diff --git a/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.cpp b/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.cpp
index fa7fa20b..d12d88fe 100644
--- a/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.cpp
+++ b/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 #include <KIO/CommandLauncherJob>
 #include <KNotificationJobUiDelegate>
 #include <KPluginFactory>
+
+#include <QDBusConnection>
+#include <QDBusMessage>
+#include <QDBusPendingCall>
 #include <QDebug>
 
 const QString CONFIG_FILE = QStringLiteral("plasmamobilerc");
@@ -105,6 +109,8 @@ void MobileShellSettings::setNavigationPanelEnabled(bool navigationPanelEnabled)
     auto group = KConfigGroup{m_config, GENERAL_CONFIG_GROUP};
     group.writeEntry("navigationPanelEnabled", navigationPanelEnabled, KConfigGroup::Notify);
     m_config->sync();
+
+    updateNavigationBarsInPlasma(navigationPanelEnabled);
 }
 
 bool MobileShellSettings::taskSwitcherPreviewsEnabled() const
@@ -164,3 +170,36 @@ void MobileShellSettings::setConvergenceModeEnabled(bool enabled)
     job->setDesktopName(QStringLiteral("org.kde.plasma-mobile-envmanager"));
     job->start();
 }
+
+void MobileShellSettings::updateNavigationBarsInPlasma(bool navigationPanelEnabled)
+{
+    auto message = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QLatin1String("org.kde.plasmashell"),
+                                                  QLatin1String("/PlasmaShell"),
+                                                  QLatin1String("org.kde.PlasmaShell"),
+                                                  QLatin1String("evaluateScript"));
+
+    if (navigationPanelEnabled) {
+        QString createNavigationPanelScript = R"(
+            var bottomPanel = new Panel("org.kde.plasma.mobile.taskpanel")
+            bottomPanel.location = "bottom";
+            bottomPanel.height = 2 * gridUnit;
+        )";
+
+        message << createNavigationPanelScript;
+
+    } else {
+        QString deleteNavigationPanelScript = R"(
+            let allPanels = panels();
+            for (var i = 0; i < allPanels.length; i++) {
+                if (allPanels[i].type === "org.kde.plasma.mobile.taskpanel") {
+                    allPanels[i].remove();
+                }
+            }
+        )";
+
+        message << deleteNavigationPanelScript;
+    }
+
+    // TODO check for error response
+    QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(message);
+}
diff --git a/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.h b/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.h
index e2c9e5e3..9485b686 100644
--- a/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.h
+++ b/components/shellsettingsplugin/mobileshellsettings.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KConfigWatcher>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
+#include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QObject>
 
 /**
@@ -179,6 +180,8 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void convergenceModeEnabledChanged();
 
 private:
+    void updateNavigationBarsInPlasma(bool navigationPanelEnabled);
+
     KConfigWatcher::Ptr m_configWatcher;
     KSharedConfig::Ptr m_config;
 };
diff --git a/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/main.qml
index c91f97d0..e35b4673 100644
--- a/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -28,28 +28,14 @@ ContainmentItem {
 
     Plasmoid.backgroundHints: PlasmaCore.Types.NoBackground
 
-    // toggle visibility of navigation bar (show, or use gestures only)
-    Binding {
-        target: root.panel // assumed to be plasma-workspace "PanelView" component
-        property: "visibilityMode"
-        // 0 - VisibilityMode.NormalPanel
-        // 2 - VisibilityMode.LetWindowsCover HACK: TODO one day we delete the panel component instead of making it invisible in gesture-only mode
-        value: ShellSettings.Settings.navigationPanelEnabled ? 0 : 2
-    }
-
-    // we have the following scenarios:
-    // - system is in landscape orientation & nav panel is enabled (panel on right)
-    // - system is in landscape orientation & gesture mode is enabled (panel on bottom)
-    // - system is in portrait orientation (panel on bottom)
     readonly property bool inLandscape: Screen.width > Screen.height;
-    readonly property bool isInLandscapeNavPanelMode: inLandscape && ShellSettings.Settings.navigationPanelEnabled
 
     readonly property real navigationPanelHeight: Kirigami.Units.gridUnit * 2
 
     readonly property real intendedWindowThickness: navigationPanelHeight
-    readonly property real intendedWindowLength: isInLandscapeNavPanelMode ? Screen.height : Screen.width
-    readonly property real intendedWindowOffset: isInLandscapeNavPanelMode ? MobileShell.Constants.topPanelHeight : 0; // offset for top panel
-    readonly property int intendedWindowLocation: isInLandscapeNavPanelMode ? PlasmaCore.Types.RightEdge : PlasmaCore.Types.BottomEdge
+    readonly property real intendedWindowLength: inLandscape ? Screen.height : Screen.width
+    readonly property real intendedWindowOffset: inLandscape ? MobileShell.Constants.topPanelHeight : 0; // offset for top panel
+    readonly property int intendedWindowLocation: inLandscape ? PlasmaCore.Types.RightEdge : PlasmaCore.Types.BottomEdge
 
     onIntendedWindowLengthChanged: maximizeTimer.restart() // ensure it always takes up the full length of the screen
     onIntendedWindowLocationChanged: locationChangeTimer.restart()
@@ -121,13 +107,9 @@ ContainmentItem {
         Kirigami.Theme.inherit: false
 
         // load appropriate system navigation component
-        Loader {
-            id: navigationLoader
-            active: ShellSettings.Settings.navigationPanelEnabled
+        NavigationPanelComponent {
             anchors.fill: parent
-            sourceComponent: NavigationPanelComponent {
-                opaqueBar: root.opaqueBar
-            }
+            opaqueBar: root.opaqueBar
         }
     }
 }