diff --git a/shell/contents/layout.js b/shell/contents/layout.js
index 1c2e56ec..39283afa 100644
--- a/shell/contents/layout.js
+++ b/shell/contents/layout.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-
 var desktopsArray = desktopsForActivity(currentActivity());
 for (var j = 0; j < desktopsArray.length; j++) {
     desktopsArray[j].wallpaperPlugin = "org.kde.image";
 }
 desktopsArray[0].addWidget("org.kde.phone.krunner", 0, 0, screenGeometry(0).width, 20)
+// keep this list in sync with shell/contents/updates/panelsfix.js
 var panel = new Panel("org.kde.phone.panel");
 panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.notifications");
 panel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.mediacontroller");
diff --git a/shell/contents/updates/panelsfix.js b/shell/contents/updates/panelsfix.js
index 0ad98015..e2dfeb0d 100644
--- a/shell/contents/updates/panelsfix.js
+++ b/shell/contents/updates/panelsfix.js
@@ -11,10 +11,14 @@ for (let i in panels()) {
 }
 
 if (!topFound) {
+    // keep widget list synced with the layout.js
     let topPanel = new Panel("org.kde.phone.panel")
-    topPanel.location = "Top";
+    topPanel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.notifications");
+    topPanel.addWidget("org.kde.plasma.mediacontroller");
+    topPanel.location = "top";
 }
 if (!bottomFound) {
-    let topPanel = new Panel("org.kde.phone.taskpanel")
-    topPanel.location = "Bottom";
+    let bottomPanel = new Panel("org.kde.phone.taskpanel")
+    bottomPanel.location = "bottom";
+    bottomPanel.height = 2 * gridUnit;
 }