diff --git a/src/Window.cpp b/src/Window.cpp
index 63c5a79e3..1bd30f22d 100644
--- a/src/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/Window.cpp
@@ -548,6 +548,12 @@ void CWindow::applyDynamicRule(const SWindowRule& r) {
         m_sAdditionalConfigData.dimAround = true;
     } else if (r.szRule == "keepaspectratio") {
         m_sAdditionalConfigData.keepAspectRatio = true;
+    } else if (r.szRule.find("xray") == 0) {
+        CVarList vars(r.szRule, 0, ' ');
+
+        try {
+            m_sAdditionalConfigData.xray = configStringToInt(vars[1]);
+        } catch (...) {}
     }
 }
 
@@ -569,6 +575,7 @@ void CWindow::updateDynamicRules() {
     m_sAdditionalConfigData.forceRGBX       = false;
     m_sAdditionalConfigData.borderSize      = -1;
     m_sAdditionalConfigData.keepAspectRatio = false;
+    m_sAdditionalConfigData.xray            = -1;
 
     const auto WINDOWRULES = g_pConfigManager->getMatchingRules(this);
     for (auto& r : WINDOWRULES) {
diff --git a/src/Window.hpp b/src/Window.hpp
index 3ff9f6f7b..3d1c69ac6 100644
--- a/src/Window.hpp
+++ b/src/Window.hpp
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ struct SWindowAdditionalConfigData {
     CWindowOverridableVar<bool> dimAround             = false;
     CWindowOverridableVar<bool> forceRGBX             = false;
     CWindowOverridableVar<bool> keepAspectRatio       = false;
+    CWindowOverridableVar<int>  xray                  = -1; // -1 means unset, takes precedence over the renderdata one
     CWindowOverridableVar<int>  borderSize            = -1; // -1 means unset, takes precedence over the renderdata one
 };
 
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index 461956a20..0723ad242 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -889,11 +889,11 @@ bool windowRuleValid(const std::string& RULE) {
              RULE != "nofullscreenrequest" && RULE != "nomaximizerequest" && RULE != "fakefullscreen" && RULE != "nomaxsize" && RULE != "pin" && RULE != "noanim" &&
              RULE != "dimaround" && RULE != "windowdance" && RULE != "maximize" && RULE != "keepaspectratio" && RULE.find("animation") != 0 && RULE.find("rounding") != 0 &&
              RULE.find("workspace") != 0 && RULE.find("bordercolor") != 0 && RULE != "forcergbx" && RULE != "noinitialfocus" && RULE != "stayfocused" &&
-             RULE.find("bordersize") != 0);
+             RULE.find("bordersize") != 0 && RULE.find("xray") != 0);
 }
 
 bool layerRuleValid(const std::string& RULE) {
-    return !(RULE != "noanim" && RULE != "blur" && RULE.find("ignorealpha") != 0 && RULE.find("ignorezero") != 0);
+    return !(RULE != "noanim" && RULE != "blur" && RULE.find("ignorealpha") != 0 && RULE.find("ignorezero") != 0 && RULE.find("xray") != 0);
 }
 
 void CConfigManager::handleWindowRule(const std::string& command, const std::string& value) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/WLClasses.cpp b/src/helpers/WLClasses.cpp
index 3a03afcda..c257b6b85 100644
--- a/src/helpers/WLClasses.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/WLClasses.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ void SLayerSurface::applyRules() {
     forceBlur        = false;
     ignoreAlpha      = false;
     ignoreAlphaValue = 0.f;
+    xray             = -1;
 
     for (auto& rule : g_pConfigManager->getMatchingRules(this)) {
         if (rule.rule == "noanim")
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ void SLayerSurface::applyRules() {
                 if (!alphaValue.empty())
                     ignoreAlphaValue = std::stof(alphaValue);
             } catch (...) { Debug::log(ERR, "Invalid value passed to ignoreAlpha"); }
+        } else if (rule.rule.find("xray") == 0) {
+            CVarList vars{rule.rule, 0, ' '};
+            try {
+                xray = configStringToInt(vars[1]);
+            } catch (...) {}
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/helpers/WLClasses.hpp b/src/helpers/WLClasses.hpp
index 18e223b69..e43a00fff 100644
--- a/src/helpers/WLClasses.hpp
+++ b/src/helpers/WLClasses.hpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ struct SLayerSurface {
     bool                      noAnimations  = false;
 
     bool                      forceBlur        = false;
+    int                       xray             = -1;
     bool                      ignoreAlpha      = false;
     float                     ignoreAlphaValue = 0.f;
 
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ struct STablet {
     std::string           name = "";
 
     bool                  operator==(const STablet& b) const {
-        return wlrDevice == b.wlrDevice;
+                         return wlrDevice == b.wlrDevice;
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
index b56c876bb..f57907622 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
@@ -1022,6 +1022,21 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::preRender(CMonitor* pMonitor) {
         }
     }
 
+    for (auto& m : g_pCompositor->m_vMonitors) {
+        for (auto& lsl : m->m_aLayerSurfaceLayers) {
+            for (auto& ls : lsl) {
+                if (!ls->layerSurface || ls->xray != 1)
+                    continue;
+
+                if (ls->layerSurface->surface->opaque && ls->alpha.fl() >= 1.f)
+                    continue;
+
+                hasWindows = true;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     if (!hasWindows)
         return;
 
@@ -1073,13 +1088,33 @@ bool CHyprOpenGLImpl::preBlurQueued() {
     return !(!m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->blurFBDirty || !*PBLURNEWOPTIMIZE || !*PBLUR || !m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->blurFBShouldRender);
 }
 
+bool CHyprOpenGLImpl::shouldUseNewBlurOptimizations(SLayerSurface* pLayer, CWindow* pWindow) {
+    static auto* const PBLURNEWOPTIMIZE = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:new_optimizations")->intValue;
+    static auto* const PBLURXRAY        = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:xray")->intValue;
+
+    if (!m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->blurFB.m_cTex.m_iTexID)
+        return false;
+
+    if (pWindow && pWindow->m_sAdditionalConfigData.xray.toUnderlying() == 0)
+        return false;
+
+    if (pLayer && pLayer->xray == 0)
+        return false;
+
+    if ((*PBLURNEWOPTIMIZE && pWindow && !pWindow->m_bIsFloating && !g_pCompositor->isWorkspaceSpecial(pWindow->m_iWorkspaceID)) || *PBLURXRAY)
+        return true;
+
+    if ((pLayer && pLayer->xray == 1) || (pWindow && pWindow->m_sAdditionalConfigData.xray.toUnderlying() == 1))
+        return true;
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 void CHyprOpenGLImpl::renderTextureWithBlur(const CTexture& tex, wlr_box* pBox, float a, wlr_surface* pSurface, int round, bool blockBlurOptimization) {
     RASSERT(m_RenderData.pMonitor, "Tried to render texture with blur without begin()!");
 
     static auto* const PBLURENABLED     = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:enabled")->intValue;
     static auto* const PNOBLUROVERSIZED = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:no_blur_on_oversized")->intValue;
-    static auto* const PBLURNEWOPTIMIZE = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:new_optimizations")->intValue;
-    static auto* const PBLURXRAY        = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:xray")->intValue;
 
     TRACY_GPU_ZONE("RenderTextureWithBlur");
 
@@ -1113,10 +1148,8 @@ void CHyprOpenGLImpl::renderTextureWithBlur(const CTexture& tex, wlr_box* pBox,
 
     wlr_region_scale(inverseOpaque.pixman(), inverseOpaque.pixman(), m_RenderData.pMonitor->scale);
 
-    //                                                                        vvv TODO: layered blur fbs?
-    const bool    USENEWOPTIMIZE = (*PBLURNEWOPTIMIZE && !blockBlurOptimization &&
-                                 ((m_pCurrentWindow && !m_pCurrentWindow->m_bIsFloating && !g_pCompositor->isWorkspaceSpecial(m_pCurrentWindow->m_iWorkspaceID)) || *PBLURXRAY) &&
-                                 m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->blurFB.m_cTex.m_iTexID);
+    //   vvv TODO: layered blur fbs?
+    const bool    USENEWOPTIMIZE = shouldUseNewBlurOptimizations(m_pCurrentLayer, m_pCurrentWindow) && !blockBlurOptimization;
 
     CFramebuffer* POUTFB = nullptr;
     if (!USENEWOPTIMIZE) {
diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.hpp b/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
index d38f54aeb..1719102be 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.hpp
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ inline const float fullVerts[] = {
 };
 inline const float fanVertsFull[] = {-1.0f, -1.0f, 1.0f, -1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, -1.0f, 1.0f};
 
-enum eDiscardMode
-{
+enum eDiscardMode {
     DISCARD_OPAQUE = 1,
     DISCARD_ALPHA  = 1 << 1
 };
@@ -149,6 +148,7 @@ class CHyprOpenGLImpl {
     bool                                       m_bReloadScreenShader = true; // at launch it can be set
 
     CWindow*                                   m_pCurrentWindow = nullptr; // hack to get the current rendered window
+    SLayerSurface*                             m_pCurrentLayer  = nullptr; // hack to get the current rendered layer
 
     std::unordered_map<CWindow*, CFramebuffer> m_mWindowFramebuffers;
     std::unordered_map<SLayerSurface*, CFramebuffer>  m_mLayerFramebuffers;
@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ class CHyprOpenGLImpl {
 
     void          preBlurForCurrentMonitor();
 
+    bool          shouldUseNewBlurOptimizations(SLayerSurface* pLayer, CWindow* pWindow);
+
     friend class CHyprRenderer;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/render/Renderer.cpp b/src/render/Renderer.cpp
index aaa15b86a..29bdb39d2 100644
--- a/src/render/Renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/render/Renderer.cpp
@@ -414,6 +414,8 @@ void CHyprRenderer::renderLayer(SLayerSurface* pLayer, CMonitor* pMonitor, times
     renderdata.h                     = pLayer->geometry.height;
     renderdata.blockBlurOptimization = pLayer->layer == ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM || pLayer->layer == ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BACKGROUND;
 
+    g_pHyprOpenGL->m_pCurrentLayer = pLayer;
+
     if (pLayer->ignoreAlpha) {
         g_pHyprOpenGL->m_RenderData.discardMode |= DISCARD_ALPHA;
         g_pHyprOpenGL->m_RenderData.discardOpacity = pLayer->ignoreAlphaValue;
@@ -424,6 +426,8 @@ void CHyprRenderer::renderLayer(SLayerSurface* pLayer, CMonitor* pMonitor, times
     renderdata.squishOversized = false; // don't squish popups
     renderdata.dontRound       = true;
     wlr_layer_surface_v1_for_each_popup_surface(pLayer->layerSurface, renderSurface, &renderdata);
+
+    g_pHyprOpenGL->m_pCurrentLayer = nullptr;
 }
 
 void CHyprRenderer::renderIMEPopup(SIMEPopup* pPopup, CMonitor* pMonitor, timespec* time) {