diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1abf7b1c..1868589b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ The extensible top panel for Pantheon. Wingpanel is an empty container that acce
 
 You'll need the following dependencies:
 
+* libgtk4-layer-shell-dev >= 1.0.4
 * libgala-dev >= 8.3.0
 * libgee-0.8-dev
 * libglib2.0-dev
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 57719c49..3ee0b666 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ i18n = import('i18n')
 gnome = import('gnome')
 pkg = import('pkgconfig')
 
+gtkls_dep = dependency('gtk4-layer-shell-0', required: get_option('layer_shell'))
+gala_dep = dependency('gala', version: '>= 8.3.0', required: not gtkls_dep.found())
 glib_dep = dependency('glib-2.0', version: '>=2.32')
 gio_dep = dependency('gio-2.0')
 gio_unix_dep = dependency('gio-unix-2.0')
@@ -35,19 +37,31 @@ granite_dep = dependency('granite-7', version: '>=7.6.0')
 posix_dep = vala.find_library('posix')
 wl_client_dep = dependency('wayland-client')
 
-subdir('protocol')
+if gala_dep.found()
+    add_project_arguments('-D', 'USE_GALA', language: 'vala')
+endif
+if gtkls_dep.found()
+    add_project_arguments('-D', 'USE_LAYER_SHELL', language: 'vala')
+endif
+
 subdir('data')
 subdir('lib')
 subdir('schemas')
+
+if gala_dep.found()
+    subdir('protocol')
+    subdir('wingpanel-interface')
+
+    vapigen = find_program('vapigen', required: false)
+    if vapigen.found()
+    	subdir('vapi')
+    endif
+endif
+
 subdir('src')
-subdir('wingpanel-interface')
 if get_option('example')
     subdir('sample')
 endif
 subdir('po')
-vapigen = find_program('vapigen', required: false)
-if vapigen.found()
-	subdir('vapi')
-endif
 
 gnome.post_install(glib_compile_schemas: true)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index a57e35b6..114343ef 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+option('layer_shell', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Build with wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1 support')
 option('example', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'Build an example that shows how it works')
diff --git a/src/PanelWindow.vala b/src/PanelWindow.vala
index 88c23192..3f8f82db 100644
--- a/src/PanelWindow.vala
+++ b/src/PanelWindow.vala
@@ -29,14 +29,16 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
     private Services.PopoverManager popover_manager;
     private Widgets.Panel panel;
 
+#if USE_GALA
     private Pantheon.Desktop.Shell? desktop_shell;
     private Pantheon.Desktop.Panel? desktop_panel;
     private bool initialized_background_manager = false;
 
     private Gtk.CssProvider? style_provider = null;
+#endif
 
     construct {
-        popover_manager = new Services.PopoverManager ();
+        popover_manager = new Services.PopoverManager (this);
 
         panel = new Widgets.Panel (popover_manager);
         panel.realize.connect (on_realize);
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
         decorated = false;
         resizable = false;
 
+#if USE_GALA
         popover_manager.notify["indicator-open"].connect (() => {
             if (!popover_manager.indicator_open) {
                 Services.BackgroundManager.get_default ().restore_window ();
@@ -60,6 +63,16 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
         });
 
         Services.BackgroundManager.get_default ().background_state_changed.connect (update_background);
+#endif
+
+#if USE_LAYER_SHELL
+        GtkLayerShell.init_for_window (this);
+        GtkLayerShell.set_layer (this, GtkLayerShell.Layer.TOP);
+        GtkLayerShell.auto_exclusive_zone_enable (this);
+        GtkLayerShell.set_anchor (this, GtkLayerShell.Edge.TOP, true);
+        GtkLayerShell.set_anchor (this, GtkLayerShell.Edge.LEFT, true);
+        GtkLayerShell.set_anchor (this, GtkLayerShell.Edge.RIGHT, true);
+#endif
     }
 
     private void on_realize () {
@@ -69,7 +82,9 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
 
         surface.enter_monitor.connect (on_enter_monitor);
 
+#if USE_GALA
         init_wl ();
+#endif
     }
 
     private static void on_compute_size (Gdk.ToplevelSize top_level_size) {
@@ -83,10 +98,12 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
             })
         );
 
+#if USE_GALA
         if (!initialized_background_manager) {
             Services.BackgroundManager.initialize (panel.get_height ());
             initialized_background_manager = true;
         }
+#endif
     }
 
     private void on_enter_monitor (Gdk.Monitor new_monitor) {
@@ -101,6 +118,7 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
         panel.toggle_indicator (name);
     }
 
+#if USE_GALA
     public void registry_handle_global (Wl.Registry wl_registry, uint32 name, string @interface, uint32 version) {
         if (@interface == "io_elementary_pantheon_shell_v1") {
             desktop_shell = wl_registry.bind<Pantheon.Desktop.Shell> (name, ref Pantheon.Desktop.Shell.iface, uint32.min (version, 1));
@@ -188,6 +206,7 @@ public class Wingpanel.PanelWindow : Gtk.Window {
                 break;
         }
     }
+#endif
 
     public override void measure (
         Gtk.Orientation orientation,
diff --git a/src/Services/PopoverManager.vala b/src/Services/PopoverManager.vala
index 78bfe843..6f248e2f 100644
--- a/src/Services/PopoverManager.vala
+++ b/src/Services/PopoverManager.vala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 public class Wingpanel.Services.PopoverManager : Object {
     public bool indicator_open { get; private set; default = false; }
+    public unowned Wingpanel.PanelWindow owner { get; construct; }
 
     private Gtk.Popover popover;
 
@@ -57,16 +58,37 @@ public class Wingpanel.Services.PopoverManager : Object {
                 popover.child = _current_indicator.indicator_widget;
                 _current_indicator.display_widget.has_tooltip = false;
                 popover.set_parent (_current_indicator);
+                _current_indicator.base_indicator.opened ();
+#if USE_LAYER_SHELL
+                GtkLayerShell.set_keyboard_mode (owner, GtkLayerShell.KeyboardMode.ON_DEMAND);
+#endif
                 popover.popup ();
                 _current_indicator.set_state_flags (CHECKED, true);
-                _current_indicator.base_indicator.opened ();
+                if (owner.is_active) {
+                    _current_indicator.indicator_widget.child_focus (Gtk.DirectionType.TAB_FORWARD);
+                } else {
+                    ulong handler_id = 0;
+                    handler_id = owner.notify["is-active"].connect (() => {
+                        if (owner.is_active && _current_indicator != null) {
+                            _current_indicator.indicator_widget.child_focus (Gtk.DirectionType.TAB_FORWARD);
+                            SignalHandler.disconnect (owner, handler_id);
+                        }
+                    });
+                }
             } else {
                 ((Widgets.IndicatorEntry)popover.parent).display_widget.has_tooltip = true;
+#if USE_LAYER_SHELL
+                GtkLayerShell.set_keyboard_mode (owner, GtkLayerShell.KeyboardMode.NONE);
+#endif
                 popover.popdown ();
             }
         }
     }
 
+    public PopoverManager (Wingpanel.PanelWindow owner) {
+        Object (owner: owner);
+    }
+
     construct {
         popover = new Gtk.Popover () {
             has_arrow = false,
diff --git a/src/Widgets/Panel.vala b/src/Widgets/Panel.vala
index 6999e9c3..5d46ef28 100644
--- a/src/Widgets/Panel.vala
+++ b/src/Widgets/Panel.vala
@@ -151,8 +151,10 @@ public class Wingpanel.Widgets.Panel : Granite.Bin {
     private void begin_drag (double x, double y) {
         popover_manager.current_indicator = null;
 
+#if USE_GALA
         var background_manager = Services.BackgroundManager.get_default ();
         background_manager.begin_grab_focused_window ((int) x, (int) y);
+#endif
     }
 
     private void cycle (Gtk.DirectionType direction) {
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 876f50d4..c2dbfa2b 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -15,9 +15,14 @@ wingpanel_deps = [
     granite_dep,
     gdk_wl_dep,
     posix_dep,
-    wl_client_dep,
-    pantheon_desktop_shell_dep
+    wl_client_dep
 ]
+if gtkls_dep.found()
+    wingpanel_deps += [gtkls_dep]
+endif
+if gala_dep.found()
+    wingpanel_deps += [pantheon_desktop_shell_dep]
+endif
 
 executable(meson.project_name(),
     css_gresource,
diff --git a/wingpanel-interface/meson.build b/wingpanel-interface/meson.build
index fcda54d6..84cf1a4b 100644
--- a/wingpanel-interface/meson.build
+++ b/wingpanel-interface/meson.build
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ endif
 
 mutter_typelib_dir = libmutter_dep.get_variable('typelibdir')
 
-gala_dep = dependency('gala', version: '>= 8.3.0')
 m_dep = meson.get_compiler('c').find_library('m', required: false)
 
 shared_module(