diff --git a/applets/pager/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/applets/pager/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/applets/pager/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/applets/pager/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 import QtQuick 2.0
 import QtQuick.Layouts 1.1
+import QtGraphicalEffects 1.12
+
 import org.kde.plasma.plasmoid 2.0
 import org.kde.plasma.core 2.0 as PlasmaCore
 import org.kde.plasma.components 2.0 as PlasmaComponents
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@
         id: desktopLabelComponent
 
         PlasmaComponents.Label {
+
             anchors {
                 fill: parent
                 topMargin: desktopFrame.margins.top
@@ -189,6 +192,16 @@
 
             text: plasmoid.configuration.displayedText ? model.display : index + 1
 
+            layer.enabled: true
+            layer.effect: DropShadow {
+                // hardcoded because black is the only color that looks good for shadows
+                color: "black"
+                verticalOffset: 1
+                radius: 4
+                samples: 9
+                spread: 0.4
+            }
+
             wrapMode: Text.NoWrap
             elide: Text.ElideRight
 
@@ -199,7 +212,12 @@
             // unset pointSize set by PlasmaComponents.Label to avoid "Both point size and pixel size set." warning
             font.pointSize: -1
 
-            z: 0 // Below windows and FrameSvg
+            // hardcoded because the shadow color is hardcoded, and it doesn't
+            // make sense to allow the label color to change because then it
+            // could be dark and almost invisible with the always-black shadow
+            color: "white"
+
+            z: 9999 // The label goes above everything
         }
     }
 
@@ -378,7 +396,7 @@
                     id: desktopFrame
 
                     anchors.fill: parent
-                    z: 2 // Above optional label item and windows
+                    z: 2 // Above window outlines, but below label
                     imagePath: "widgets/pager"
                     prefix: (desktopMouseArea.enabled && desktopMouseArea.containsMouse) || (root.dragging && root.dragId == desktopId) ?
                                 "hover" : (desktop.active ? "active" : "normal")
@@ -418,7 +436,7 @@
                     width: desktop.width - 2 * x
                     height: desktop.height - 2 * y
 
-                    z: 1 // Between optional label item and FrameSvg
+                    z: 1 // Below FrameSvg
 
                     Repeater {
                         id: windowRectRepeater