diff --git a/bin/omarchy-refresh-applications b/bin/omarchy-refresh-applications
index 6f8c6b1..429cbb8 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-refresh-applications
+++ b/bin/omarchy-refresh-applications
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
 cp ~/.local/share/omarchy/applications/*.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
 cp ~/.local/share/omarchy/applications/hidden/*.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
 
-if [ -z "$OMARCHY_BARE" ]; then
+# Only copy xtras if user is not in bare mode
+if [[ ! -f ~/.local/state/omarchy/bare.mode ]] && [ -z "$OMARCHY_BARE" ]; then
   cp ~/.local/share/omarchy/applications/xtras/*.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
 fi
 
diff --git a/install/config/config.sh b/install/config/config.sh
index 91157f6..3b463ce 100644
--- a/install/config/config.sh
+++ b/install/config/config.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ echo "source ~/.local/share/omarchy/default/bash/rc" >~/.bashrc
 # Ensure application directory exists for update-desktop-database
 mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
 
+# If bare install, allow a way for its exclusions to not get added in updates
+if [ -n "$OMARCHY_BARE" ]; then
+  mkdir -p ~/.local/state/omarchy
+  touch ~/.local/state/omarchy/bare.mode
+fi
+
 # Setup GPG configuration with multiple keyservers for better reliability
 sudo mkdir -p /etc/gnupg
 sudo cp ~/.local/share/omarchy/default/gpg/dirmngr.conf /etc/gnupg/
diff --git a/migrations/1752983008.sh b/migrations/1752983008.sh
index 672ca78..5b4b8da 100644
--- a/migrations/1752983008.sh
+++ b/migrations/1752983008.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# do not run if user is using bare mode
+if [[ -f ~/.local/state/omarchy/bare.mode ]]; then exit; fi
+
 echo "Add missing installation of Zoom"
 
 if ! command -v zoom &>/dev/null; then