diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9e7359b..f088212 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ one per merged pull request.
 
 ## 2.11.2 - 2026-10-13
 
+- **fix: when an option fails, its sub-options are not applied any more (a failed conversion used to leave its "Boot into the desktop", silent start and icons on without it)**
+
 - **fix: a PC that keeps `python-hidapi` (liquidctl needs it) can use the SteamOS conversion: jupiter-hw-support, which gamescope-session-cachyos depends on, wants `python-hid`, which conflicts with it and stopped the package install. Steamify builds and installs an empty placeholder package that provides `python-hid` first (`patches/python-hid-shim.PKGBUILD`); only the Steam Deck controller firmware updater uses it**
 
 - **feat: the patched gamescope is downloaded as the newest release of steamify-gamescope-nvidia (checked against that release's `.sha256`), a newer one than the installed package shows the SteamOS conversion as an update, and what this Steamify was tested with is the fallback: the pinned package (sha256 in Steamify), the copy the ISO leaves, a build here; the repository's workflow builds each release in CachyOS's container**
diff --git a/lib/backend.sh b/lib/backend.sh
index 9d523eb..f987a7c 100644
--- a/lib/backend.sh
+++ b/lib/backend.sh
@@ -185,6 +185,11 @@ backend_apply() {
         if backend_run_component "$c" disable; then feature_record "$c" disable; else failed+=("$c"); fi
     done
     for c in "${TO_ENABLE[@]}"; do
+        # A sub-option of something that just failed isn't applied: it would be left on without its parent.
+        if [[ -n "${PARENT[$c]:-}" && " ${failed[*]:-} " == *" ${PARENT[$c]} "* ]]; then
+            warn "Skipping ${LABEL[$c]%%:*}: ${LABEL[${PARENT[$c]}]%%:*} didn't work."
+            continue
+        fi
         if backend_run_component "$c" enable; then is_action "$c" || feature_record "$c" enable; else failed+=("$c"); fi
     done
     feature_record_unticked
diff --git a/lib/menu.sh b/lib/menu.sh
index cd2b12e..66206f9 100644
--- a/lib/menu.sh
+++ b/lib/menu.sh
@@ -511,6 +511,11 @@ apply_changes() {
         if "${c}_disable"; then feature_record "$c" disable; else failed+=("$c"); fi
     done
     for c in "${TO_ENABLE[@]}"; do
+        # A sub-option of something that just failed isn't applied: it would be left on without its parent.
+        if [[ -n "${PARENT[$c]:-}" && " ${failed[*]:-} " == *" ${PARENT[$c]} "* ]]; then
+            warn "Skipping ${LABEL[$c]%%:*}: ${LABEL[${PARENT[$c]}]%%:*} didn't work."
+            continue
+        fi
         if [[ "$c" == boot ]]; then echo; echo -e "${c_bold}Boot into: desktop${c_reset}"
         elif is_action "$c"; then echo; echo -e "${c_bold}Running: ${LABEL[$c]%%:*}${c_reset}"
         else echo; echo -e "${c_bold}Turning on: ${LABEL[$c]}${c_reset}"; fi