diff --git a/linux/CHANGELOG.md b/linux/CHANGELOG.md
index 4177c81..b76bdfa 100644
--- a/linux/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/linux/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ The version is defined in [`blitztext/__init__.py`](blitztext/__init__.py).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.8.1] - 2026-06-08
+
+### Fixed
+- **Settings dialog and control panel wouldn't open on some desktops.** When the
+  gvfs `org.gtk.vfs.UDisks2VolumeMonitor` dbus service fails to activate (common
+  on headless or minimal sessions), every `Gtk.FileChooserButton` blocked ~25s on
+  a `StartServiceByName` timeout while realizing — so the Settings dialog never
+  finished appearing, and the stalled GTK main loop froze the panel too. Blitztext
+  now selects GIO's native `/proc/mounts` volume monitor
+  (`GIO_USE_VOLUME_MONITOR=unix`) before any window is realized, so file choosers
+  open instantly with no dbus dependency.
+
 ## [1.8.0] - 2026-06-08
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/linux/blitztext/__init__.py b/linux/blitztext/__init__.py
index 0acab2b..eb6640e 100644
--- a/linux/blitztext/__init__.py
+++ b/linux/blitztext/__init__.py
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ counterpart to the macOS Blitztext menu bar app: it runs natively on the host
 (not in a container) so it can type into any application via xdotool.
 """
 
-__version__ = "1.8.0"
+__version__ = "1.8.1"
diff --git a/linux/blitztext/gtkui.py b/linux/blitztext/gtkui.py
index 61372a4..6e55d35 100644
--- a/linux/blitztext/gtkui.py
+++ b/linux/blitztext/gtkui.py
@@ -408,6 +408,13 @@ class App:
 
 
 def run_gui(tray_mode: bool = False) -> int:
+    # Use GIO's native /proc/mounts volume monitor instead of the gvfs/udisks2
+    # one. On headless or minimal desktops the `org.gtk.vfs.UDisks2VolumeMonitor`
+    # dbus service often fails to activate, and every Gtk.FileChooserButton then
+    # blocks ~25s on a StartServiceByName timeout while realizing — which freezes
+    # the settings dialog (and, via the stalled main loop, the panel) so neither
+    # ever appears. The unix monitor needs no dbus and opens choosers instantly.
+    os.environ.setdefault("GIO_USE_VOLUME_MONITOR", "unix")
     # Identify to the window manager as "blitztext" rather than the Python entry
     # point's filename. Launched via `python -m blitztext`, GTK's default program
     # name is argv[0]'s basename ("__main__.py"), which is what shows in the