diff --git a/bin/xmonad.hs b/bin/xmonad.hs
index 9d1774f..488d2a0 100644
--- a/bin/xmonad.hs
+++ b/bin/xmonad.hs
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ externalBindings runIO cleanup db =
   where
     ses = dbSesClient db
     sys = dbSysClient db
-    brightessControls ctl getter = (getter . ctl) ses
+    brightessControls ctl getter = (fmap (liftIO . runIO) . getter . ctl) ses
     ib = Left . brightessControls intelBacklightControls
     ck = Left . brightessControls clevoKeyboardControls
     ftrAlways n = Right . Always n . Always_ . FallbackAlone
diff --git a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/ClevoKeyboard.hs b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/ClevoKeyboard.hs
index e2776d5..3564773 100644
--- a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/ClevoKeyboard.hs
+++ b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/ClevoKeyboard.hs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ exportClevoKeyboard =
     [stateFileDep, brightnessFileDep]
     clevoKeyboardConfig
 
-clevoKeyboardControls :: Maybe SesClient -> BrightnessControls
+clevoKeyboardControls :: MonadUnliftIO m => Maybe SesClient -> BrightnessControls m
 clevoKeyboardControls = brightnessControls xpfClevoBacklight clevoKeyboardConfig
 
 callGetBrightnessCK :: MonadUnliftIO m => SesClient -> m (Maybe Brightness)
diff --git a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/Common.hs b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/Common.hs
index 731c3b2..cbf0ca5 100644
--- a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/Common.hs
+++ b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/Common.hs
@@ -45,18 +45,19 @@ data BrightnessConfig a b = BrightnessConfig
   , bcName :: T.Text
   }
 
-data BrightnessControls = BrightnessControls
-  { bctlMax :: SometimesX
-  , bctlMin :: SometimesX
-  , bctlInc :: SometimesX
-  , bctlDec :: SometimesX
+data BrightnessControls m = BrightnessControls
+  { bctlMax :: Sometimes (m ())
+  , bctlMin :: Sometimes (m ())
+  , bctlInc :: Sometimes (m ())
+  , bctlDec :: Sometimes (m ())
   }
 
 brightnessControls
-  :: XPQuery
+  :: MonadUnliftIO m
+  => XPQuery
   -> BrightnessConfig a b
   -> Maybe SesClient
-  -> BrightnessControls
+  -> BrightnessControls m
 brightnessControls q bc cl =
   BrightnessControls
     { bctlMax = cb "max brightness" memMax
@@ -167,12 +168,13 @@ emitBrightness BrightnessConfig {bcPath = p, bcInterface = i} client cur =
     sig = signal p i memCur
 
 callBacklight
-  :: XPQuery
+  :: MonadUnliftIO m
+  => XPQuery
   -> Maybe SesClient
   -> BrightnessConfig a b
   -> T.Text
   -> MemberName
-  -> SometimesX
+  -> Sometimes (m ())
 callBacklight
   q
   cl
diff --git a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/IntelBacklight.hs b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/IntelBacklight.hs
index 7a4b89d..6e90376 100644
--- a/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/IntelBacklight.hs
+++ b/lib/XMonad/Internal/DBus/Brightness/IntelBacklight.hs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ exportIntelBacklight =
     [curFileDep, maxFileDep]
     intelBacklightConfig
 
-intelBacklightControls :: Maybe SesClient -> BrightnessControls
+intelBacklightControls :: MonadUnliftIO m => Maybe SesClient -> BrightnessControls m
 intelBacklightControls = brightnessControls xpfIntelBacklight intelBacklightConfig
 
 callGetBrightnessIB :: MonadUnliftIO m => SesClient -> m (Maybe Brightness)