[Bug] Cava causing waybar to Crush

[Ezall2001]

I noticed that waybar started acting strangely lately when I added the Cava module.
At first the modules spacing get jumbled up. and then waybar crushes so I started trying running waybar each time with only one different module. until I reached cava. this is where it started happening again.

System Info

waybar-cava 0.14.0-2
libcava 0.10.6-2
kernel-name: Linux
nodename: asus-arch
kernel-release: 6.18.1-arch1-2
kernel-version: #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:23:21 +0000
machine: x86_64
operating-system: GNU/Linux

Trace Log

> waybar -l trace
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Try expanding: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/waybar/config
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Try expanding: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/waybar/config.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Found config file: /home/armen/.config/waybar/config.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [info] Using configuration file /home/armen/.config/waybar/config.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [info] Including resource file: ./battery.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Try expanding: ./battery.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Found config file: ./battery.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [info] Including resource file: ./cpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Try expanding: ./cpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Found config file: ./cpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [info] Including resource file: ./gpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Try expanding: ./gpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [debug] Found config file: ./gpu.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.718] [info] Including resource file: ./memory.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./memory.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./memory.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./image.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./image.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./image.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./network.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./network.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./network.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./clock.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./clock.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./clock.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./mpris.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./mpris.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./mpris.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./pulseaudio.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./pulseaudio.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./pulseaudio.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./cava.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./cava.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./cava.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./bluetooth.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./bluetooth.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./bluetooth.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./systemd.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./systemd.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./systemd.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./groups.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./groups.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./groups.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./privacy.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./privacy.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./privacy.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [info] Including resource file: ./weather.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Try expanding: ./weather.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [debug] Found config file: ./weather.jsonc
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.719] [trace] Option include is already set; ignoring value null
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.721] [debug] Try expanding: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/waybar/style.css
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.721] [debug] Found config file: /home/armen/.config/waybar/style.css
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.721] [info] Using CSS file /home/armen/.config/waybar/style.css
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.721] [debug] Parsing imports for file: /home/armen/.config/waybar/style.css
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.721] [debug] Adding file to watch list: /home/armen/.config/waybar/style.css
[2025-12-18 17:48:49.724] [debug] Output detection done: eDP-1 (Sharp Corporation LQ156M1JW26 )
[2025-12-18 17:48:50.245] [debug] Output detection done: HDMI-A-1 (ASUSTek COMPUTER INC ASUS XG32V 0x000295EA)
[2025-12-18 17:48:50.254] [debug] GTK widget tree:
window#waybar.background.top.HDMI-A-1.mode-dock:dir(ltr)
  decoration:dir(ltr)
  box.horizontal:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-left:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-center:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-right:dir(ltr)
      widget:dir(ltr)
        label#cava.module:dir(ltr)

[2025-12-18 17:48:50.254] [debug] GTK widget tree:
window#waybar.background.top.eDP-1.HDMI-A-1.mode-dock:dir(ltr)
  decoration:dir(ltr)
  box.horizontal:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-left:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-center:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-right:dir(ltr)
      widget:dir(ltr)
        label#cava.module:dir(ltr)

[2025-12-18 17:48:50.254] [info] Bar configured (width: 1536, height: 20) for output: eDP-1
[2025-12-18 17:48:50.254] [info] Bar configured (width: 2560, height: 20) for output: HDMI-A-1
[2025-12-18 17:48:50.255] [info] Bar configured (width: 2560, height: 20) for output: HDMI-A-1
[2025-12-18 18:39:32.266] [debug] Output removed: ASUSTek COMPUTER INC ASUS XG32V
[2025-12-18 18:39:32.266] [info] Bar removed from output: HDMI-A-1
[2025-12-18 19:19:27.514] [debug] Output detection done: HDMI-A-1 (ASUSTek COMPUTER INC ASUS XG32V 0x000295EA)
[2025-12-18 19:19:27.551] [debug] GTK widget tree:
window#waybar.background.top.HDMI-A-1.mode-dock:dir(ltr)
  decoration:dir(ltr)
  box.horizontal:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-left:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-center:dir(ltr)
    box.horizontal.modules-right:dir(ltr)
      widget:dir(ltr)
        label#cava.module:dir(ltr)

[2025-12-18 19:19:27.551] [info] Bar configured (width: 2560, height: 20) for output: HDMI-A-1
[2025-12-18 19:19:27.560] [info] Bar configured (width: 2560, height: 20) for output: HDMI-A-1

(waybar:17684): GLib-CRITICAL **: 19:47:55.587: g_source_set_name_full: assertion 'g_atomic_int_get (&source->ref_count) > 0' failed
[2025-12-18 22:46:18.447] [debug] Output removed: ASUSTek COMPUTER INC ASUS XG32V
[2025-12-18 22:46:18.448] [info] Bar removed from output: HDMI-A-1
**
Pango:ERROR:../pango/pango/itemize.c:981:itemize_state_process_run: assertion failed: (state->run_end != state->run_start)
Bail out! Pango:ERROR:../pango/pango/itemize.c:981:itemize_state_process_run: assertion failed: (state->run_end != state->run_start)
Error: nu::shell::core_dumped

  × External command core dumped
   ╭─[entry #3:1:1]
 1 │ waybar -l trace
   · ───┬──
   ·    ╰── core dumped with SIGABRT (6)
   ╰────

[LukashonakV]

Hello @Ezall2001,

This issue has already been discovered, discussed, and fixed by PR #4587 and PR #4682. Please close the issue. Cava will be fixed in the next release, or you can take the current master branch to build.