diff --git a/app/Actions/Service/RestartService.php b/app/Actions/Service/RestartService.php
index d38ef54d6..6acd3b0a4 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Service/RestartService.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Service/RestartService.php
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ class RestartService
 
     public function handle(Service $service, bool $pullLatestImages)
     {
-        StopService::run($service);
-
-        return StartService::run($service, $pullLatestImages);
+        return StartService::run(
+            service: $service,
+            pullLatestImages: $pullLatestImages,
+            stopBeforeStart: true,
+        );
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Actions/Service/StartService.php b/app/Actions/Service/StartService.php
index d3d99ff78..89817506d 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Service/StartService.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Service/StartService.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class StartService
     public function handle(Service $service, bool $pullLatestImages = false, bool $stopBeforeStart = false)
     {
         $service->parse();
-        if ($stopBeforeStart) {
+        if ($this->shouldStopBeforeStarting($pullLatestImages, $stopBeforeStart)) {
             StopService::run(service: $service, dockerCleanup: false);
         }
         $service->saveComposeConfigs();
@@ -53,4 +53,9 @@ class StartService
 
         return remote_process($commands, $service->server, type_uuid: $service->uuid, callEventOnFinish: 'ServiceStatusChanged');
     }
+
+    private function shouldStopBeforeStarting(bool $pullLatestImages, bool $stopBeforeStart): bool
+    {
+        return $stopBeforeStart && ! $pullLatestImages;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index bcacecc8b..9d495c412 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1261,8 +1261,7 @@
             "version": "5.5.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@xterm/xterm/-/xterm-5.5.0.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-hqJHYaQb5OptNunnyAnkHyM8aCjZ1MEIDTQu1iIbbTD/xops91NB5yq1ZK/dC2JDbVWtF23zUtl9JE2NqwT87A==",
-            "license": "MIT",
-            "peer": true
+            "license": "MIT"
         },
         "node_modules/clsx": {
             "version": "2.1.1",
@@ -1752,7 +1751,6 @@
             "integrity": "sha512-QP88BAKvMam/3NxH6vj2o21R6MjxZUAd6nlwAS/pnGvN9IVLocLHxGYIzFhg6fUQ+5th6P4dv4eW9jX3DSIj7A==",
             "dev": true,
             "license": "MIT",
-            "peer": true,
             "engines": {
                 "node": ">=12"
             },
@@ -1946,8 +1944,7 @@
             "version": "4.1.18",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tailwindcss/-/tailwindcss-4.1.18.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-4+Z+0yiYyEtUVCScyfHCxOYP06L5Ne+JiHhY2IjR2KWMIWhJOYZKLSGZaP5HkZ8+bY0cxfzwDE5uOmzFXyIwxw==",
-            "license": "MIT",
-            "peer": true
+            "license": "MIT"
         },
         "node_modules/tapable": {
             "version": "2.3.0",
@@ -1992,7 +1989,6 @@
             "integrity": "sha512-Bby3NOsna2jsjfLVOHKes8sGwgl4TT0E6vvpYgnAYDIF/tie7MRaFthmKuHx1NSXjiTueXH3do80FMQgvEktRg==",
             "dev": true,
             "license": "MIT",
-            "peer": true,
             "dependencies": {
                 "esbuild": "^0.27.0",
                 "fdir": "^6.5.0",
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/settings-dropdown.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/settings-dropdown.blade.php
index 0c0c000d5..d40d6778e 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/settings-dropdown.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/settings-dropdown.blade.php
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
 
     <!-- What's New Modal -->
     @if ($showWhatsNewModal)
-        <div class="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center py-6 px-4"
+        <div class="fixed inset-0 z-[60] flex items-center justify-center py-6 px-4"
             @keydown.escape.window="$wire.closeWhatsNewModal()">
             <!-- Background overlay -->
             <div class="absolute inset-0 w-full h-full bg-black/20 backdrop-blur-xs" wire:click="closeWhatsNewModal">
diff --git a/tests/Feature/SettingsDropdownTest.php b/tests/Feature/SettingsDropdownTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db6c70111
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/SettingsDropdownTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Livewire\SettingsDropdown;
+use App\Models\User;
+use App\Services\ChangelogService;
+use Illuminate\Support\Carbon;
+use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
+use Livewire\Livewire;
+
+it('renders the changelog modal above the desktop sidebar toggle', function () {
+    $user = new User(['email' => 'test@example.com']);
+    $user->id = 1;
+
+    Auth::setUser($user);
+
+    app()->instance(ChangelogService::class, new class extends ChangelogService
+    {
+        public function getEntriesForUser(User $user): Collection
+        {
+            return collect([
+                (object) [
+                    'tag_name' => 'v1.0.0',
+                    'title' => 'Test Release',
+                    'content' => 'Release notes',
+                    'content_html' => '<p>Release notes</p>',
+                    'published_at' => Carbon::parse('2026-05-01'),
+                    'is_read' => false,
+                ],
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        public function getUnreadCountForUser(User $user): int
+        {
+            return 1;
+        }
+    });
+
+    Livewire::test(SettingsDropdown::class, ['trigger' => 'changelog-sidebar'])
+        ->call('openWhatsNewModal')
+        ->assertSee('Changelog')
+        ->assertSee('z-[60]', false)
+        ->assertSee('closeWhatsNewModal', false);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Service/StartServicePullLatestRestartTest.php b/tests/Unit/Service/StartServicePullLatestRestartTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce138ba65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/Service/StartServicePullLatestRestartTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Actions\Service\RestartService;
+use App\Actions\Service\StartService;
+use App\Actions\Service\StopService;
+use App\Models\Service;
+
+it('does not stop a service before pulling latest images', function () {
+    $method = new ReflectionMethod(StartService::class, 'shouldStopBeforeStarting');
+
+    expect($method->invoke(new StartService, pullLatestImages: true, stopBeforeStart: true))->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+it('still stops a service before a regular restart', function () {
+    $method = new ReflectionMethod(StartService::class, 'shouldStopBeforeStarting');
+
+    expect($method->invoke(new StartService, pullLatestImages: false, stopBeforeStart: true))->toBeTrue()
+        ->and($method->invoke(new StartService, pullLatestImages: false, stopBeforeStart: false))->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+it('routes service restart actions through start service with deferred stop semantics', function () {
+    $service = Mockery::mock(Service::class);
+
+    $stopService = Mockery::mock(StopService::class);
+    $stopService->shouldNotReceive('handle');
+    app()->instance(StopService::class, $stopService);
+
+    $startService = Mockery::mock(StartService::class);
+    $startService->shouldReceive('handle')
+        ->once()
+        ->with($service, true, true)
+        ->andReturn('restart queued');
+    app()->instance(StartService::class, $startService);
+
+    expect(RestartService::run($service, true))->toBe('restart queued');
+});