diff --git a/shell/contents/views/Desktop.qml b/shell/contents/views/Desktop.qml
index c85eda6b..f9879faf 100644
--- a/shell/contents/views/Desktop.qml
+++ b/shell/contents/views/Desktop.qml
@@ -204,7 +204,13 @@ Item {
         colorGroup: PlasmaCore.Theme.ComplementaryColorGroup
 
         Rectangle {
-            anchors.fill: parent
+            parent: slidingPanel.visible ? panelContents : statusPanel
+            anchors {
+                left: parent.left
+                right: parent.right
+                bottom: parent.bottom
+            }
+            height: units.iconSizes.small
             color: PlasmaCore.ColorScope.backgroundColor
 
             PlasmaCore.IconItem {
@@ -263,6 +269,15 @@ Item {
                     }
                 }
             }
+            Rectangle {
+                height: units.smallSpacing/2
+                color: PlasmaCore.ColorScope.highlightColor
+                anchors {
+                    left: parent.left
+                    right: parent.right
+                    bottom: parent.bottom
+                }
+            }
         }
         MouseArea {
             property int oldMouseY: 0
@@ -288,6 +303,10 @@ Item {
         id: slidingPanel
         width: homescreen.width
         height: homescreen.height
+        contents: Item {
+            id: panelContents
+            anchors.fill: parent
+        }
     }
 
     Component.onCompleted: {
diff --git a/shell/contents/views/SlidingPanel.qml b/shell/contents/views/SlidingPanel.qml
index 3cd03700..600eba2f 100644
--- a/shell/contents/views/SlidingPanel.qml
+++ b/shell/contents/views/SlidingPanel.qml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Window {
 
     MouseArea {
         id: mouseArea
-        y: units.iconSizes.small
+        y: 0
         width: window.width
         height: window.height - y
         clip: true
@@ -105,15 +105,7 @@ Window {
                     }
                 }
                 color: PlasmaCore.ColorScope.backgroundColor
-                Rectangle {
-                    height: units.smallSpacing/2
-                    color: PlasmaCore.ColorScope.highlightColor
-                    anchors {
-                        left: parent.left
-                        right: parent.right
-                        bottom: parent.bottom
-                    }
-                }
+
                 Rectangle {
                     height: units.gridUnit
                     anchors {