diff --git a/include/swaybar/bar.h b/include/swaybar/bar.h
index df685f47..6e1ab66d 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/bar.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/bar.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ struct swaybar_output {
 	struct zwlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer_surface;
 
 	char *name;
-	int idx;
+	size_t index;
 	bool focused;
 
 	uint32_t width, height;
diff --git a/include/swaybar/config.h b/include/swaybar/config.h
index 4b3b5b34..6bcefe64 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/config.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/config.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ struct box_colors {
 struct config_output {
 	struct wl_list link;
 	char *name;
+	size_t index;
 };
 
 struct swaybar_config {
diff --git a/swaybar/bar.c b/swaybar/bar.c
index 433e2948..a6e3b780 100644
--- a/swaybar/bar.c
+++ b/swaybar/bar.c
@@ -65,13 +65,13 @@ static void handle_global(void *data, struct wl_registry *registry,
 		bar->shm = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
 				&wl_shm_interface, 1);
 	} else if (strcmp(interface, wl_output_interface.name) == 0) {
-		static int idx = 0;
+		static size_t index = 0;
 		struct swaybar_output *output =
 			calloc(1, sizeof(struct swaybar_output));
 		output->bar = bar;
 		output->output = wl_registry_bind(registry, name,
 				&wl_output_interface, 1);
-		output->idx = idx++;
+		output->index = index++;
 		wl_list_insert(&bar->outputs, &output->link);
 	} else if (strcmp(interface, zwlr_layer_shell_v1_interface.name) == 0) {
 		bar->layer_shell = wl_registry_bind(
@@ -108,16 +108,24 @@ void bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
 	// TODO: we might not necessarily be meant to do all of the outputs
 	struct swaybar_output *output;
 	wl_list_for_each(output, &bar->outputs, link) {
-		assert(output->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(bar->compositor));
-		output->layer_surface = zwlr_layer_shell_v1_get_layer_surface(
-				bar->layer_shell, output->surface, output->output,
-				ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM, "panel");
-		assert(output->layer_surface);
-		zwlr_layer_surface_v1_add_listener(output->layer_surface,
-				&layer_surface_listener, output);
-		zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_anchor(output->layer_surface,
-				bar->config->position);
-		render_frame(bar, output);
+		struct config_output *coutput;
+		wl_list_for_each(coutput, &bar->config->outputs, link) {
+			if (coutput->index != output->index) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			assert(output->surface = wl_compositor_create_surface(
+					bar->compositor));
+			output->layer_surface = zwlr_layer_shell_v1_get_layer_surface(
+					bar->layer_shell, output->surface, output->output,
+					ZWLR_LAYER_SHELL_V1_LAYER_BOTTOM, "panel");
+			assert(output->layer_surface);
+			zwlr_layer_surface_v1_add_listener(output->layer_surface,
+					&layer_surface_listener, output);
+			zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_anchor(output->layer_surface,
+					bar->config->position);
+			render_frame(bar, output);
+			break;
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/swaybar/ipc.c b/swaybar/ipc.c
index cef784d0..d3ee170c 100644
--- a/swaybar/ipc.c
+++ b/swaybar/ipc.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #define _XOPEN_SOURCE 500
+#include <limits.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <json-c/json.h>
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ static void ipc_parse_config(
 			struct config_output *coutput = calloc(
 					1, sizeof(struct config_output));
 			coutput->name = strdup(name);
+			coutput->index = SIZE_MAX;
 			wl_list_insert(&config->outputs, &coutput->link);
 		}
 	}
@@ -185,12 +187,47 @@ static void ipc_parse_config(
 	json_object_put(bar_config);
 }
 
+static void ipc_get_outputs(struct swaybar *bar) {
+	uint32_t len = 0;
+	char *res = ipc_single_command(bar->ipc_socketfd,
+			IPC_GET_OUTPUTS, NULL, &len);
+	json_object *outputs = json_tokener_parse(res);
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < json_object_array_length(outputs); ++i) {
+		json_object *output = json_object_array_get_idx(outputs, i);
+		json_object *output_name, *output_active;
+		json_object_object_get_ex(output, "name", &output_name);
+		json_object_object_get_ex(output, "active", &output_active);
+		const char *name = json_object_get_string(output_name);
+		bool active = json_object_get_boolean(output_active);
+		if (!active) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (wl_list_empty(&bar->config->outputs)) {
+			struct config_output *coutput = calloc(
+					1, sizeof(struct config_output));
+			coutput->name = strdup(name);
+			coutput->index = i;
+			wl_list_insert(&bar->config->outputs, &coutput->link);
+		} else {
+			struct config_output *coutput;
+			wl_list_for_each(coutput, &bar->config->outputs, link) {
+				if (strcmp(name, coutput->name) == 0) {
+					coutput->index = i;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	free(res);
+}
+
 void ipc_get_config(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id) {
 	uint32_t len = strlen(bar_id);
 	char *res = ipc_single_command(bar->ipc_socketfd,
 			IPC_GET_BAR_CONFIG, bar_id, &len);
 	ipc_parse_config(bar->config, res);
 	free(res);
+	ipc_get_outputs(bar);
 }
 
 void handle_ipc_event(struct swaybar *bar) {