diff --git a/core/core-popups.el b/core/core-popups.el
index da2517bde..63387921d 100644
--- a/core/core-popups.el
+++ b/core/core-popups.el
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ is enabled/disabled.'")
         ;;              `doom*delete-popup-window'
         ;;  :autoclose  If non-nil, close popup if ESC is pressed from any buffer.
         shackle-rules
-        '(("^ ?\\*doom:.+\\*$"      :size 40  :modeline t :regexp t)
+        '(("^ ?\\*doom:.+\\*$"      :size 25  :modeline minimal :regexp t :noesc t)
           ("^ ?\\*doom .+\\*$"      :size 10  :noselect t :regexp t)
           ("^ *doom message*"       :size 10  :noselect t :autokill t)
           ("*Metahelp*"             :size 0.5 :autokill t :autoclose t)
@@ -172,8 +172,9 @@ for :align t on every rule."
                (doom-hide-modeline-mode +1))
               ((and (symbolp modeline)
                     (not (eq modeline 't)))
-               (let ((doom--mode-line (doom-modeline modeline)))
-                 (doom-hide-modeline-mode +1)))))
+               (let ((doom--modeline-format (doom-modeline modeline)))
+                 (when doom--modeline-format
+                   (doom-hide-modeline-mode +1))))))
     ;; show modeline
     (when doom-hide-modeline-mode
       (doom-hide-modeline-mode -1))))
diff --git a/core/core-ui.el b/core/core-ui.el
index 2c2b335b0..2eef00541 100644
--- a/core/core-ui.el
+++ b/core/core-ui.el
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ Example:
   (def-modeline! minimal
     (bar matches \" \" buffer-info)
     (media-info major-mode))
-  (setq-default mode-line-format (doom-modeline 'minimal))"
+  (doom-set-modeline 'minimal t)"
   (let ((sym (intern (format "doom-modeline-format--%s" name)))
         (lhs-forms (doom--prepare-modeline-segments lhs))
         (rhs-forms (doom--prepare-modeline-segments rhs)))
@@ -278,9 +278,18 @@ Example:
   "Returns a mode-line configuration associated with KEY (a symbol). Throws an
 error if it doesn't exist."
   (let ((fn (intern (format "doom-modeline-format--%s" key))))
-    (unless (functionp fn)
-      (error "Modeline format doesn't exist: %s" key))
-    `(:eval (,fn))))
+    (when (functionp fn)
+      `(:eval (,fn)))))
+
+(defun doom-set-modeline (key &optional default)
+  "Set the modeline format. Does nothing if the modeline KEY doesn't exist. If
+DEFAULT is non-nil, set the default mode-line for all buffers."
+  (let ((modeline (doom-modeline key)))
+    (when modeline
+      (setf (if default
+                (default-value 'mode-line-format)
+              (buffer-local-value 'mode-line-format (current-buffer)))
+            modeline))))
 
 (provide 'core-ui)
 ;;; core-ui.el ends here
diff --git a/modules/app/twitter/config.el b/modules/app/twitter/config.el
index 29184a889..a7de167ba 100644
--- a/modules/app/twitter/config.el
+++ b/modules/app/twitter/config.el
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     (add-hook 'twittering-mode-hook #'doom-buffer-mode))
 
   (add-hook! twittering-mode
-    (setq header-line-format (doom-modeline 'twitter)
+    (setq header-line-format (or (doom-modeline 'twitter) mode-line-format)
           mode-line-format nil))
 
   (map! :map twittering-mode-map
diff --git a/modules/ui/doom-dashboard/config.el b/modules/ui/doom-dashboard/config.el
index 39ebbec06..be00d38a4 100644
--- a/modules/ui/doom-dashboard/config.el
+++ b/modules/ui/doom-dashboard/config.el
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ whose dimensions may not be fully initialized by the time this is run."
     (unless +doom-dashboard-modeline
       (setq +doom-dashboard-old-modeline mode-line-format)
       (setq +doom-dashboard-modeline
-            (if (featurep! :ui doom-modeline)
-                (doom-modeline 'project)
-              mode-line-format)))
+            (or (and (featurep! :ui doom-modeline)
+                     (doom-modeline 'project))
+                mode-line-format)))
     (let ((old-pwd (or dir default-directory)))
       (with-current-buffer (doom-fallback-buffer)
         (+doom-dashboard-mode)
diff --git a/modules/ui/doom-modeline/config.el b/modules/ui/doom-modeline/config.el
index c61d61838..de31dfd77 100644
--- a/modules/ui/doom-modeline/config.el
+++ b/modules/ui/doom-modeline/config.el
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "Display string STR in the mode-line next to minibuffer."
     (with-current-buffer (eldoc-current-buffer)
       (let* ((str              (and (stringp input) input))
-             (mode-line-format (or (and str (doom-modeline 'eldoc))
+             (mode-line-format (or (and str (or (doom-modeline 'eldoc) str))
                                    mode-line-format))
              mode-line-in-non-selected-windows)
         (force-mode-line-update)
@@ -562,12 +562,12 @@ with `evil-ex-substitute', and/or 4. The number of active `iedit' regions."
   (major-mode))
 
 ;;
-(setq-default mode-line-format (doom-modeline 'main))
+(doom-set-modeline 'main t)
 
 ;; This scratch buffer is already created, and doesn't get a modeline. For the
 ;; love of Emacs, someone give the man a modeline!
 (with-current-buffer "*scratch*"
-  (setq mode-line-format (doom-modeline 'main)))
+  (doom-set-modeline 'main))
 
 
 ;;
@@ -575,6 +575,6 @@ with `evil-ex-substitute', and/or 4. The number of active `iedit' regions."
 ;;
 
 (defun +doom-modeline|set-special-modeline ()
-  (setq mode-line-format (doom-modeline 'special)))
+  (doom-set-modeline 'special))
 
 (add-hook 'org-src-mode-hook #'+doom-modeline|set-special-modeline)