diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f7e3713..1d237f9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Menu bar icon is visible on macOS Tahoe 26.6.1 (build 25G76).
 - Timer no longer stays active and shows negative seconds after the Mac sleeps past the activation period.
 
 ## [1.6.3] - 2026-01-26
diff --git a/src/Caffeine/Classes/AppDelegate.swift b/src/Caffeine/Classes/AppDelegate.swift
index 5a9ca3f..05732c6 100644
--- a/src/Caffeine/Classes/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/src/Caffeine/Classes/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, SPUStandardUserDriverDelegat
     private var menuBarController: MenuBarController?
 
     func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_: Notification) {
+        // Hide the dock icon before creating the menu bar-only interface
+        NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.accessory)
+
         // Create the menu bar controller
         self.menuBarController = MenuBarController(updaterController: self.updaterController)
-
-        // Hide the dock icon - this is a menu bar only app
-        NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.accessory)
     }
 
     func applicationWillTerminate(_: Notification) {
diff --git a/src/Caffeine/Classes/Views/MenuBarController.swift b/src/Caffeine/Classes/Views/MenuBarController.swift
index 8747766..dae5b0c 100644
--- a/src/Caffeine/Classes/Views/MenuBarController.swift
+++ b/src/Caffeine/Classes/Views/MenuBarController.swift
@@ -38,11 +38,12 @@ class MenuBarController: NSObject {
     }
 
     private func setupMenuBar() {
-        self.statusItem = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(withLength: NSStatusItem.variableLength)
+        self.statusItem = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(withLength: NSStatusItem.squareLength)
 
         guard let button = statusItem?.button else { return }
 
         // Set up button actions (icon will be set after observers are configured)
+        button.imagePosition = .imageOnly
         button.action = #selector(self.statusItemClicked(_:))
         button.target = self
         button.sendAction(on: [.leftMouseUp, .rightMouseUp])