diff --git a/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/main.rs b/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/main.rs
index ec576e9..836b83a 100644
--- a/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/main.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use anyhow::Context;
 #[cfg(feature = "servo-embed")]
 mod embedder;
 mod protocols;
+mod shell_client;
 
 fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     tracing_subscriber::fmt()
@@ -29,6 +30,17 @@ fn run() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let ws_port = appd_ws_port();
     tracing::info!(ws_port, "appd WebSocket port");
 
+    let _shell = match shell_client::ShellClient::connect() {
+        Ok(c) => {
+            tracing::info!("shell window registered with compositor");
+            Some(c)
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            tracing::warn!(error = %e, "shell protocol unavailable; continuing without compositor registration");
+            None
+        }
+    };
+
     embed_servo(&wayland_display, &html_path, ws_port)
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/shell_client.rs b/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/shell_client.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd0ea2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/weft-servo-shell/src/shell_client.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+use anyhow::Context;
+use wayland_client::{
+    Connection, Dispatch, EventQueue, QueueHandle,
+    protocol::{wl_registry, wl_surface::WlSurface},
+};
+
+use crate::protocols::{
+    ZweftShellManagerV1, ZweftShellWindowV1,
+    client::{zweft_shell_manager_v1, zweft_shell_window_v1},
+};
+
+// ── Window state ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+pub struct ShellWindowState {
+    pub x: i32,
+    pub y: i32,
+    pub width: i32,
+    pub height: i32,
+    pub state_flags: u32,
+    pub focused: bool,
+    pub closed: bool,
+}
+
+// ── Internal Wayland dispatch state ──────────────────────────────────────────
+
+struct AppData {
+    manager: Option<ZweftShellManagerV1>,
+    window: Option<ZweftShellWindowV1>,
+    window_state: ShellWindowState,
+}
+
+impl AppData {
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            manager: None,
+            window: None,
+            window_state: ShellWindowState {
+                x: 0,
+                y: 0,
+                width: 0,
+                height: 0,
+                state_flags: 0,
+                focused: false,
+                closed: false,
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Dispatch<wl_registry::WlRegistry, ()> for AppData {
+    fn event(
+        state: &mut Self,
+        registry: &wl_registry::WlRegistry,
+        event: wl_registry::Event,
+        _: &(),
+        _: &Connection,
+        qh: &QueueHandle<Self>,
+    ) {
+        if let wl_registry::Event::Global {
+            name,
+            interface,
+            version,
+        } = event
+            && interface == "zweft_shell_manager_v1"
+        {
+            let mgr = registry.bind::<ZweftShellManagerV1, _, _>(name, version.min(1), qh, ());
+            state.manager = Some(mgr);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Dispatch<ZweftShellManagerV1, ()> for AppData {
+    fn event(
+        _: &mut Self,
+        _: &ZweftShellManagerV1,
+        _event: zweft_shell_manager_v1::Event,
+        _: &(),
+        _: &Connection,
+        _: &QueueHandle<Self>,
+    ) {
+    }
+}
+
+impl Dispatch<ZweftShellWindowV1, ()> for AppData {
+    fn event(
+        state: &mut Self,
+        window: &ZweftShellWindowV1,
+        event: zweft_shell_window_v1::Event,
+        _: &(),
+        _: &Connection,
+        _: &QueueHandle<Self>,
+    ) {
+        match event {
+            zweft_shell_window_v1::Event::Configure {
+                x,
+                y,
+                width,
+                height,
+                state: flags,
+            } => {
+                let ws = &mut state.window_state;
+                ws.x = x;
+                ws.y = y;
+                ws.width = width;
+                ws.height = height;
+                ws.state_flags = flags;
+                tracing::debug!(x, y, width, height, flags, "shell window configure");
+            }
+            zweft_shell_window_v1::Event::FocusChanged { focused } => {
+                state.window_state.focused = focused != 0;
+                tracing::debug!(focused, "shell window focus changed");
+            }
+            zweft_shell_window_v1::Event::WindowClosed => {
+                tracing::info!("shell window closed by compositor");
+                state.window_state.closed = true;
+                window.destroy();
+            }
+            zweft_shell_window_v1::Event::PresentationFeedback {
+                tv_sec,
+                tv_nsec,
+                refresh,
+            } => {
+                tracing::trace!(tv_sec, tv_nsec, refresh, "shell presentation feedback");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// ── Public client ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub struct ShellClient {
+    event_queue: EventQueue<AppData>,
+    data: AppData,
+}
+
+impl ShellClient {
+    pub fn connect() -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
+        let conn =
+            Connection::connect_to_env().context("failed to connect to Wayland compositor")?;
+
+        let mut event_queue = conn.new_event_queue::<AppData>();
+        let qh = event_queue.handle();
+
+        conn.display().get_registry(&qh, ());
+
+        let mut data = AppData::new();
+        event_queue
+            .roundtrip(&mut data)
+            .context("Wayland globals roundtrip")?;
+
+        anyhow::ensure!(
+            data.manager.is_some(),
+            "zweft_shell_manager_v1 not advertised; WEFT compositor must be running"
+        );
+
+        let manager = data.manager.as_ref().unwrap();
+        let window = manager.create_window(
+            "org.weft.system.shell".to_string(),
+            "WEFT Shell".to_string(),
+            "panel".to_string(),
+            None::<&WlSurface>,
+            0,
+            0,
+            0,
+            0,
+            &qh,
+            (),
+        );
+        data.window = Some(window);
+
+        event_queue
+            .roundtrip(&mut data)
+            .context("Wayland create_window roundtrip")?;
+
+        tracing::info!(
+            x = data.window_state.x,
+            y = data.window_state.y,
+            width = data.window_state.width,
+            height = data.window_state.height,
+            state_flags = data.window_state.state_flags,
+            "shell window registered with compositor"
+        );
+
+        Ok(Self { event_queue, data })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn dispatch_pending(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
+        self.event_queue
+            .dispatch_pending(&mut self.data)
+            .context("Wayland dispatch")?;
+        self.event_queue.flush().context("Wayland flush")?;
+        Ok(!self.data.window_state.closed)
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn window_state(&self) -> &ShellWindowState {
+        &self.data.window_state
+    }
+}