbus_v1_5 = []
 
 # Dependencies which don't change based on build flags
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a80afa29..a3eeb947 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ cargo_toml_base = configure_file(
 cargo_patch = []
 
 if get_option('newer') == true
-    cargo_build_flags += ['--features', 'glib_v0_14']
+    cargo_build_flags += ['--features', 'glib_v0_14,zbus_v1_5']
     cargo_deps = files('Cargo.deps.newer')
     cargo_lock = files('Cargo.lock.newer')
 else
diff --git a/src/debug.rs b/src/actors/external/debug.rs
similarity index 94%
rename from src/debug.rs
rename to src/actors/external/debug.rs
index bac4fa31..253d1d0e 100644
--- a/src/debug.rs
+++ b/src/actors/external/debug.rs
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
  */
-use std::thread;
-use zbus::{Connection, ObjectServer, dbus_interface, fdo};
-
 use crate::main;
 use crate::state;
 
+use std::thread;
+use zbus::{Connection, ObjectServer, dbus_interface, fdo};
+
+use super::Void;
 
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ impl Manager {
     }
 }
 
-fn start(mgr: Manager) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+fn start(mgr: Manager) -> Result<Void, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     let connection = Connection::new_session()?;
     fdo::DBusProxy::new(&connection)?.request_name(
         "sm.puri.SqueekDebug",
diff --git a/src/actors/external/mod.rs b/src/actors/external/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d591386a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/actors/external/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2022 Purism SPC
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+/*! Contains actors with custom event loops, not based off of the event_loop module. */
+ 
+pub mod debug;
+#[cfg(feature = "zbus_v1_5")]
+pub mod screensaver;
+
+/// The uninhabited type. Cannot be created or returned; means "will never return" as return type. Useful for infinite loops.
+enum Void {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/actors/external/screensaver.rs b/src/actors/external/screensaver.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7f5afe24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/actors/external/screensaver.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2022 Purism SPC
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+use crate::actors::Destination;
+use crate::actors::popover;
+use crate::logging;
+use std::thread;
+use zbus::{Connection, dbus_proxy};
+
+use super::Void;
+
+
+#[dbus_proxy(
+    interface = "org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver",
+    default_service = "org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver",
+    default_path = "/org/freedesktop/ScreenSaver"
+)]
+pub trait Manager {
+    #[dbus_proxy(signal)]
+    fn active_changed(&self, active: bool) -> fdo::Result<()>;
+}
+
+/// Listens to screensaver (screen lock) changes
+pub fn init(destination: popover::Destination) {
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        if let Err(e) = start(destination) {
+            log_print!(
+                logging::Level::Surprise,
+                "Could not track screensaver status, giving up: {:?}",
+                e,
+            );
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+fn start(destination: popover::Destination) -> Result<Void, zbus::Error> {
+    let conn = Connection::new_session()?;
+    let manager = ManagerProxy::new(&conn)?;
+
+    manager.connect_active_changed(move |m| {
+        destination.send(popover::Event::ScreensaverActive(m));
+        Ok(())
+    })?;
+
+    loop {
+        match manager.next_signal() {
+            Ok(None) => {}
+            other => log_print!(
+                logging::Level::Bug,
+                "Encountered unhandled event: {:?}",
+                other,
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/actors/mod.rs b/src/actors/mod.rs
index 378da9eb..8e45d673 100644
--- a/src/actors/mod.rs
+++ b/src/actors/mod.rs
@@ -20,4 +20,14 @@ and by receiving updates from it.
 // Panel contains state and logic to protect the main state from getting flooded
 // with low-level wayland and gtk sizing events.
 
-pub mod popover;
\ No newline at end of file
+pub mod external;
+pub mod popover;
+
+/// The implementing actor is able to receive and handle messages.
+/// Typically, it's the sending end of the channel,
+/// whose other end is inside an event loop.
+// TODO: implement for remaning actors and make the event loop refer to this.
+pub trait Destination {
+    type Event;
+    fn send(&self, event: Self::Event);
+}
diff --git a/src/actors/popover.rs b/src/actors/popover.rs
index e3020c2a..c2a3caa2 100644
--- a/src/actors/popover.rs
+++ b/src/actors/popover.rs
@@ -11,30 +11,66 @@ but it cannot get the user-selected overlay, because it's stored in state.
 To solve this, overlay will be cached in the popover actor,
 and updated by main state every time it changes.
 */
+use crate::logging;
+use std::borrow::BorrowMut;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
 pub mod c {
     use super::*;
-    use crate::util::c::Wrapped;
-    /// The mutable instance of state
-    pub type Actor = Wrapped<State>;
+    use crate::util::c::ArcWrapped;
+    /// The mutable instance of state.
+    /// Thread-safe because this actor does not get its own event loop,
+    /// and therefore can't have a channel to receive messages,
+    /// so instead messages will be passed directly to the mutexed actor.
+    pub type Actor = ArcWrapped<State>;
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct State {
-    pub overlay: Option<String>,
+pub type Destination = Arc<Mutex<State>>;
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Event {
+    Overlay(Option<String>),
+    ScreensaverActive(bool),
 }
 
-impl State {
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
-        Self { overlay: None }
+impl super::Destination for Destination {
+    type Event = Event;
+    fn send(&self, event: Self::Event) {
+        let actor = self.lock();
+        match actor {
+            Ok(mut actor) => {
+                let actor = actor.borrow_mut();
+                **actor = actor.clone().handle_event(event);
+            },
+            Err(e) => log_print!(
+                logging::Level::Bug,
+                "Cannot lock popover state: {:?}",
+                e,
+            ),
+        }
     }
 }
 
-pub fn set_overlay(
-    actor: &c::Actor,
-    overlay: Option<String>,
-) {
-    let actor = actor.clone_ref();
-    let mut actor = actor.borrow_mut();
-    actor.overlay = overlay;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct State {
+    pub overlay: Option<String>,
+    /// Settings button active
+    pub settings_active: bool,
+}
+
+impl State {
+    pub fn new(settings_active: bool) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            overlay: None,
+            settings_active,
+        }
+    }
+    
+    fn handle_event(mut self, event: Event) -> Self {
+        match event {
+            Event::Overlay(overlay) => { self.overlay = overlay; },
+            Event::ScreensaverActive(lock_active) => { self.settings_active = !lock_active; },
+        };
+        self
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f1e70c69..16885743 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,10 +23,9 @@ mod assert_matches;
 mod logging;
 
 mod action;
-mod actors;
+pub mod actors;
 mod animation;
 pub mod data;
-mod debug;
 mod drawing;
 mod event_loop;
 pub mod float_ord;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8d56c140..bc051ff7 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
 /*! Glue for the main loop. */
 use crate::actors;
+use crate::actors::external::debug;
 use crate::animation;
-use crate::debug;
 use crate::data::loading;
 use crate::event_loop;
 use crate::panel;
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ mod c {
     use std::rc::Rc;
     use std::time::Instant;
 
+    use crate::actors::Destination;
+    use crate::actors::popover;
     use crate::event_loop::driver;
     use crate::imservice::IMService;
     use crate::imservice::c::InputMethod;
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ mod c {
     use crate::outputs::Outputs;
     use crate::state;
     use crate::submission::Submission;
-    use crate::util::c::Wrapped;
+    use crate::util::c::{ArcWrapped, Wrapped};
     use crate::vkeyboard::c::ZwpVirtualKeyboardV1;
     
     /// DbusHandler*
@@ -121,12 +123,17 @@ mod c {
         };
         let submission = Submission::new(vk, imservice);
         
+        let popover = ArcWrapped::new(actors::popover::State::new(true));
+
+        #[cfg(feature = "zbus_v1_5")]
+        crate::actors::external::screensaver::init(popover.clone_ref());
+        
         RsObjects {
             submission: Wrapped::new(submission),
             state_manager: Wrapped::new(state_manager),
             receiver: Wrapped::new(receiver),
             wayland: Box::into_raw(wayland),
-            popover: Wrapped::new(actors::popover::State::new()),
+             popover,
         }
     }
 
@@ -152,7 +159,7 @@ mod c {
                 main_loop_handle_message(
                     msg,
                     panel_manager.clone(),
-                    &popover,
+                    &popover.clone_ref(),
                     hint_manager,
                     dbus_handler,
                 );
@@ -170,7 +177,7 @@ mod c {
     fn main_loop_handle_message(
         msg: Commands,
         panel_manager: Wrapped<panel::Manager>,
-        popover: &actors::popover::c::Actor,
+        popover: &actors::popover::Destination,
         hint_manager: HintManager,
         dbus_handler: *const DBusHandler,
     ) {
@@ -191,7 +198,7 @@ mod c {
                 overlay_name,
                 purpose,
             } = description;
-            actors::popover::set_overlay(popover, overlay_name.clone());
+            popover.send(popover::Event::Overlay(overlay_name.clone()));
             let layout = loading::load_layout(&name, kind, purpose, &overlay_name);
             let layout = Box::into_raw(Box::new(layout));
             // CSS can't express "+" in the class
diff --git a/src/popover.rs b/src/popover.rs
index 48820a3c..8f4e4a5f 100644
--- a/src/popover.rs
+++ b/src/popover.rs
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ pub fn show(
     };
 
     let settings_action = gio::SimpleAction::new("settings", None);
+    settings_action.set_enabled(popover.settings_active);
     settings_action.connect_activate(move |_, _| {
         let s = CString::new("region").unwrap();
         unsafe { c::popover_open_settings_panel(s.as_ptr()) };
diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index 94069a14..063cf051 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 /*! Application-wide state is stored here.
  * It's driven by the loop defined in the loop module. */
 
+use crate::actors::external::debug;
 use crate::animation;
-use crate::debug;
 use crate::event_loop;
 use crate::event_loop::ActorState;
 use crate::imservice::{ ContentHint, ContentPurpose };
diff --git a/src/util.rs b/src/util.rs
index 8e93f096..06229d51 100644
--- a/src/util.rs
+++ b/src/util.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub mod c {
     use std::os::raw::c_char;
     use std::rc::Rc;
     use std::str::Utf8Error;
+    use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
     // traits
     
@@ -128,6 +129,53 @@ pub mod c {
     }
 
     impl<T> COpaquePtr for Wrapped<T> {}
+    
+    /// Similar to Wrapped, except thread-safe.
+    #[repr(transparent)]
+    pub struct ArcWrapped<T>(*const Mutex<T>);
+    
+    impl<T> ArcWrapped<T> {
+        pub fn new(value: T) -> Self {
+            Self::wrap(Arc::new(Mutex::new(value)))
+        }
+        pub fn wrap(state: Arc<Mutex<T>>) -> Self {
+            Self(Arc::into_raw(state))
+        }
+        /// Extracts the reference to the data.
+        /// It may cause problems if attempted in more than one place
+        pub unsafe fn unwrap(self) -> Arc<Mutex<T>> {
+            Arc::from_raw(self.0)
+        }
+        
+        /// Creates a new Rc reference to the same data.
+        /// Use for accessing the underlying data as a reference.
+        pub fn clone_ref(&self) -> Arc<Mutex<T>> {
+            // A bit dangerous: the Rc may be in use elsewhere
+            let used_rc = unsafe { Arc::from_raw(self.0) };
+            let rc = used_rc.clone();
+            Arc::into_raw(used_rc); // prevent dropping the original reference
+            rc
+        }
+    }
+    
+    impl<T> Clone for ArcWrapped<T> {
+        fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+            Self::wrap(self.clone_ref())
+        }
+    }
+    
+    /// ToOwned won't work here
+    impl<T: Clone> CloneOwned for ArcWrapped<T> {
+        type Owned = T;
+
+        fn clone_owned(&self) -> T {
+            let rc = self.clone_ref();
+            // FIXME: this panic here is inelegant.
+            // It will only happen in case of crashes elsewhere, but still.
+            let r = rc.lock().unwrap();
+            r.to_owned()
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// Clones the underlying data structure, like ToOwned.