diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1b3df7..6d8a953 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -149,8 +149,12 @@ the signal page's *Plot on* buttons list **every window**: one group per window
 menu** — y axis (auto or a fixed range), *Fit X axis*, *Fit all*, remove a trace — acting on that
 window's rows (the x fit resets the **shared** time span, so every view follows); a detached
 window's menu carries **Attach back to the main window** beside them. A window that cannot paint
-says so in its own title after two seconds (and on stderr): a blank plot is indistinguishable from
-a context that failed, and the sentence names which.
+says so on stderr and in the status bar after two seconds, naming its **GSK renderer**: a blank
+plot is indistinguishable from a context that failed, and the GTK **Vulkan** renderer is known to
+interact badly with an embedded `GtkGLArea` in a second toplevel — the sentence then says to
+restart with `GSK_RENDERER=gl`. Each scope window also carries a **tick callback of its own**,
+which keeps its toplevel's frame clock advancing: the main window's tick binds and queues the
+render, but a second window whose clock never ticks presents nothing.
 mode or the span.
 
 **The window.** The plot is the window. Under it sits a fixed-height **badge bar** (36 px). Its left
diff --git a/src/ui.cpp b/src/ui.cpp
index d615d0b..b2d7419 100644
--- a/src/ui.cpp
+++ b/src/ui.cpp
@@ -621,6 +621,16 @@ void open_scope_window(App& app, int figure_row, bool detached) {
   g_object_set_data(G_OBJECT(scope->drop), "udpscope-scope", scope.get());
   g_signal_connect(scope->drop, "drop", G_CALLBACK(on_scope_drop_channel), &app);
   gtk_widget_add_controller(scope->widget, GTK_EVENT_CONTROLLER(scope->drop));
+  // The window's own frame pump: a tick callback on its area asks GTK for one frame per tick,
+  // which is what keeps *this* toplevel's frame clock running. The main window's tick binds and
+  // queues the render, but a second toplevel whose clock is never advanced keeps its queue full
+  // and presents nothing -- a blank plot with axes nowhere to be seen.
+  gtk_widget_add_tick_callback(scope->widget,
+                               +[](GtkWidget* widget, GdkFrameClock*, gpointer) -> gboolean {
+                                 gtk_gl_area_queue_render(GTK_GL_AREA(widget));
+                                 return G_SOURCE_CONTINUE;
+                               },
+                               nullptr, nullptr);
   // The window's own right-click menu: its y scales, its traces, its removals -- the same
   // actions the main window's plot menu carries, aimed at **this window's** row set.
   GtkGesture* right = gtk_gesture_click_new();
@@ -4645,12 +4655,22 @@ gboolean tick(gpointer user) {
           const plot::Status st = scope->area->init_status();
           const plot::u64 painted = scope->area->frames_painted();
           if (!st || painted == 0) {
-            const std::string why =
+            std::string why =
                 st ? std::string("the plot painted no frame in two seconds")
                    : std::string("GL context failed: ") + st.message;
+            // Name the GSK renderer: the Vulkan one is known to interact badly with an embedded
+            // `GtkGLArea` in a second toplevel, and the workaround is one environment variable.
+            if (GskRenderer* r = gtk_native_get_renderer(GTK_NATIVE(scope->window))) {
+              const char* type = G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME(r);
+              why += std::string(" [GSK renderer: ") + type + "]";
+              if (g_strstr_len(type, -1, "Vulkan") != nullptr) {
+                why += "; restart with GSK_RENDERER=gl to check";
+              }
+            }
             std::fprintf(stderr, "[scope] window '%s' is not drawing: %s\n",
                          scope->name.c_str(), why.c_str());
             std::fflush(stderr);
+            set_notice(*app, "window '" + scope->name + "' is not drawing: " + why, 10);
             if (scope->window != nullptr) {
               const char* current = gtk_window_get_title(scope->window);
               gtk_window_set_title(scope->window,