diff --git a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
index 53bc55fcb6..c40b845a81 100644
--- a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
@@ -173,10 +173,7 @@ class Workspaces : public AModule, public EventHandler {
                                                   {"NUMBER", SORT_METHOD::NUMBER},
                                                   {"DEFAULT", SORT_METHOD::DEFAULT}};
 
-  void fill_persistent_workspaces();
   void create_persistent_workspaces();
-  std::vector<std::string> persistent_workspaces_to_create_;
-  bool persistent_created_ = false;
 
   std::string format_;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
index 91b6242ebd..af30382855 100644
--- a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
@@ -365,10 +365,10 @@ void Workspaces::on_window_opened(std::string const &payload) {
   windows_to_create_.emplace_back(workspace_name, window_address, window_class, window_title);
 }
 
-void Workspaces::on_window_closed(std::string const &addr) {
+void Workspaces::on_window_closed(std::string const &payload) {
   update_window_count();
   for (auto &workspace : workspaces_) {
-    if (workspace->close_window(addr)) {
+    if (workspace->close_window(payload)) {
       break;
     }
   }
@@ -518,75 +518,28 @@ void Workspaces::remove_workspace(std::string const &name) {
     return;
   }
 
-  if ((*workspace)->is_persistent()) {
-    // don't remove persistent workspaces, create_workspace will take care of replacement
-    return;
-  }
-
   box_.remove(workspace->get()->button());
   workspaces_.erase(workspace);
 }
 
-void Workspaces::fill_persistent_workspaces() {
-  if (config_["persistent_workspaces"].isObject()) {
-    spdlog::warn(
-        "persistent_workspaces is deprecated. Please change config to use persistent-workspaces.");
-  }
-
-  if (config_["persistent-workspaces"].isObject() || config_["persistent_workspaces"].isObject()) {
-    const Json::Value persistent_workspaces = config_["persistent-workspaces"].isObject()
-                                                  ? config_["persistent-workspaces"]
-                                                  : config_["persistent_workspaces"];
-    const std::vector<std::string> keys = persistent_workspaces.getMemberNames();
-
-    for (const std::string &key : keys) {
-      // only add if either:
-      // 1. key is "*" and this monitor is not already defined in the config
-      // 2. key is the current monitor name
-      bool can_create =
-          (key == "*" && std::find(keys.begin(), keys.end(), bar_.output->name) == keys.end()) ||
-          key == bar_.output->name;
-      const Json::Value &value = persistent_workspaces[key];
-
-      if (value.isInt()) {
-        // value is a number => create that many workspaces for this monitor
-        if (can_create) {
-          int amount = value.asInt();
-          spdlog::debug("Creating {} persistent workspaces for monitor {}", amount,
-                        bar_.output->name);
-          for (int i = 0; i < amount; i++) {
-            persistent_workspaces_to_create_.emplace_back(
-                std::to_string(monitor_id_ * amount + i + 1));
-          }
-        }
-      } else if (value.isArray() && !value.empty()) {
-        // value is an array => create defined workspaces for this monitor
-        if (can_create) {
-          for (const Json::Value &workspace : value) {
-            if (workspace.isInt()) {
-              spdlog::debug("Creating workspace {} on monitor {}", workspace, bar_.output->name);
-              persistent_workspaces_to_create_.emplace_back(std::to_string(workspace.asInt()));
-            }
-          }
-        } else {
-          // key is the workspace and value is array of monitors to create on
-          for (const Json::Value &monitor : value) {
-            if (monitor.isString() && monitor.asString() == bar_.output->name) {
-              persistent_workspaces_to_create_.emplace_back(key);
-              break;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      } else {
-        // this workspace should be displayed on all monitors
-        persistent_workspaces_to_create_.emplace_back(key);
-      }
+void Workspaces::create_persistent_workspaces() {
+  // get workspaces that need to be persistent for this monitor
+  // THIS IS STILL VERY MUCH WIP
+  std::vector<std::string> persistent_workspaces;
+  auto const &workspaceRules = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("workspacerules");
+  for (auto const &rule : workspaceRules) {
+    auto const &workspaceString = rule["workspaceString"];
+    if (workspaceString.isInt()) {
+      persistent_workspaces.emplace_back(
+          workspaceString.asInt() == -99 ? "special" : workspaceString.asString());
+    } else if (workspaceString.isString() && workspaceString.asString().starts_with("name:")) {
+      persistent_workspaces.emplace_back(workspaceString.asString().substr(5));
     }
   }
-}
 
-void Workspaces::create_persistent_workspaces() {
-  for (const std::string &workspace_name : persistent_workspaces_to_create_) {
+
+  // create the workspaces
+  for (const std::string &workspace_name : persistent_workspaces) {
     Json::Value new_workspace;
     try {
       // numbered persistent workspaces get the name as ID
@@ -607,18 +560,6 @@ void Workspaces::create_persistent_workspaces() {
 void Workspaces::init() {
   active_workspace_name_ = (gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("activeworkspace"))["name"].asString();
 
-  // get monitor ID from name (used by persistent workspaces)
-  monitor_id_ = 0;
-  auto monitors = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("monitors");
-  auto current_monitor = std::find_if(
-      monitors.begin(), monitors.end(),
-      [this](const Json::Value &m) { return m["name"].asString() == bar_.output->name; });
-  if (current_monitor == monitors.end()) {
-    spdlog::error("Monitor '{}' does not have an ID? Using 0", bar_.output->name);
-  } else {
-    monitor_id_ = (*current_monitor)["id"].asInt();
-  }
-
   const Json::Value workspaces_json = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("workspaces");
   const Json::Value clients_json = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("clients");
 
@@ -631,8 +572,13 @@ void Workspaces::init() {
     }
   }
 
-  fill_persistent_workspaces();
-  create_persistent_workspaces();
+  // TODO: create workspaces that are bound to monitors but not yet created
+  // 1. get list of workspace rules
+  // 2. if a workspace is bound and persistent, create it
+  auto const workspaceRules = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("workspacerules");
+  for (Json::Value const &rule : workspaceRules) {
+    auto const &workspace = rule["workspaceString"];
+  }
 
   update_window_count();
 
@@ -662,8 +608,26 @@ Workspace::Workspace(const Json::Value &workspace_data, Workspaces &workspace_ma
     is_special_ = true;
   }
 
-  if (workspace_data.isMember("persistent")) {
-    is_persistent_ = workspace_data["persistent"].asBool();
+  auto const workspaceRules = gIPC->getSocket1JsonReply("workspacerules");
+  for (Json::Value const &rule : workspaceRules) {
+    // check if this rule is for this workspaceString
+    auto const &workspaceString = rule["workspaceString"];
+    if (workspaceString.isInt() && workspaceString.asInt() == id_) {
+      is_persistent_ = rule["persistent"].asBool();
+      spdlog::info("Persistent value for workspaceString {} is {}", workspaceString.asInt(),
+                   is_persistent_);
+      break;
+    }
+    if (workspaceString.isString() && workspaceString.asString().starts_with("name:") &&
+        workspaceString.asString().substr(5) == name_) {
+      if (rule["persistent"].isBool()) {
+        is_persistent_ = rule["persistent"].asBool();
+        spdlog::info("Persistent value for workspaceString {} is {}", workspaceString.asString(),
+                     is_persistent_);
+        break;
+      }
+      spdlog::warn("Invalid persistent value for workspaceString {}", workspaceString.asString());
+    }
   }
 
   button_.add_events(Gdk::BUTTON_PRESS_MASK);
@@ -771,8 +735,7 @@ void Workspaces::sort_workspaces() {
                     if (a->id() == -99 || b->id() == -99) {
                       return b->id() == -99;
                     }
-                    // both are 0 (not yet named persistents) / both are named specials (-98 <= ID
-                    // <=-1)
+                    // both are named specials (-98 <= ID <=-1)
                     return is_name_less;
                   }
 
@@ -848,9 +811,9 @@ std::string &Workspace::select_icon(std::map<std::string, std::string> &icons_ma
 
 bool Workspace::handle_clicked(GdkEventButton *bt) const {
   try {
-    if (id() > 0) {  // normal or numbered persistent
+    if (id() > 0) {  // normal
       gIPC->getSocket1Reply("dispatch workspace " + std::to_string(id()));
-    } else if (!is_special()) {  // named
+    } else if (!is_special()) {  // named (this includes persistent)
       gIPC->getSocket1Reply("dispatch workspace name:" + name());
     } else if (id() != -99) {  // named special
       gIPC->getSocket1Reply("dispatch togglespecialworkspace " + name());
diff --git a/src/util/regex_collection.cpp b/src/util/regex_collection.cpp
index df0879c181..704d65455d 100644
--- a/src/util/regex_collection.cpp
+++ b/src/util/regex_collection.cpp
@@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ std::string& RegexCollection::get(std::string& value) {
   return get(value, matched_any);
 }
 
-}  // namespace waybar::util
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // namespace waybar::util