diff --git a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
index 11c92525..ba2e490b 100644
--- a/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
+++ b/src/render/OpenGL.cpp
@@ -867,7 +867,53 @@ CFramebuffer* CHyprOpenGLImpl::blurMainFramebufferWithDamage(float a, CRegion* o
     const auto    PMIRRORFB     = &m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->mirrorFB;
     const auto    PMIRRORSWAPFB = &m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->mirrorSwapFB;
 
-    CFramebuffer* currentRenderToFB = &m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB;
+    CFramebuffer* currentRenderToFB = PMIRRORFB;
+
+    // begin with color adjustments
+    // TODO: make this a part of the first pass maybe to save on a drawcall?
+    {
+        static auto* const PBLURCONTRAST   = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:contrast")->floatValue;
+        static auto* const PBLURBRIGHTNESS = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:brightness")->floatValue;
+
+        PMIRRORSWAPFB->bind();
+
+        glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE0);
+
+        glBindTexture(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB.m_cTex.m_iTarget, m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB.m_cTex.m_iTexID);
+
+        glTexParameteri(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB.m_cTex.m_iTarget, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
+
+        glUseProgram(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.program);
+
+#ifndef GLES2
+        glUniformMatrix3fv(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.proj, 1, GL_TRUE, glMatrix);
+#else
+        wlr_matrix_transpose(glMatrix, glMatrix);
+        glUniformMatrix3fv(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.proj, 1, GL_FALSE, glMatrix);
+#endif
+        glUniform1f(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.contrast, *PBLURCONTRAST);
+        glUniform1f(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.brightness, *PBLURBRIGHTNESS);
+
+        glUniform1i(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.tex, 0);
+
+        glVertexAttribPointer(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.posAttrib, 2, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, fullVerts);
+        glVertexAttribPointer(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.texAttrib, 2, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, fullVerts);
+
+        glEnableVertexAttribArray(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.posAttrib);
+        glEnableVertexAttribArray(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.texAttrib);
+
+        if (!damage.empty()) {
+            for (auto& RECT : damage.getRects()) {
+                scissor(&RECT, false /* this region is already transformed */);
+                glDrawArrays(GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP, 0, 4);
+            }
+        }
+
+        glDisableVertexAttribArray(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.posAttrib);
+        glDisableVertexAttribArray(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.texAttrib);
+
+        currentRenderToFB = PMIRRORSWAPFB;
+    }
 
     // declare the draw func
     auto drawPass = [&](CShader* pShader, CRegion* pDamage) {
@@ -923,9 +969,9 @@ CFramebuffer* CHyprOpenGLImpl::blurMainFramebufferWithDamage(float a, CRegion* o
     };
 
     // draw the things.
-    // first draw is prim -> mirr
+    // first draw is swap -> mirr
     PMIRRORFB->bind();
-    glBindTexture(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB.m_cTex.m_iTarget, m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->primaryFB.m_cTex.m_iTexID);
+    glBindTexture(PMIRRORSWAPFB->m_cTex.m_iTarget, PMIRRORSWAPFB->m_cTex.m_iTexID);
 
     // damage region will be scaled, make a temp
     CRegion tempDamage{damage};
@@ -944,11 +990,9 @@ CFramebuffer* CHyprOpenGLImpl::blurMainFramebufferWithDamage(float a, CRegion* o
         drawPass(&m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLUR2, &tempDamage);        // up
     }
 
-    // finalize with effects
+    // finalize with noise
     {
-        static auto* const PBLURCONTRAST   = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:contrast")->floatValue;
-        static auto* const PBLURNOISE      = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:noise")->floatValue;
-        static auto* const PBLURBRIGHTNESS = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:brightness")->floatValue;
+        static auto* const PBLURNOISE = &g_pConfigManager->getConfigValuePtr("decoration:blur:noise")->floatValue;
 
         if (currentRenderToFB == PMIRRORFB)
             PMIRRORSWAPFB->bind();
@@ -969,9 +1013,7 @@ CFramebuffer* CHyprOpenGLImpl::blurMainFramebufferWithDamage(float a, CRegion* o
         wlr_matrix_transpose(glMatrix, glMatrix);
         glUniformMatrix3fv(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.proj, 1, GL_FALSE, glMatrix);
 #endif
-        glUniform1f(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.contrast, *PBLURCONTRAST);
         glUniform1f(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.noise, *PBLURNOISE);
-        glUniform1f(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.brightness, *PBLURBRIGHTNESS);
 
         glUniform1i(m_RenderData.pCurrentMonData->m_shBLURFINISH.tex, 0);