diff --git a/swaybar/bar.c b/swaybar/bar.c
index fa761925..71aff691 100644
--- a/swaybar/bar.c
+++ b/swaybar/bar.c
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 
 static void bar_init(struct swaybar *bar) {
 	bar->config = init_config();
-	bar->visible = true;
 	wl_list_init(&bar->outputs);
 }
 
@@ -227,9 +226,6 @@ static void xdg_output_handle_done(void *data,
 
 		output->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor);
 		assert(output->surface);
-		if (bar->visible) {
-			add_layer_surface(output);
-		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -377,10 +373,15 @@ bool bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar, const char *socket_path) {
 	pointer->cursor_surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor);
 	assert(pointer->cursor_surface);
 
+	bar->visible = true;
 	if (bar->config->workspace_buttons) {
-		if (ipc_get_workspaces(bar)) {
-			set_bar_dirty(bar);
+		ipc_get_workspaces(bar);
+	}
+	if (determine_bar_visibility(bar, false)) {
+		wl_list_for_each(output, &bar->outputs, link) {
+			add_layer_surface(output);
 		}
+		set_bar_dirty(bar);
 	}
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/swaybar/render.c b/swaybar/render.c
index 097eb462..85e7542f 100644
--- a/swaybar/render.c
+++ b/swaybar/render.c
@@ -448,7 +448,9 @@ static uint32_t render_to_cairo(cairo_t *cairo, struct swaybar_output *output) {
 	}
 	cairo_paint(cairo);
 
-	uint32_t max_height = 0;
+	int th;
+	get_text_size(cairo, config->font, NULL, &th, NULL, output->scale, false, "");
+	uint32_t max_height = (th + WS_VERTICAL_PADDING * 4) / output->scale;
 	/*
 	 * Each render_* function takes the actual height of the bar, and returns
 	 * the ideal height. If the actual height is too short, the render function