diff --git a/packages/app/src/desktop.ts b/packages/app/src/desktop.ts
index 406b721701a..180e075bc19 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/desktop.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/desktop.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 export { AppBaseProviders, AppInterface, preloadRoute } from "./app"
 export { ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS } from "./runtime/platform/file-picker"
 export { useCommand } from "./shell/commands/command"
+export { currentRoute, type LayoutRoute, useCurrentRoute } from "./shell/state/layout"
 export { loadLocaleDict, normalizeLocale, type Locale, useLanguage } from "./runtime/i18n/language"
 export { type FatalRendererErrorLog, type Platform, PlatformProvider } from "./runtime/platform/platform"
 export { ServerConnection, useServers } from "./runtime/server/registry"
diff --git a/packages/app/src/shell/tabs/tabs.tsx b/packages/app/src/shell/tabs/tabs.tsx
index 7767ce17efd..39bf5372c54 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/shell/tabs/tabs.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/shell/tabs/tabs.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,10 @@ export const { use: useTabs, provider: TabsProvider } = createSimpleContext({
       createStore<Tab[]>([]),
     )
     const [recent, setRecent, , recentReady] = persisted(Persist.window("tabs.recent"), createStore<RecentTab>({}))
-    const [info, setInfo] = persisted(Persist.window("tabs.info"), createStore<Record<string, TabInfo>>({}))
+    const [info, setInfo, , infoReady] = persisted(
+      Persist.window("tabs.info"),
+      createStore<Record<string, TabInfo>>({}),
+    )
     const [closed, setClosed, , closedReady] = persisted(Persist.window("tabs.closed"), createStore<ClosedTab[]>([]))
 
     const params = useParams()
@@ -378,6 +381,6 @@ export const { use: useTabs, provider: TabsProvider } = createSimpleContext({
       },
     }
 
-    return { ...actions, store, info, ready, recentReady }
+    return { ...actions, store, info, ready, infoReady, recentReady }
   },
 })
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/main/ipc-handlers/window.ts b/packages/desktop/src/main/ipc-handlers/window.ts
index 4cb48630c15..6508b9fc977 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/main/ipc-handlers/window.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/main/ipc-handlers/window.ts
@@ -2,28 +2,13 @@ import { BrowserWindow } from "electron"
 import { Effect } from "effect"
 import { WindowRpcs } from "../../shared/ipc-rpc"
 import { IpcPortHandoff } from "../ipc-transport"
-import {
-  getPinchZoomEnabled,
-  getWindowID,
-  setPinchZoomEnabled,
-  setTitlebar,
-  setWindowThemeReady,
-  updateTitlebar,
-} from "../windows"
+import { getPinchZoomEnabled, setPinchZoomEnabled, setTitlebar, setWindowThemeReady, updateTitlebar } from "../windows"
 import { sender } from "./context"
 
 export const windowHandlers = WindowRpcs.toLayer(
   Effect.gen(function* () {
     const handoff = yield* IpcPortHandoff
     return WindowRpcs.of({
-      WindowGetId: (_args, context) =>
-        Effect.sync(() => {
-          const win = BrowserWindow.fromWebContents(sender(handoff, context))
-          if (!win) throw new Error("Window not found")
-          const id = getWindowID(win)
-          if (!id) throw new Error("Window ID not found")
-          return id
-        }),
       WindowThemeReady: (_args, context) =>
         Effect.sync(() => {
           const win = BrowserWindow.fromWebContents(sender(handoff, context))
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/main/windows/index.ts b/packages/desktop/src/main/windows/index.ts
index bbff6eaa269..d5d20f211c6 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/main/windows/index.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/main/windows/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { scoped } from "../native/logging"
 import { DesktopPaths } from "../paths"
 import { forgetStore, getStore } from "../storage/store"
 import { WINDOW_IDS_KEY } from "../storage/keys"
+import { windowIDArgument } from "../../shared/window-bootstrap"
 import {
   getBackgroundColor,
   getPinchZoomEnabled,
@@ -24,7 +25,6 @@ import { createWindowRegistry } from "./registry"
 import { makeWindowRecovery } from "./recovery"
 import { allowRendererPermissions, wireNavigationPolicy, wireRendererHeaders } from "./security"
 
-const windowIDs = new WeakMap<BrowserWindow, string>()
 const themeReady = new WeakMap<BrowserWindow, () => void>()
 const registry = createWindowRegistry<BrowserWindow>({
   read: () => getStore().get(WINDOW_IDS_KEY),
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ export function setAppQuitting(quitting = true) {
   registry.setQuitting(quitting)
 }
 
-export function getWindowID(win: BrowserWindow) {
-  return windowIDs.get(win)
-}
-
 export function getLastFocusedWindow() {
   const focused = BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow()
   if (focused) return focused
@@ -89,6 +85,7 @@ export const makeMainWindows = Effect.fn("Window.make")(function* () {
 
   const create = (id: string = randomUUID()) => {
     const state = windowState({ file: windowStateFile(id), defaultWidth: 1280, defaultHeight: 800 })
+    const appearance = windowAppearance(path, paths)
     const win = new BrowserWindow({
       x: state.x,
       y: state.y,
@@ -96,7 +93,11 @@ export const makeMainWindows = Effect.fn("Window.make")(function* () {
       height: state.height,
       show: false,
       autoHideMenuBar: true,
-      ...windowAppearance(path, paths),
+      ...appearance,
+      webPreferences: {
+        ...appearance.webPreferences,
+        additionalArguments: [windowIDArgument(id)],
+      },
     })
 
     allowRendererPermissions(win)
@@ -132,7 +133,6 @@ export const makeMainWindows = Effect.fn("Window.make")(function* () {
   }
 
   const register = (win: BrowserWindow, id: string) => {
-    windowIDs.set(win, id)
     registry.register(id, win)
     win.on("focus", () => registry.focused(id))
     // Windows emits session-end, but not before-quit, during shutdown and logoff.
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/preload/index.ts b/packages/desktop/src/preload/index.ts
index ecf427caf9b..fec4009668e 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/preload/index.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/preload/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { contextBridge, ipcRenderer, webUtils } from "electron"
 import { IpcTransportPort } from "../shared/ipc-transport"
+import { windowIDFromArguments } from "../shared/window-bootstrap"
 
 ipcRenderer.on(IpcTransportPort, (event) => {
   const port = event.ports[0]
@@ -7,5 +8,6 @@ ipcRenderer.on(IpcTransportPort, (event) => {
 })
 
 contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electron", {
+  windowID: windowIDFromArguments(process.argv),
   getPathForFile: (file: File) => webUtils.getPathForFile(file),
 })
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/preload/types.ts b/packages/desktop/src/preload/types.ts
index 9fb67648c39..500c564de36 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/preload/types.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/preload/types.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 export type ElectronNative = {
+  windowID: string
   getPathForFile(file: File): string
 }
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api-types.ts b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api-types.ts
index 53c0f21c25f..876ff95267c 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api-types.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api-types.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export type ElectronAPI = {
   draftDelete(key: string): Promise<void>
   draftBlobPut(data: ArrayBuffer): Promise<string>
   draftBlobGet(id: string): Promise<ArrayBuffer | null>
-  getWindowID(): Promise<string>
+  getWindowID(): string
   themeReady(): Promise<void>
   onMenuCommand(cb: (id: string) => void): () => void
   onDeepLink(cb: (urls: string[]) => void): () => void
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api.ts b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api.ts
index be52c29dc80..96173a5ea26 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/api.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export const api: ElectronAPI = {
   draftBlobPut: (data) => invoke("DraftsPutBlob", { data: new Uint8Array(data) }),
   draftBlobGet: (id) => invoke("DraftsGetBlob", { id }).then((data) => (data ? toArrayBuffer(data) : null)),
 
-  getWindowID: () => invoke("WindowGetId"),
+  getWindowID: () => window.electron.windowID,
   themeReady: () => invoke("WindowThemeReady"),
   onMenuCommand: (cb) => listen("MenuCommandTriggered", (event) => cb(event.id)),
   onDeepLink: (cb) => listen("DeepLinksOpened", (event) => cb(mutable(event.urls))),
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/desktop-app.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/desktop-app.tsx
index ff7b0cd4e7c..339d748cfd8 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/desktop-app.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/desktop-app.tsx
@@ -4,16 +4,22 @@
 import {
   AppBaseProviders,
   AppInterface,
+  currentRoute,
   PlatformProvider,
+  preloadRoute,
   ServerConnection,
   useCommand,
+  useCurrentRoute,
   useLanguage,
+  useTabs,
   useWslServers,
+  type LayoutRoute,
   type UpdaterPlatform,
 } from "@opencode-ai/app/desktop"
 import { useTheme } from "@opencode-ai/ui/theme/context"
 import type { BaseRouterProps } from "@solidjs/router"
 import { createEffect, createMemo, createResource, lazy, Show, Suspense } from "solid-js"
+import { createStore } from "solid-js/store"
 import type { ElectronAPI } from "./api-types"
 import { DesktopFirstLaunchOnboarding } from "./onboarding"
 import { createDesktopPlatform, type DesktopWindowState } from "./platform"
@@ -28,19 +34,51 @@ import { availableStartupServer, readyWslConnections } from "./wsl/connections"
 const MigrationStatus = lazy(() => import("./migration-status").then((module) => ({ default: module.MigrationStatus })))
 
 export function DesktopApp(props: { api: ElectronAPI; updater: UpdaterPlatform; version: string }) {
-  const [windowState] = createResource(() => props.api.getWindowID().then((id) => ({ id, version: props.version })))
+  const windowState = { id: props.api.getWindowID(), version: props.version }
+  const url = new URL(getLastActiveUrl(windowState.id), "http://localhost")
+  const route = currentRoute(url.pathname, url.search)
+  const [startup, setStartup] = createStore<{ ready: boolean; visible: boolean; route: LayoutRoute }>({
+    ready: false,
+    visible: true,
+    route,
+  })
   return (
-    <Show when={windowState.latest} fallback={<LoadingSplash />} keyed>
-      {(state) => <DesktopWindow api={props.api} updater={props.updater} windowState={state} />}
-    </Show>
+    <>
+      <DesktopWindow
+        api={props.api}
+        updater={props.updater}
+        windowState={windowState}
+        onReady={() => setStartup("ready", true)}
+        onRoute={(route) => setStartup("route", route)}
+      />
+      <Show when={startup.visible}>
+        <div
+          class="fixed inset-0 z-[100] transition-opacity duration-300 ease-out"
+          classList={{ "pointer-events-none opacity-0": startup.ready }}
+          onTransitionEnd={(event) => {
+            if (event.target !== event.currentTarget || !startup.ready) return
+            setStartup("visible", false)
+          }}
+        >
+          <LoadingSplash deep={startup.route.type === "draft"} />
+        </div>
+      </Show>
+    </>
   )
 }
 
-function DesktopWindow(props: { api: ElectronAPI; updater: UpdaterPlatform; windowState: DesktopWindowState }) {
+function DesktopWindow(props: {
+  api: ElectronAPI
+  updater: UpdaterPlatform
+  windowState: DesktopWindowState
+  onReady: () => void
+  onRoute: (route: LayoutRoute) => void
+}) {
   const platform = createDesktopPlatform(props.api, props.windowState, props.updater)
   const [sidecar] = createResource(() => props.api.awaitInitialization())
   const [defaultServer] = createResource(() => platform.getDefaultServer?.())
   const [locale] = createResource(() => preloadStoredLocale(platform))
+  const [initialRoute] = createResource(() => preloadRoute(getLastActiveUrl(props.windowState.id)))
   const router = (routerProps: BaseRouterProps) => (
     <DesktopMemoryRouter {...routerProps} windowID={props.windowState.id} />
   )
@@ -74,10 +112,15 @@ function DesktopWindow(props: { api: ElectronAPI; updater: UpdaterPlatform; wind
     )
 
     return (
-      <Show when={ready()} fallback={<LoadingSplash />}>
+      <Show when={ready()}>
         <Show when={effectiveDefaultServer()} keyed>
           {(key) => (
             <AppInterface defaultServer={key} servers={servers()} router={router}>
+              <DesktopStartupReady
+                routeReady={() => !initialRoute.loading}
+                onReady={props.onReady}
+                onRoute={props.onRoute}
+              />
               <DesktopFirstLaunchOnboarding
                 api={props.api}
                 initialUrl={getLastActiveUrl(props.windowState.id)}
@@ -109,6 +152,21 @@ function DesktopWindow(props: { api: ElectronAPI; updater: UpdaterPlatform; wind
   )
 }
 
+function DesktopStartupReady(props: {
+  routeReady: () => boolean
+  onReady: () => void
+  onRoute: (route: LayoutRoute) => void
+}) {
+  const tabs = useTabs()
+  const route = useCurrentRoute()
+  createEffect(() => props.onRoute(route()))
+  createEffect(() => {
+    if (!props.routeReady() || !tabs.ready() || !tabs.infoReady()) return
+    props.onReady()
+  })
+  return null
+}
+
 function DesktopEffects(props: { api: ElectronAPI }) {
   const command = useCommand()
   bindDesktopMenu((id) => command.trigger(id))
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/startup/splash.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/startup/splash.tsx
index 73850f227f8..26dd78c0f4b 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/renderer/startup/splash.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/renderer/startup/splash.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 import { Splash } from "@opencode-ai/ui/logo"
 
-export function LoadingSplash() {
+export function LoadingSplash(props: { deep: boolean }) {
   return (
-    <div class="h-dvh w-screen flex flex-col items-center justify-center bg-background-base">
+    <div
+      class="h-dvh w-screen flex flex-col items-center justify-center"
+      classList={{
+        "bg-v2-background-bg-deep": props.deep,
+        "bg-v2-background-bg-base": !props.deep,
+      }}
+    >
       <Splash class="w-16 h-20 opacity-50 animate-pulse" />
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/shared/ipc-rpc/window.ts b/packages/desktop/src/shared/ipc-rpc/window.ts
index 7971d0b62d6..bb659b61af7 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/shared/ipc-rpc/window.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/shared/ipc-rpc/window.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { Schema } from "effect"
 import { Rpc, RpcGroup } from "effect/unstable/rpc"
 
-export const WindowGetId = Rpc.make("WindowGetId", { success: Schema.String })
 export const WindowThemeReady = Rpc.make("WindowThemeReady")
 export const WindowGetFocused = Rpc.make("WindowGetFocused", { success: Schema.Boolean })
 export const WindowGetFullscreen = Rpc.make("WindowGetFullscreen", { success: Schema.Boolean })
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ export const WindowSetTitlebar = Rpc.make("WindowSetTitlebar", {
   },
 })
 export const WindowRpcs = RpcGroup.make(
-  WindowGetId,
   WindowThemeReady,
   WindowGetFocused,
   WindowGetFullscreen,
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.test.ts b/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bfea76422aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { windowIDArgument, windowIDFromArguments } from "./window-bootstrap"
+
+describe("window bootstrap", () => {
+  test("round-trips the window ID through renderer arguments", () => {
+    const id = "window/id with spaces"
+    expect(windowIDFromArguments(["electron", windowIDArgument(id)])).toBe(id)
+  })
+
+  test("requires a window ID argument", () => {
+    expect(() => windowIDFromArguments(["electron"])).toThrow("Window ID argument not found")
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.ts b/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79c4c47b6b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/shared/window-bootstrap.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+const windowIDPrefix = "--opencode-window-id="
+
+export function windowIDArgument(id: string) {
+  return windowIDPrefix + encodeURIComponent(id)
+}
+
+export function windowIDFromArguments(args: readonly string[]) {
+  const value = args.find((arg) => arg.startsWith(windowIDPrefix))?.slice(windowIDPrefix.length)
+  if (!value) throw new Error("Window ID argument not found")
+  return decodeURIComponent(value)
+}