diff --git a/libtaskmanager/virtualdesktopinfo.cpp b/libtaskmanager/virtualdesktopinfo.cpp
--- a/libtaskmanager/virtualdesktopinfo.cpp
+++ b/libtaskmanager/virtualdesktopinfo.cpp
@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@
 
 QStringList VirtualDesktopInfo::WaylandPrivate::desktopNames() const
 {
+    if (!virtualDesktopManagement) {
+        return QStringList();
+    }
     QStringList names;
 
     foreach(const QString &id, virtualDesktops) {
@@ -351,11 +354,18 @@
 
 int VirtualDesktopInfo::WaylandPrivate::desktopLayoutRows() const
 {
+    if (!virtualDesktopManagement) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     return virtualDesktopManagement->rows();
 }
 
 void VirtualDesktopInfo::WaylandPrivate::requestActivate(const QVariant &desktop)
 {
+    if (!virtualDesktopManagement) {
+        return;
+    }
     KWayland::Client::PlasmaVirtualDesktop *desktopObj = virtualDesktopManagement->getVirtualDesktop(desktop.toString());
 
     if (desktopObj) {
@@ -365,11 +375,17 @@
 
 void VirtualDesktopInfo::WaylandPrivate::requestCreateDesktop(quint32 position)
 {
+    if (!virtualDesktopManagement) {
+        return;
+    }
     virtualDesktopManagement->requestCreateVirtualDesktop(i18n("New Desktop"), position);
 }
 
 void VirtualDesktopInfo::WaylandPrivate::requestRemoveDesktop(quint32 position)
 {
+    if (!virtualDesktopManagement) {
+        return;
+    }
     if (virtualDesktops.count() == 1) {
         return;
     }
diff --git a/lookandfeel/contents/components/Clock.qml b/lookandfeel/contents/components/Clock.qml
--- a/lookandfeel/contents/components/Clock.qml
+++ b/lookandfeel/contents/components/Clock.qml
@@ -32,6 +32,19 @@
     width: clock.implicitWidth
     height: clock.implicitHeight
 
+    DropShadow {
+        id: clockShadow
+        visible: !softwareRendering
+        anchors.fill: clock
+        source: clock
+        horizontalOffset: 0
+        verticalOffset: 2
+        radius: 14
+        samples: 32
+        spread: 0.3
+        color: ColorScope.backgroundColor
+    }
+    
     ColumnLayout {
         id: clock
         Label {
@@ -55,14 +68,4 @@
             interval: 1000
         }
     }
-
-    layer.enabled: !softwareRendering
-    layer.effect: DropShadow {
-        horizontalOffset: 0
-        verticalOffset: 2
-        radius: 14
-        samples: 32
-        spread: 0.3
-        color: ColorScope.backgroundColor
-    }
 }
diff --git a/lookandfeel/contents/components/UserDelegate.qml b/lookandfeel/contents/components/UserDelegate.qml
--- a/lookandfeel/contents/components/UserDelegate.qml
+++ b/lookandfeel/contents/components/UserDelegate.qml
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@
         "
     }
 
+    DropShadow {
+        id: usernameShadow
+        visible: !softwareRendering
+        anchors.fill: usernameDelegate
+        source: usernameDelegate
+        horizontalOffset: 0
+        verticalOffset: 1
+        radius: 12
+        samples: 32
+        spread: 0.35
+        color: ColorScope.backgroundColor
+    }
+    
     PlasmaComponents.Label {
         id: usernameDelegate
         anchors {
@@ -162,16 +175,6 @@
         horizontalAlignment: Text.AlignHCenter
         //make an indication that this has active focus, this only happens when reached with keyboard navigation
         font.underline: wrapper.activeFocus
-
-        layer.enabled: !softwareRendering
-        layer.effect: DropShadow {
-            horizontalOffset: 0
-            verticalOffset: 1
-            radius: 12
-            samples: 32
-            spread: 0.35
-            color: ColorScope.backgroundColor
-        }
     }
 
     MouseArea {
diff --git a/shell/shellcorona.cpp b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
--- a/shell/shellcorona.cpp
+++ b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
@@ -643,10 +643,13 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    if (m_activityController->serviceStatus() != KActivities::Controller::Running &&
+    auto activityStatus = m_activityController->serviceStatus();
+    if (activityStatus != KActivities::Controller::Running &&
         !qApp->property("org.kde.KActivities.core.disableAutostart").toBool()) {
-        qWarning("Aborting shell load: The activity manager daemon (kactivitymanagerd) is not running.");
-        qWarning("If this Plasma has been installed into a custom prefix, verify that its D-Bus services dir is known to the system for the daemon to be activatable.");
+        if (activityStatus == KActivities::Controller::NotRunning) {
+            qWarning("Aborting shell load: The activity manager daemon (kactivitymanagerd) is not running.");
+            qWarning("If this Plasma has been installed into a custom prefix, verify that its D-Bus services dir is known to the system for the daemon to be activatable.");
+        }
         return;
     }