diff --git a/hyprbars/barDeco.cpp b/hyprbars/barDeco.cpp
index c27653d..4f95f05 100644
--- a/hyprbars/barDeco.cpp
+++ b/hyprbars/barDeco.cpp
@@ -150,9 +150,9 @@ void CHyprBar::onTouchUp(Event::SCallbackInfo& info, ITouch::SUpEvent e) {
 }
 
 void CHyprBar::onMouseMove(Vector2D coords) {
-    // ensure proper redraws of button icons on hover when using hardware cursors
-    if (g_pGlobalState->config.iconOnHover->value())
-        damageOnButtonHover();
+    // Always damage button hover regions. Hover backgrounds need redraws even
+    // when icon_on_hover is disabled and the symbols stay permanently visible.
+    damageOnButtonHover();
 
     if (!m_bDragPending || m_bTouchEv || !validMapped(m_pWindow) || m_touchId != 0)
         return;
@@ -382,6 +382,8 @@ void CHyprBar::renderBarButtonsText(CBox* barBox, const float scale, const float
     const auto BARPADDING       = g_pGlobalState->config.barPadding->value();
     const auto ALIGNBUTTONS     = g_pGlobalState->config.barButtonsAlignment->value();
     const auto ICONONHOVER      = g_pGlobalState->config.iconOnHover->value();
+    const CHyprColor HOVERBGCOLOR{static_cast<uint64_t>(g_pGlobalState->config.buttonHoverBgColor->value())};
+    const CHyprColor CLOSEHOVERBGCOLOR{static_cast<uint64_t>(g_pGlobalState->config.closeButtonHoverBgColor->value())};
 
     const bool BUTTONSRIGHT = ALIGNBUTTONS != "left";
     const auto visibleCount = getVisibleButtonCount(BARBUTTONPADDING, BARPADDING, Vector2D{barBox->w, barBox->h}, scale);
@@ -415,6 +417,21 @@ void CHyprBar::renderBarButtonsText(CBox* barBox, const float scale, const float
         const auto iconY = barBox->y + barBox->height / 2.0 - button.iconTex->m_size.y / 2.0;
         CBox       pos   = {iconX, iconY, button.iconTex->m_size.x, button.iconTex->m_size.y};
 
+        const auto hoverBaseColor = i == 0 ? CLOSEHOVERBGCOLOR : HOVERBGCOLOR;
+        if (hovering && hoverBaseColor.a > 0.F) {
+            const float hoverSize = barBox->height * 0.82F;
+            const float buttonX = barBox->x + (BUTTONSRIGHT ? barBox->width - offset - scaledButtonSize : offset);
+            CBox hoverBox = {
+                buttonX + (scaledButtonSize - hoverSize) * 0.5F,
+                barBox->y + (barBox->height - hoverSize) * 0.5F,
+                hoverSize,
+                hoverSize,
+            };
+            auto hoverColor = hoverBaseColor;
+            hoverColor.a *= a;
+            g_pHyprOpenGL->renderRect(hoverBox, hoverColor, {.round = static_cast<int>(std::round(hoverSize * 0.5F)), .roundingPower = 2.F});
+        }
+
         if (!ICONONHOVER || (ICONONHOVER && m_iButtonHoverState > 0))
             g_pHyprOpenGL->renderTexture(button.iconTex, pos, {.a = a});
         offset += scaledButtonsPad + scaledButtonSize;
diff --git a/hyprbars/globals.hpp b/hyprbars/globals.hpp
index 0ef19ae..43c73d5 100644
--- a/hyprbars/globals.hpp
+++ b/hyprbars/globals.hpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct SGlobalState {
     uint32_t                  titleColorRuleIdx = 0;
 
     struct {
-        SP<Config::Values::CColorValue>      barColor, textColor, inactiveButtonColor;
+        SP<Config::Values::CColorValue>      barColor, textColor, inactiveButtonColor, buttonHoverBgColor, closeButtonHoverBgColor;
         SP<Config::Values::CIntValue>        barHeight;
         SP<Config::Values::CIntValue>        barTextSize;
         SP<Config::Values::CFontWeightValue> barTextWeight;
diff --git a/hyprbars/main.cpp b/hyprbars/main.cpp
index ae9c90b..d4d1e6f 100644
--- a/hyprbars/main.cpp
+++ b/hyprbars/main.cpp
@@ -215,6 +215,10 @@ APICALL EXPORT PLUGIN_DESCRIPTION_INFO PLUGIN_INIT(HANDLE handle) {
     g_pGlobalState->config.textColor           = makeShared<Config::Values::CColorValue>("plugin:hyprbars:col.text", "Change the text color", 0xffffffff);
     g_pGlobalState->config.inactiveButtonColor = makeShared<Config::Values::CColorValue>(
         "plugin:hyprbars:inactive_button_color", "Change the inactive button's color. 0x00000000 means unset", 0x00000000);
+    g_pGlobalState->config.buttonHoverBgColor = makeShared<Config::Values::CColorValue>(
+        "plugin:hyprbars:button_hover_bg_color", "Button background color while hovered", 0x18ffffff);
+    g_pGlobalState->config.closeButtonHoverBgColor = makeShared<Config::Values::CColorValue>(
+        "plugin:hyprbars:close_button_hover_bg_color", "Close button background color while hovered", 0x447436ff);
     g_pGlobalState->config.barHeight       = makeShared<Config::Values::CIntValue>("plugin:hyprbars:bar_height", "Change the bar's height", 15);
     g_pGlobalState->config.barTextSize     = makeShared<Config::Values::CIntValue>("plugin:hyprbars:bar_text_size", "Change the bar's text size", 10);
     g_pGlobalState->config.barTextWeight   = makeShared<Config::Values::CFontWeightValue>("plugin:hyprbars:bar_text_weight", "Bar's title text weight (e.g. \"bold\" or an integer 100-1000)", 400);
@@ -236,6 +240,8 @@ APICALL EXPORT PLUGIN_DESCRIPTION_INFO PLUGIN_INIT(HANDLE handle) {
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.barColor);
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.textColor);
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.inactiveButtonColor);
+    HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.buttonHoverBgColor);
+    HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.closeButtonHoverBgColor);
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.barHeight);
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.barTextSize);
     HyprlandAPI::addConfigValueV2(PHANDLE, g_pGlobalState->config.barTextWeight);