diff --git a/inxi b/inxi
index 5bbc6fe..06732da 100755
--- a/inxi
+++ b/inxi
@@ -3891,8 +3891,12 @@ get_desktop_environment()
 				# alternate: xfce4-about --version > xfce4-about 4.10.0 (Xfce 4.10)
 				if [[ -n $( grep -Eis '\"xfce4\"' <<< "$xprop_root" ) ]];then
 					version=$( get_de_app_version 'xfdesktop' 'xfdesktop[[:space:]]version' '5' )
+					# arch linux reports null, so use alternate if null
 					if [[ -z $version ]];then
-						version='4'
+						version=$( get_de_app_version 'xfce4-panel' '^xfce4-panel' '2' )
+						if [[ -z $version ]];then
+							version='4'
+						fi
 					fi
 					if [[ $B_EXTRA_DATA == 'true' ]];then
 						toolkit=$( get_de_app_version 'xfdesktop' 'Built[[:space:]]with[[:space:]]GTK' '4' )
@@ -3904,8 +3908,12 @@ get_desktop_environment()
 				# when 5 is released, the string may need updating
 				elif [[ -n $( grep -is '\"xfce5\"' <<< "$xprop_root" ) ]];then
 					version=$( get_de_app_version 'xfdesktop' 'xfdesktop[[:space:]]version' '5' )
+					# arch linux reports null, so use alternate if null
 					if [[ -z $version ]];then
-						version='5'
+						version=$( get_de_app_version 'xfce5-panel' '^xfce5-panel' '2' )
+						if [[ -z $version ]];then
+							version='5'
+						fi
 					fi
 					if [[ $B_EXTRA_DATA == 'true' ]];then
 						toolkit=$( get_de_app_version 'xfdesktop' 'Built[[:space:]]with[[:space:]]GTK' '4' )