diff --git a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
index 8d46b1a11..91ea16539 100644
--- a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
@@ -70,14 +70,17 @@ class Workspace {
   std::string output() const { return m_output; };
   bool isActive() const { return m_isActive; };
   bool isSpecial() const { return m_isSpecial; };
-  bool isPersistent() const { return m_isPersistent; };
+  bool isPersistent() const { return m_isPersistentRule || m_isPersistentConfig; };
+  bool isPersistentConfig() const { return m_isPersistentConfig; };
+  bool isPersistentRule() const { return m_isPersistentRule; };
   bool isVisible() const { return m_isVisible; };
   bool isEmpty() const { return m_windows == 0; };
   bool isUrgent() const { return m_isUrgent; };
 
   bool handleClicked(GdkEventButton* bt) const;
   void setActive(bool value = true) { m_isActive = value; };
-  void setPersistent(bool value = true) { m_isPersistent = value; };
+  void setPersistentRule(bool value = true) { m_isPersistentRule = value; };
+  void setPersistentConfig(bool value = true) { m_isPersistentConfig = value; };
   void setUrgent(bool value = true) { m_isUrgent = value; };
   void setVisible(bool value = true) { m_isVisible = value; };
   void setWindows(uint value) { m_windows = value; };
@@ -101,7 +104,8 @@ class Workspace {
   uint m_windows;
   bool m_isActive = false;
   bool m_isSpecial = false;
-  bool m_isPersistent = false;
+  bool m_isPersistentRule = false;    // represents the persistent state in hyprland
+  bool m_isPersistentConfig = false;  // represents the persistent state in the Waybar config
   bool m_isUrgent = false;
   bool m_isVisible = false;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
index 3e3931211..882e38067 100644
--- a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ void Workspaces::onWorkspaceCreated(std::string const &workspaceName,
             (showSpecial() || !name.starts_with("special")) && !isDoubleSpecial(workspaceName)) {
           for (Json::Value const &rule : workspaceRules) {
             if (rule["workspaceString"].asString() == workspaceName) {
-              workspaceJson["persistent"] = rule["persistent"].asBool();
+              workspaceJson["persistent-rule"] = rule["persistent"].asBool();
               break;
             }
           }
@@ -587,8 +587,7 @@ std::optional<std::string> Workspace::closeWindow(WindowAddress const &addr) {
 void Workspaces::createWorkspace(Json::Value const &workspace_data,
                                  Json::Value const &clients_data) {
   auto workspaceName = workspace_data["name"].asString();
-  spdlog::debug("Creating workspace {}, persistent: {}", workspaceName,
-                workspace_data["persistent"].asBool() ? "true" : "false");
+  spdlog::debug("Creating workspace {}", workspaceName);
 
   // avoid recreating existing workspaces
   auto workspace = std::find_if(
@@ -600,7 +599,22 @@ void Workspaces::createWorkspace(Json::Value const &workspace_data,
 
   if (workspace != m_workspaces.end()) {
     // don't recreate workspace, but update persistency if necessary
-    (*workspace)->setPersistent(workspace_data["persistent"].asBool());
+    const auto keys = workspace_data.getMemberNames();
+
+    const auto *k = "persistent-rule";
+    if (std::find(keys.begin(), keys.end(), k) != keys.end()) {
+      spdlog::debug("Set dynamic persistency of workspace {} to: {}", workspaceName,
+                    workspace_data[k].asBool() ? "true" : "false");
+      (*workspace)->setPersistentRule(workspace_data[k].asBool());
+    }
+
+    k = "persistent-config";
+    if (std::find(keys.begin(), keys.end(), k) != keys.end()) {
+      spdlog::debug("Set config persistency of workspace {} to: {}", workspaceName,
+                    workspace_data[k].asBool() ? "true" : "false");
+      (*workspace)->setPersistentConfig(workspace_data[k].asBool());
+    }
+
     return;
   }
 
@@ -624,8 +638,8 @@ void Workspaces::removeWorkspace(std::string const &name) {
     return;
   }
 
-  if ((*workspace)->isPersistent()) {
-    spdlog::trace("Not removing persistent workspace {}", name);
+  if ((*workspace)->isPersistentConfig()) {
+    spdlog::trace("Not removing config persistent workspace {}", name);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -633,7 +647,7 @@ void Workspaces::removeWorkspace(std::string const &name) {
   m_workspaces.erase(workspace);
 }
 
-Json::Value createPersistentWorkspaceData(std::string const &name, std::string const &monitor) {
+Json::Value createMonitorWorkspaceData(std::string const &name, std::string const &monitor) {
   spdlog::trace("Creating persistent workspace: {} on monitor {}", name, monitor);
   Json::Value workspaceData;
   try {
@@ -646,7 +660,6 @@ Json::Value createPersistentWorkspaceData(std::string const &name, std::string c
   workspaceData["name"] = name;
   workspaceData["monitor"] = monitor;
   workspaceData["windows"] = 0;
-  workspaceData["persistent"] = true;
   return workspaceData;
 }
 
@@ -699,7 +712,8 @@ void Workspaces::loadPersistentWorkspacesFromConfig(Json::Value const &clientsJs
   }
 
   for (auto const &workspace : persistentWorkspacesToCreate) {
-    auto const workspaceData = createPersistentWorkspaceData(workspace, m_bar.output->name);
+    auto workspaceData = createMonitorWorkspaceData(workspace, m_bar.output->name);
+    workspaceData["persistent-config"] = true;
     m_workspacesToCreate.emplace_back(workspaceData, clientsJson);
   }
 }
@@ -724,7 +738,8 @@ void Workspaces::loadPersistentWorkspacesFromWorkspaceRules(const Json::Value &c
     // 3. no monitor is specified in the rule => assume it needs to be persistent on every monitor
     if (allOutputs() || m_bar.output->name == monitor || monitor.empty()) {
       // => persistent workspace should be shown on this monitor
-      auto workspaceData = createPersistentWorkspaceData(workspace, m_bar.output->name);
+      auto workspaceData = createMonitorWorkspaceData(workspace, m_bar.output->name);
+      workspaceData["persistent-rule"] = true;
       m_workspacesToCreate.emplace_back(workspaceData, clientsJson);
     } else {
       m_workspacesToRemove.emplace_back(workspace);
@@ -774,10 +789,9 @@ void Workspaces::initializeWorkspaces() {
   if (m_persistentWorkspaceConfig.isObject()) {
     // a persistent workspace config is defined, so use that instead of workspace rules
     loadPersistentWorkspacesFromConfig(clientsJson);
-  } else {
-    // no persistent workspaces config defined, use Hyprland's workspace rules
-    loadPersistentWorkspacesFromWorkspaceRules(clientsJson);
   }
+  // load Hyprland's workspace rules
+  loadPersistentWorkspacesFromWorkspaceRules(clientsJson);
 }
 
 void Workspaces::extendOrphans(int workspaceId, Json::Value const &clientsJson) {
@@ -812,7 +826,8 @@ Workspace::Workspace(const Json::Value &workspace_data, Workspaces &workspace_ma
       m_output(workspace_data["monitor"].asString()),  // TODO:allow using monitor desc
       m_windows(workspace_data["windows"].asInt()),
       m_isActive(true),
-      m_isPersistent(workspace_data["persistent"].asBool()) {
+      m_isPersistentRule(workspace_data["persistent-rule"].asBool()),
+      m_isPersistentConfig(workspace_data["persistent-config"].asBool()) {
   if (m_name.starts_with("name:")) {
     m_name = m_name.substr(5);
   } else if (m_name.starts_with("special")) {