diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5900ced..466bb17 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ omacast doctor                                                      # check ever
 
 Press **Alt+Space**. Super+Space stays the Omarchy menu.
 
+Run hotkey setup inside a running Hyprland session. It checks active bindings,
+so a default removed with `hl.unbind("ALT + SPACE")` does not block setup.
+Reload Hyprland after removing a conflicting binding, then rerun setup.
+
 `omacast setup hyprland` lists what it will change and asks before changing it. It writes
 `~/.config/hypr/omacast.lua` and appends one `require("hypr.omacast")` line to
 `~/.config/hypr/hyprland.lua`; it never edits Omarchy's own files. To use another key, edit
diff --git a/bin/omacast b/bin/omacast
index f6ab97e..fce036a 100755
--- a/bin/omacast
+++ b/bin/omacast
@@ -219,10 +219,25 @@ cmd_setup_hyprland() {
   local main="$hypr_dir/hyprland.lua" file="$hypr_dir/omacast.lua" legacy="$hypr_dir/$LEGACY_NAME.lua"
   [[ -f $main ]] || die "no $main; this setup targets Lua-configured Hyprland (hyprctl version: $(hyprctl version 2>/dev/null | head -1))"
 
-  local conflicts
-  conflicts=$(grep -rnE '"ALT \+ SPACE"|ALT, ?SPACE' "$hypr_dir" "${OMARCHY_PATH:-/usr/share/omarchy}/default/hypr" 2>/dev/null |
-    grep -vF -e "$file:" -e "$legacy:" | grep -vE '^\S+:[0-9]+:\s*(--|#)')
-  if [[ -n $conflicts ]]; then
+  # Read the loaded bindings: config files also contain disabled defaults,
+  # unbind calls and backups, none of which reserve a shortcut.
+  local bindings conflicts own=false old=false
+  [[ -f $file ]] && own=true
+  [[ -f $legacy ]] && old=true
+  bindings=$(hyprctl -j binds 2>/dev/null) || die "could not read active Hyprland bindings; run setup inside a running Hyprland session"
+  conflicts=$(jq -ce --argjson own "$own" --argjson old "$old" '
+    if type != "array" then error("expected a binding array") else
+      map(select(.modmask == 8 and
+        (((.key // "") | ascii_downcase) == "space" or .keycode == 65) and
+        ((.submap // "") == "" or .submap_universal == true or .submap_universal == "true")) |
+        select((
+          (.dispatcher == "__lua" or .dispatcher == "global") and
+          (($own and .description == "omacast launcher") or
+           ($old and .description == "oma-cast launcher"))
+        ) | not))
+    end
+  ' <<<"$bindings" 2>/dev/null) || die "could not read active Hyprland bindings; expected JSON from hyprctl -j binds"
+  if [[ $conflicts != '[]' ]]; then
     echo "Alt+Space is already bound:" >&2
     echo "$conflicts" >&2
     die "unbind it first, or write $file yourself with another key"
diff --git a/tests/hyprland-setup.test.js b/tests/hyprland-setup.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b29675b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hyprland-setup.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+const test = require("node:test")
+const assert = require("node:assert/strict")
+const fs = require("node:fs")
+const os = require("node:os")
+const path = require("node:path")
+const { spawnSync } = require("node:child_process")
+
+const cli = path.join(__dirname, "../bin/omacast")
+
+function fixture(t, bindings = [], { output, status = 0 } = {}) {
+  const home = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "omacast-hotkey-"))
+  t.after(() => fs.rmSync(home, { recursive: true, force: true }))
+  const hypr = path.join(home, ".config/hypr")
+  const defaults = path.join(home, "omarchy/default/hypr")
+  const bin = path.join(home, "bin")
+  for (const dir of [hypr, defaults, bin]) fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true })
+  const main = 'require("hypr.bindings")\n'
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(hypr, "hyprland.lua"), main)
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(home, "bindings.json"), output ?? JSON.stringify(bindings))
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(bin, "hyprctl"), `#!/bin/bash
+if [[ $1 == -j && $2 == binds ]]; then
+  cat "$HOME/bindings.json"
+  exit ${status}
+fi
+if [[ $1 == reload ]]; then touch "$HOME/reloaded"; exit 0; fi
+exit 1
+`, { mode: 0o755 })
+  return {
+    home, hypr, defaults, main,
+    run: () => spawnSync("bash", [cli, "setup", "hyprland", "--yes"], {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      env: { ...process.env, HOME: home, XDG_CONFIG_HOME: path.join(home, ".config"),
+        OMARCHY_PATH: path.join(home, "omarchy"), PATH: bin + ":" + process.env.PATH }
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+function unchanged(f) {
+  assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "hyprland.lua"), "utf8"), f.main)
+  assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.hypr, "omacast.lua")))
+  assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.home, "reloaded")))
+}
+
+test("setup ignores a default binding removed by a user override", (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t)
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.defaults, "dictation.lua"),
+    'o.bind("ALT + SPACE", "Toggle dictation", "omarchy-dictation toggle")\n')
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "bindings.lua"), 'hl.unbind("ALT + SPACE")\n')
+  const r = f.run()
+  assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr)
+  assert.match(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "omacast.lua"), "utf8"), /omacast:toggle/)
+  assert.match(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "hyprland.lua"), "utf8"), /require\("hypr.omacast"\)/)
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(path.join(f.home, "reloaded")))
+})
+
+for (const key of [{ key: "space" }, { key: "SPACE" }, { key: "", keycode: 65 }]) {
+  test(`setup rejects an active Alt+Space binding ${JSON.stringify(key)}`, (t) => {
+    const f = fixture(t, [{ modmask: 8, submap: "", description: "Toggle dictation", ...key }])
+    const r = f.run()
+    assert.notEqual(r.status, 0)
+    assert.match(r.stderr, /Alt\+Space is already bound/)
+    assert.match(r.stderr, /Toggle dictation/)
+    unchanged(f)
+  })
+}
+
+test("setup ignores other modifier combinations and bindings in other submaps", (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t, [
+    { modmask: 64, key: "space", submap: "" },
+    { modmask: 72, key: "space", submap: "" },
+    { modmask: 8, key: "space", submap: "resize" }
+  ])
+  const r = f.run()
+  assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr)
+})
+
+test("setup rejects a universal binding from another submap", (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t, [{ modmask: 8, key: "space", submap: "resize",
+    submap_universal: "true", description: "Universal shortcut" }])
+  const r = f.run()
+  assert.notEqual(r.status, 0)
+  assert.match(r.stderr, /Universal shortcut/)
+  unchanged(f)
+})
+
+test("setup does not trust an omacast description without an installed hotkey file", (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t, [{ modmask: 8, key: "space", submap: "", dispatcher: "__lua",
+    description: "omacast launcher" }])
+  assert.notEqual(f.run().status, 0)
+  unchanged(f)
+})
+
+test("an existing omacast shortcut does not hide a second active binding", (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t, [
+    { modmask: 8, key: "space", submap: "", dispatcher: "__lua", description: "omacast launcher" },
+    { modmask: 8, key: "space", submap: "", dispatcher: "__lua", description: "Toggle dictation" }
+  ])
+  const content = 'o.bind("ALT + SPACE", "omacast launcher", hl.dsp.global("omacast:toggle"))\n'
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "omacast.lua"), content)
+  const r = f.run()
+  assert.notEqual(r.status, 0)
+  assert.match(r.stderr, /Toggle dictation/)
+  assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "omacast.lua"), "utf8"), content)
+  assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "hyprland.lua"), "utf8"), f.main)
+  assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(path.join(f.home, "reloaded")))
+})
+
+for (const name of ["omacast", "oma-cast"]) {
+  test(`setup can rerun with the existing ${name} shortcut active`, (t) => {
+    const f = fixture(t, [{ modmask: 8, key: "SPACE", submap: "", dispatcher: "__lua",
+      description: `${name} launcher`, arg: "104" }])
+    const file = path.join(f.hypr, `${name}.lua`)
+    fs.writeFileSync(file, `o.bind("ALT + SPACE", "${name} launcher", hl.dsp.global("${name}:toggle"))\n`)
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "hyprland.lua"), `require("hypr.${name}")\n`)
+    const r = f.run()
+    assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stdout + r.stderr)
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(f.home, "bindings.json"), JSON.stringify([
+      { modmask: 8, key: "SPACE", submap: "", dispatcher: "__lua",
+        description: "omacast launcher", arg: "104" }
+    ]))
+    const again = f.run()
+    assert.equal(again.status, 0, again.stdout + again.stderr)
+    const main = fs.readFileSync(path.join(f.hypr, "hyprland.lua"), "utf8")
+    assert.equal(main.split('require("hypr.omacast")').length - 1, 1)
+  })
+}
+
+for (const options of [{ status: 1 }, { output: "not json" }, { output: "{}" }, { output: "" }]) {
+  test(`setup leaves config untouched when bindings cannot be read ${JSON.stringify(options)}`, (t) => {
+    const f = fixture(t, [], options)
+    const r = f.run()
+    assert.notEqual(r.status, 0)
+    assert.match(r.stderr, /could not read active Hyprland bindings/)
+    unchanged(f)
+  })
+}
diff --git a/tests/privacy.test.js b/tests/privacy.test.js
index af350cb..1c33c75 100644
--- a/tests/privacy.test.js
+++ b/tests/privacy.test.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ test("setup hyprland keeps a private legacy oma-cast.lua private", (t) => {
   fs.writeFileSync(hypr + "/hyprland.lua", 'require("hypr.oma-cast")\n')
   fs.writeFileSync(hypr + "/oma-cast.lua", 'o.bind("ALT + SPACE", "oma-cast launcher", hl.dsp.global("oma-cast:toggle"))\n-- token = "private"\n')
   fs.chmodSync(hypr + "/oma-cast.lua", 0o600)
-  fs.writeFileSync(bin + "/hyprctl", "#!/bin/bash\nexit 0\n", { mode: 0o755 })
+  fs.writeFileSync(bin + "/hyprctl", '#!/bin/bash\nif [[ $1 == -j && $2 == binds ]]; then echo "[]"; fi\nexit 0\n', { mode: 0o755 })
   const r = spawnSync("bash", ["-c", 'umask 022; exec "$@"', "umask-022", path.join(root, "bin/omacast"), "setup", "hyprland", "--yes"], {
     env: { HOME: home, XDG_CONFIG_HOME: home + "/.config", OMARCHY_PATH: home + "/omarchy", PATH: bin + ":" + process.env.PATH },
     encoding: "utf8"