diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
index 0a3c181f4..1d32bf402 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
@@ -423,9 +423,11 @@ illegal_chars:
     completer->setModel(completerModel);
     ui->searchBar->setCompleter(completer);
 
-    // Set initial status bar after the event loop starts
     QTimer::singleShot(0, this, [this] {
+        // Set initial status bar after the event loop starts
         emit updateStatusRight(machineCountString());
+        // Tell the mainwindow to enable the toolbar buttons if needed
+        emit selectionChanged((this->proxy_model->rowCount(QModelIndex()) > 0) ? selected_sysconfig : nullptr);
     });
 
 #if EMU_BUILD_NUM != 0
@@ -461,7 +463,7 @@ VMManagerMain::currentSelectionChanged(const QModelIndex &current,
     vm_details->updateData(selected_sysconfig);
 
     // Emit that the selection changed, include with the process state
-    emit selectionChanged(current, selected_sysconfig->process->state());
+    emit selectionChanged(selected_sysconfig);
 }
 
 void
@@ -722,6 +724,8 @@ VMManagerMain::deleteSystem(VMManagerSystem *sysconfig)
             delete vm_details;
             vm_details = new VMManagerDetails();
             ui->detailsArea->layout()->addWidget(vm_details);
+            /* tell the mainwindow to disable the toolbar buttons */
+            emit selectionChanged(nullptr);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.hpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.hpp
index 3da9e5934..54a6a4e72 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.hpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.hpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
         Settings,
     };
 signals:
-    void selectionChanged(const QModelIndex &currentSelection, QProcess::ProcessState processState);
+    void selectionChanged(VMManagerSystem *sysconfig);
     void updateStatusLeft(const QString &text);
     void updateStatusRight(const QString &text);
 
diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.cpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.cpp
index 305c5b07d..152b64bd7 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.cpp
@@ -69,12 +69,14 @@ VMManagerMainWindow::
 #endif
 
     // TODO: Unhide the toolbar once the actions are fixed to properly update on VM status change
+    ui->actionStartPause->setEnabled(false);
     ui->actionStartPause->setIcon(QIcon(":/menuicons/qt/icons/run.ico"));
     ui->actionStartPause->setText(tr("Start"));
     ui->actionStartPause->setToolTip(tr("Start"));
     ui->actionHard_Reset->setEnabled(false);
     ui->actionForce_Shutdown->setEnabled(false);
     ui->actionCtrl_Alt_Del->setEnabled(false);
+    ui->actionSettings->setEnabled(false);
 
     // Preferences
     connect(ui->actionPreferences, &QAction::triggered, this, &VMManagerMainWindow::preferencesTriggered);
@@ -147,29 +149,45 @@ VMManagerMainWindow::~VMManagerMainWindow()
     = default;
 
 void
-VMManagerMainWindow::vmmSelectionChanged(const QModelIndex &currentSelection, const QProcess::ProcessState processState) const
+VMManagerMainWindow::vmmSelectionChanged(const VMManagerSystem *sysconfig) const
 {
-    if (processState == QProcess::Running) {
-        ui->actionStartPause->setEnabled(true);
-        ui->actionStartPause->setIcon(QIcon(":/menuicons/qt/icons/pause.ico"));
-        ui->actionStartPause->setText(tr("Pause"));
-        ui->actionStartPause->setToolTip(tr("Pause"));
+    if (sysconfig == nullptr) {
+        // This doubles both as a safety check and a way to disable
+        // all machine-related buttons when no machines are present
+        ui->actionStartPause->setEnabled(false);
+        ui->actionSettings->setEnabled(false);
+        ui->actionHard_Reset->setEnabled(false);
+        ui->actionForce_Shutdown->setEnabled(false);
+        ui->actionCtrl_Alt_Del->setEnabled(false);
+        return;
+    }
+    const bool running = sysconfig->process->state() == QProcess::ProcessState::Running;
+
+    if (running) {
+        if (sysconfig->getProcessStatus() == VMManagerSystem::ProcessStatus::Running) {
+            ui->actionStartPause->setIcon(QIcon(":/menuicons/qt/icons/pause.ico"));
+            ui->actionStartPause->setText(tr("Pause"));
+            ui->actionStartPause->setToolTip(tr("Pause"));
+        } else {
+            ui->actionStartPause->setIcon(QIcon(":/menuicons/qt/icons/run.ico"));
+            ui->actionStartPause->setText(tr("Continue"));
+            ui->actionStartPause->setToolTip(tr("Continue"));
+        }
         disconnect(ui->actionStartPause, &QAction::triggered, vmm, &VMManagerMain::startButtonPressed);
         connect(ui->actionStartPause, &QAction::triggered, vmm, &VMManagerMain::pauseButtonPressed);
-        ui->actionHard_Reset->setEnabled(true);
-        ui->actionForce_Shutdown->setEnabled(true);
-        ui->actionCtrl_Alt_Del->setEnabled(true);
     } else {
-        ui->actionStartPause->setEnabled(true);
         ui->actionStartPause->setIcon(QIcon(":/menuicons/qt/icons/run.ico"));
         ui->actionStartPause->setText(tr("Start"));
         ui->actionStartPause->setToolTip(tr("Start"));
         disconnect(ui->actionStartPause, &QAction::triggered, vmm, &VMManagerMain::pauseButtonPressed);
         connect(ui->actionStartPause, &QAction::triggered, vmm, &VMManagerMain::startButtonPressed);
-        ui->actionHard_Reset->setEnabled(false);
-        ui->actionForce_Shutdown->setEnabled(false);
-        ui->actionCtrl_Alt_Del->setEnabled(false);
     }
+
+    ui->actionStartPause->setEnabled(!sysconfig->window_obscured);
+    ui->actionSettings->setEnabled(!sysconfig->window_obscured);
+    ui->actionHard_Reset->setEnabled(sysconfig->window_obscured ? false : running);
+    ui->actionForce_Shutdown->setEnabled(sysconfig->window_obscured ? false : running);
+    ui->actionCtrl_Alt_Del->setEnabled(sysconfig->window_obscured ? false : running);
 }
 void
 VMManagerMainWindow::preferencesTriggered()
diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.hpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.hpp
index c0e06f551..38263e9ae 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.hpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_mainwindow.hpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public slots:
 #endif
 
 private slots:
-    void vmmSelectionChanged(const QModelIndex &currentSelection, QProcess::ProcessState processState) const;
+    void vmmSelectionChanged(const VMManagerSystem *sysconfig) const;
     void preferencesTriggered();
 #if EMU_BUILD_NUM != 0
     void checkForUpdatesTriggered();