Terminal never shows in dock when running when launched from Dock

[cyrneko]

What Happened?

Specifically the Terminal application won't show as running, either in the workspaces view in the dock, nor on the Terminal's icon.

The workspace that the Terminal is on, if nothing else is on it, will simply show an empty box, but not disappear. Clicking on the Terminal in the dock does take me to the existing instance(s) of the Terminal.

This only happens when the Terminal was launched from the dock; The applications menu works.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open the Terminal from the Dock (NOT the Applications Menu)
2. Observe issue

Expected Behavior

The terminal should show as running regardless of what launched it.

OS Version

8.x (Circe)

OS Architecture

amd64 (on most hardwares)

Session Type

Secure Session (Wayland, This is the default)

Software Version

Latest release (I have run all updates)

Log Output

FROM COMMAND:
G_MESSAGES_DEBUG=all io.elementary.dock

(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:58:44.399: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:58:44.417: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation dconf (DConfSettingsBackend) for ‘gsettings-backend’
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.417: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/interface/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.417: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/peripherals/mouse/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.417: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/sound/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.417: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/privacy/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/wm/preferences/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/xsettings/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/a11y/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_fast: "/org/gnome/desktop/a11y/interface/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/interface/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/peripherals/mouse/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/sound/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/privacy/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/wm/preferences/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/settings-daemon/plugins/xsettings/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.418: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/a11y/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.419: watch_established: "/org/gnome/desktop/a11y/interface/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:44.428: Connecting to session manager
(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:58:44.434: _g_io_module_get_default: Found default implementation gvfs (GDaemonVfs) for ‘gio-vfs’
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.625: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/dock/keybindings/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.625: watch_established: "/io/elementary/dock/keybindings/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.690: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/dock/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.691: watch_established: "/io/elementary/dock/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.696: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/dock/" (establishing: 0, active: 1)

(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 03:58:44.696: g_object_ref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.696: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/dock/" (establishing: 0, active: 2)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.700: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/desktop/wm/keybindings/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.701: unwatch_fast: "/io/elementary/desktop/wm/keybindings/" (active: 0, establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.701: watch_established: "/io/elementary/desktop/wm/keybindings/" (establishing: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.702: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/dock/" (establishing: 0, active: 3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.702: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/desktop/wingpanel/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.704: watch_established: "/io/elementary/desktop/wingpanel/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:58:44.870: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.874: watch_fast: "/io/elementary/notifications/" (establishing: 0, active: 0)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.874: watch_established: "/io/elementary/notifications/" (establishing: 1)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.918: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.918: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.921: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.921: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.925: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.925: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.928: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.928: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.930: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.930: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.931: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.931: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.934: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.934: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.936: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.936: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.939: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.939: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.941: change_fast
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.941: change_notify: /io/elementary/dock/launchers

** (io.elementary.dock:11562): CRITICAL **: 03:58:44.941: WorkspaceSystem.vala:98: DesktopIntegration is null
** (io.elementary.dock:11562): DEBUG: 03:58:44.974: Unity.vala:99: com.canonical.Unity lost
(io.elementary.dock:11562): dconf-DEBUG: 03:58:44.992: change_fast

(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 03:58:44.993: g_object_ref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed

(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 03:58:44.994: g_object_ref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed

(io.elementary.dock:11562): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 03:58:44.994: g_object_ref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:45.286: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:45.322: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:45.322: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:47.139: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:47.632: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:51.169: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:51.665: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:52.322: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:52.776: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.terminal:11689): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:58:54.766: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:58:59.829: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.terminal:11741): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:59:00.816: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:01.108: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:01.108: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:02.877: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:02.877: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:04.064: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:19.128: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.terminal:11887): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:59:20.987: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:22.420: snapshot symbolic icon using mask
(io.elementary.terminal:11910): GLib-GIO-DEBUG: 03:59:23.483: Using cross-namespace EXTERNAL authentication (this will deadlock if server is GDBus < 2.73.3)
(io.elementary.dock:11562): Gtk-DEBUG: 03:59:23.539: snapshot symbolic icon using mask

Hardware Info

No response

[LuminousHustler]

I can reproduce this. The terminal icon doesn't really work at all, even if it's launched from the application menu. Furthermore, the desktop preview does not show the terminal icon even if it's the only application that's running on a given desktop.

Tested this using 3 methods to launch the application:

1. From the application menu
2. From the dock (assuming you click "keep in dock" from the application menu)
3. Using meta+T

2025-12-21.09-44-41.mp4

[LuminousHustler]

A reboot fixed the issue for me. I cannot reliably reproduce this, but I was able to capture the bug while it was going on. Unfortunately I wasn't able to capture the logs. If someone else encounters this run this command to generate a a dock.log file, which could then be uploaded to this ticket. The OP did this, but more logs is always more better

journalctl -b /usr/bin/io.elementary.dock > dock.log