diff --git a/backend/internal/domain/model/version.go b/backend/internal/domain/model/version.go
index 56c1f05..c8bfd77 100644
--- a/backend/internal/domain/model/version.go
+++ b/backend/internal/domain/model/version.go
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ package model
 
 // AppVersion stores the compiled version of the application.
 // Automatically maintained by scripts/sync-version.js and injected into the go build via -ldflags.
-var AppVersion = "v0.1.19-alpha"
+var AppVersion = "v0.1.20-beta"
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index d9cdc5d..c8e3027 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "frontend",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "0.1.19-alpha",
+  "version": "0.1.20-beta",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.lock b/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
index 36bbac2..48b8aad 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
@@ -73,6 +73,137 @@ dependencies = [
  "derive_arbitrary",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "async-broadcast"
+version = "0.7.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "435a87a52755b8f27fcf321ac4f04b2802e337c8c4872923137471ec39c37532"
+dependencies = [
+ "event-listener",
+ "event-listener-strategy",
+ "futures-core",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-channel"
+version = "2.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "924ed96dd52d1b75e9c1a3e6275715fd320f5f9439fb5a4a11fa51f4221158d2"
+dependencies = [
+ "concurrent-queue",
+ "event-listener-strategy",
+ "futures-core",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-executor"
+version = "1.14.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c96bf972d85afc50bf5ab8fe2d54d1586b4e0b46c97c50a0c9e71e2f7bcd812a"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-task",
+ "concurrent-queue",
+ "fastrand",
+ "futures-lite",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+ "slab",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-io"
+version = "2.6.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "456b8a8feb6f42d237746d4b3e9a178494627745c3c56c6ea55d92ba50d026fc"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+ "cfg-if",
+ "concurrent-queue",
+ "futures-io",
+ "futures-lite",
+ "parking",
+ "polling",
+ "rustix",
+ "slab",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-lock"
+version = "3.4.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "290f7f2596bd5b78a9fec8088ccd89180d7f9f55b94b0576823bbbdc72ee8311"
+dependencies = [
+ "event-listener",
+ "event-listener-strategy",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-process"
+version = "2.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "fc50921ec0055cdd8a16de48773bfeec5c972598674347252c0399676be7da75"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-channel",
+ "async-io",
+ "async-lock",
+ "async-signal",
+ "async-task",
+ "blocking",
+ "cfg-if",
+ "event-listener",
+ "futures-lite",
+ "rustix",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-recursion"
+version = "1.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3b43422f69d8ff38f95f1b2bb76517c91589a924d1559a0e935d7c8ce0274c11"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.119",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-signal"
+version = "0.2.14"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "52b5aaafa020cf5053a01f2a60e8ff5dccf550f0f77ec54a4e47285ac2bab485"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-io",
+ "async-lock",
+ "atomic-waker",
+ "cfg-if",
+ "futures-core",
+ "futures-io",
+ "rustix",
+ "signal-hook-registry",
+ "slab",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-task"
+version = "4.7.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8b75356056920673b02621b35afd0f7dda9306d03c79a30f5c56c44cf256e3de"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "async-trait"
+version = "0.1.92"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "82f6aeea286b8eb4dd3431a1be1b59d290ace00f5bfd8e2a159bc2a05e2c1667"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 3.0.3",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "atk"
 version = "0.18.2"
@@ -168,6 +299,19 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "blocking"
+version = "1.7.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a70e4329df6cb94385eed412ec92375c3cdd8a6e502493d1229b6414e4036dfa"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-channel",
+ "async-task",
+ "futures-io",
+ "futures-lite",
+ "piper",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "brotli"
 version = "8.0.4"
@@ -380,6 +524,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "memchr",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "concurrent-queue"
+version = "2.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4ca0197aee26d1ae37445ee532fefce43251d24cc7c166799f4d46817f1d3973"
+dependencies = [
+ "crossbeam-utils",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cookie"
 version = "0.18.1"
@@ -609,10 +762,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "devaulty"
-version = "0.1.16-alpha"
+version = "0.1.20-beta"
 dependencies = [
  "dirs",
  "futures-util",
+ "libc",
  "log",
  "reqwest 0.12.28",
  "serde",
@@ -621,6 +775,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tauri-build",
  "tauri-plugin-log",
  "tauri-plugin-process",
+ "tauri-plugin-single-instance",
  "tauri-plugin-updater",
  "tokio",
  "uuid",
@@ -789,6 +944,33 @@ version = "1.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4ef6b89e5b37196644d8796de5268852ff179b44e96276cf4290264843743bb7"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "endi"
+version = "1.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "66b7e2430c6dff6a955451e2cfc438f09cea1965a9d6f87f7e3b90decc014099"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "enumflags2"
+version = "0.7.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1027f7680c853e056ebcec683615fb6fbbc07dbaa13b4d5d9442b146ded4ecef"
+dependencies = [
+ "enumflags2_derive",
+ "serde",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "enumflags2_derive"
+version = "0.7.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "67c78a4d8fdf9953a5c9d458f9efe940fd97a0cab0941c075a813ac594733827"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.119",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "env_filter"
 version = "0.1.4"
@@ -826,6 +1008,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "event-listener"
+version = "5.4.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5a23add41df1562121a9393cb065eab5146a1242410f23a644851e90cfd669d2"
+dependencies = [
+ "parking",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "event-listener-strategy"
+version = "0.5.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8be9f3dfaaffdae2972880079a491a1a8bb7cbed0b8dd7a347f668b4150a3b93"
+dependencies = [
+ "event-listener",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "fastrand"
 version = "2.5.0"
@@ -966,6 +1168,19 @@ version = "0.3.33"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4577ecaa3c4f96589d473f679a71b596316f6641bc350038b962a5daf0085d7a"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-lite"
+version = "2.6.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f78e10609fe0e0b3f4157ffab1876319b5b0db102a2c60dc4626306dc46b44ad"
+dependencies = [
+ "fastrand",
+ "futures-core",
+ "futures-io",
+ "parking",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "futures-macro"
 version = "0.3.33"
@@ -1325,6 +1540,12 @@ version = "0.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2304e00983f87ffb38b55b444b5e3b60a884b5d30c0fca7d82fe33449bbe55ea"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "hermit-abi"
+version = "0.5.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e17592d60ebacc7d5e169f4663c5f84f9161cc90328abcfe8456f41e4dfcb284"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "hex"
 version = "0.4.3"
@@ -2263,6 +2484,16 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ordered-stream"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9aa2b01e1d916879f73a53d01d1d6cee68adbb31d6d9177a8cfce093cced1d50"
+dependencies = [
+ "futures-core",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "osakit"
 version = "0.3.1"
@@ -2302,6 +2533,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "system-deps",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "parking"
+version = "2.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f38d5652c16fde515bb1ecef450ab0f6a219d619a7274976324d5e377f7dceba"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "parking_lot"
 version = "0.12.5"
@@ -2390,6 +2627,17 @@ version = "0.2.17"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "a89322df9ebe1c1578d689c92318e070967d1042b512afbe49518723f4e6d5cd"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "piper"
+version = "0.2.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c835479a4443ded371d6c535cbfd8d31ad92c5d23ae9770a61bc155e4992a3c1"
+dependencies = [
+ "atomic-waker",
+ "fastrand",
+ "futures-io",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pkg-config"
 version = "0.3.33"
@@ -2435,6 +2683,20 @@ dependencies = [
  "miniz_oxide",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "polling"
+version = "3.11.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5d0e4f59085d47d8241c88ead0f274e8a0cb551f3625263c05eb8dd897c34218"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "concurrent-queue",
+ "hermit-abi",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+ "rustix",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "potential_utf"
 version = "0.1.5"
@@ -3233,6 +3495,16 @@ version = "2.0.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "f8fadd59c855ef2080decdef8ff161eb6661b86933c9d82e5ba29dc602a55aba"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "signal-hook-registry"
+version = "1.4.8"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c4db69cba1110affc0e9f7bcd48bbf87b3f4fc7c61fc9155afd4c469eb3d6c1b"
+dependencies = [
+ "errno",
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "simd-adler32"
 version = "0.3.10"
@@ -3678,6 +3950,22 @@ dependencies = [
  "tauri-plugin",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tauri-plugin-single-instance"
+version = "2.4.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5cd0cb5c412a5071b69bab6a6df1583cbb89460d4a83b6a24769b08d15b6b1e1"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+ "tauri",
+ "thiserror 2.0.19",
+ "tokio",
+ "tracing",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
+ "zbus",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tauri-plugin-updater"
 version = "2.10.1"
@@ -4139,9 +4427,21 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "63e71662fa4b2a2c3a26f570f037eb95bb1f85397f3cd8076caed2f026a6d100"
 dependencies = [
  "pin-project-lite",
+ "tracing-attributes",
  "tracing-core",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-attributes"
+version = "0.1.31"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7490cfa5ec963746568740651ac6781f701c9c5ea257c58e057f3ba8cf69e8da"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.119",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tracing-core"
 version = "0.1.36"
@@ -4191,6 +4491,17 @@ version = "1.20.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b6f5e870be6c3b371b77fe0ee0bafb859fa4964b4404c27de1d380043c4dda20"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "uds_windows"
+version = "1.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f2f6fb2847f6742cd76af783a2a2c49e9375d0a111c7bef6f71cd9e738c72d6e"
+dependencies = [
+ "memoffset",
+ "tempfile",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "unic-char-property"
 version = "0.9.0"
@@ -5148,6 +5459,76 @@ dependencies = [
  "synstructure",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "zbus"
+version = "5.19.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5db4be7c075cb421e4b7ee645541604239bd243ba7c357511f4ff3a74b555907"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-broadcast",
+ "async-executor",
+ "async-io",
+ "async-lock",
+ "async-process",
+ "async-recursion",
+ "async-task",
+ "async-trait",
+ "blocking",
+ "enumflags2",
+ "event-listener",
+ "futures-core",
+ "futures-lite",
+ "hex",
+ "libc",
+ "ordered-stream",
+ "rustix",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_repr",
+ "tracing",
+ "uds_windows",
+ "uuid",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
+ "winnow 1.0.4",
+ "zbus_macros",
+ "zbus_names",
+ "zvariant",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zbus_macros"
+version = "5.19.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2990635d09ade6df1868f72f8cac69a876a90981e8bd3c40b1be413f8dc88f40"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro-crate 3.5.0",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 3.0.3",
+ "zbus_names",
+ "zvariant",
+ "zvariant_utils",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zbus_names"
+version = "4.3.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d8bf88b4a3ff53e883001e0e0115b297a9d53c31b9c1edd2bfdd853e3428624e"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "winnow 1.0.4",
+ "zvariant",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zcheapstr"
+version = "1.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d1afec51604565183aeb5c54c20aeab286120d4e4460f7f76e3e8bb8c0d99473"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "zerofrom"
 version = "0.1.8"
@@ -5225,3 +5606,44 @@ name = "zmij"
 version = "1.0.23"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "29666d0abbfad1e3dc4dcf6144730dd3a3ab225bbbdac83319345b1b44ccfc1b"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zvariant"
+version = "5.15.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c1d34c27cc6cdd1f458427519dd6b8612f7b7e3f7b9a0b2355d041dda9869147"
+dependencies = [
+ "endi",
+ "enumflags2",
+ "serde",
+ "winnow 1.0.4",
+ "zcheapstr",
+ "zvariant_derive",
+ "zvariant_utils",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zvariant_derive"
+version = "5.15.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "864155e69b4352db0c7f374917bf45d1e0c8d17659c8b3dbf9795f3673f8c497"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro-crate 3.5.0",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 3.0.3",
+ "zvariant_utils",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "zvariant_utils"
+version = "4.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bad0294361a320b694a328460dc73add56c306150f5cb6bfafc44446120008a3"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "serde",
+ "syn 3.0.3",
+ "winnow 1.0.4",
+]
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index dde8985..60b3847 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "devaulty"
-version = "0.1.19-alpha"
+version = "0.1.20-beta"
 description = "Devaulty Desktop Client"
 authors = ["Matheus Cunha"]
 license = ""
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@ tauri = { version = "2.11.3", features = ["tray-icon", "image-png"] }
 tauri-plugin-log = "2"
 tauri-plugin-updater = "2"
 tauri-plugin-process = "2"
+tauri-plugin-single-instance = "2"
 dirs = "6.0"
 tokio = { version = "1", features = ["time", "fs", "io-util"] }
 uuid = { version = "1", features = ["v4"] }
 reqwest = { version = "0.12", default-features = false, features = ["rustls-tls", "stream"] }
 futures-util = "0.3"
+
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "linux")'.dependencies]
+libc = "0.2"
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/src/backend.rs b/frontend/src-tauri/src/backend.rs
index b9cca5d..c7b18fc 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/src/backend.rs
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/src/backend.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,31 @@ pub fn ensure_executable(_path: &std::path::Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
   Ok(())
 }
 
+// Asks the kernel to send SIGTERM to the backend child if this (parent)
+// process dies for any reason without going through tray::quit_app - crash,
+// `kill -9`, session logout, etc. Without this, the Go backend is left as an
+// orphan still holding its SQLite lock and HTTP port.
+// PR_SET_PDEATHSIG is a Linux-only prctl; libc doesn't expose it for macOS,
+// so this must stay behind target_os = "linux", not the broader cfg(unix).
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn die_with_parent() -> impl FnMut() -> std::io::Result<()> + Send + Sync + 'static {
+  let parent_pid = std::process::id() as libc::pid_t;
+  move || {
+    unsafe {
+      libc::prctl(libc::PR_SET_PDEATHSIG, libc::SIGTERM);
+    }
+    // Guards the fork/prctl race: if the parent already died between fork()
+    // and this prctl() call, getppid() no longer matches, so terminate
+    // immediately instead of running on as an orphan anyway.
+    if unsafe { libc::getppid() } != parent_pid {
+      unsafe {
+        libc::raise(libc::SIGTERM);
+      }
+    }
+    Ok(())
+  }
+}
+
 // Locates, prepares, and spawns the bundled Go backend as a child process,
 // wiring its stdout session handshake into the shared SessionState.
 // Straight extraction of the logic that used to live inline in run()'s
@@ -123,6 +148,18 @@ pub fn spawn_backend(app: &tauri::AppHandle, devaulty_data_dir: &std::path::Path
         command.creation_flags(CREATE_NO_WINDOW);
       }
 
+      // Ties the backend's lifetime to this process on Linux so it can never
+      // outlive Devaulty as an orphan holding the DB lock / port open.
+      // macOS has no PR_SET_PDEATHSIG equivalent in libc, so this is skipped
+      // there for now.
+      #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+      {
+        use std::os::unix::process::CommandExt;
+        unsafe {
+          command.pre_exec(die_with_parent());
+        }
+      }
+
       match command.spawn() {
         Ok(mut child) => {
           // Mark as bundled production mode only after successful process spawn
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/frontend/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index e47e3a5..628ac67 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,20 @@ mod commands;
 mod session;
 mod tray;
 
+use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use tauri::Manager;
 
 use session::SessionState;
 
+// How long the main window is kept alive (hidden, not destroyed) after being
+// sent to the tray before its WebView is actually torn down to reclaim RAM.
+// Reopening within this window is instant (just an unhide); reopening after
+// it has elapsed goes through the full splash + rebuild flow, same as boot.
+const TRAY_DESTROY_GRACE_PERIOD: Duration = Duration::from_secs(180);
+
 #[cfg_attr(mobile, tauri::mobile_entry_point)]
 pub fn run() {
   // Ensure the user config/data directory exists for database storage
@@ -27,6 +37,13 @@ pub fn run() {
   let state_clone = Arc::clone(&session_state);
 
   tauri::Builder::default()
+    // Must be registered before other plugins: if Devaulty is launched again
+    // while an instance is already running (double-click, launcher, CLI),
+    // this intercepts the second launch and just brings the existing window
+    // forward instead of spawning a whole new process + Go backend.
+    .plugin(tauri_plugin_single_instance::init(|app, _args, _cwd| {
+      tray::show_main_window(app);
+    }))
     .plugin(tauri_plugin_updater::Builder::new().build())
     .plugin(tauri_plugin_process::init())
     .manage(session_state)
@@ -58,11 +75,52 @@ pub fn run() {
     .on_window_event(|window, event| {
       if let tauri::WindowEvent::CloseRequested { api, .. } = event {
         if window.label() == "main" {
+          // Real close, not a permanent one: hide immediately so reopening
+          // right away (the common case) is instant, then schedule the
+          // actual WebView teardown after a grace period so idle time in
+          // the tray still gets its RAM back. See TRAY_DESTROY_GRACE_PERIOD.
           api.prevent_close();
           let _ = window.hide();
+
+          let app_handle = window.app_handle().clone();
+          let state = app_handle.state::<Arc<SessionState>>().inner().clone();
+
+          // Stamp this hide with the current epoch under the shared lock.
+          let my_epoch = {
+            let mut epoch = state.hide_epoch.lock().unwrap();
+            *epoch += 1;
+            *epoch
+          };
+
+          tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
+            tokio::time::sleep(TRAY_DESTROY_GRACE_PERIOD).await;
+
+            // Hold the lock across the whole check-and-destroy sequence so a
+            // concurrent reopen (tray::show_main_window) can't slip in
+            // between the epoch check and the destroy() call.
+            let epoch = state.hide_epoch.lock().unwrap();
+            if *epoch == my_epoch {
+              if let Some(w) = app_handle.get_webview_window("main") {
+                let _ = w.destroy();
+              }
+            }
+          });
         }
       }
     })
-    .run(tauri::generate_context!())
-    .expect("error while running tauri application");
+    .build(tauri::generate_context!())
+    .expect("error while building tauri application")
+    .run(|app_handle, event| {
+      // Destroying the "main" window above would otherwise make Tauri quit
+      // the whole process once no windows are left. We only want to exit
+      // when the user explicitly picks "Quit" from the tray (tray::quit_app
+      // sets state.quitting before calling app.exit(0)), so only swallow
+      // the exit request when it wasn't an intentional quit.
+      if let tauri::RunEvent::ExitRequested { api, .. } = event {
+        let state = app_handle.state::<Arc<SessionState>>();
+        if !state.quitting.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+          api.prevent_exit();
+        }
+      }
+    });
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/src/session.rs b/frontend/src-tauri/src/session.rs
index 759481f..8e8ec82 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/src/session.rs
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/src/session.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::process::Child;
+use std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
 // In-memory state shared between Tauri commands and the backend child process.
@@ -9,6 +10,18 @@ pub struct SessionState {
   pub child_process: Mutex<Option<Child>>,
   pub is_bundled_mode: Mutex<bool>,
   pub active_download_cancel: Mutex<Option<(String, Arc<std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool>)>>,
+  // Guards the hide -> grace-period -> destroy sequence against reopen races.
+  // Both the destroy timer (lib.rs) and any path that reopens/recreates the
+  // window (tray::show_main_window) must hold this lock for their entire
+  // check-then-act sequence, not just the epoch read - otherwise a reopen
+  // landing between the epoch check and the actual destroy() call would let
+  // the timer tear down a window the user just reopened.
+  pub hide_epoch: Mutex<u64>,
+  // Set right before tray::quit_app calls app.exit(0), so the ExitRequested
+  // handler in lib.rs's run() closure knows this exit is intentional and
+  // should NOT be swallowed by the prevent_exit() used to survive the main
+  // window being destroyed with no windows left open.
+  pub quitting: AtomicBool,
 }
 
 // Response sent to React when it calls `invoke("get_backend_info")`
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/src/tray.rs b/frontend/src-tauri/src/tray.rs
index 801d808..a5b1c01 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/src/tray.rs
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/src/tray.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
+use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tauri::{
   image::Image,
   menu::{Menu, MenuItem},
   tray::TrayIconBuilder,
-  AppHandle, Manager,
+  AppHandle, Manager, WebviewUrl, WebviewWindowBuilder,
 };
 
 use crate::session::SessionState;
 
 // Builds and registers the system tray icon with a minimal "Open" / "Quit" menu.
-// Closing the main window hides it instead of exiting the process (wired in
-// lib.rs's on_window_event), so the backend and its resolved resource paths
-// (including the AppImage FUSE mount, when applicable) stay alive until the
-// user explicitly quits from here.
+// Closing the main window hides it (and, after a grace period, destroys its
+// WebView) instead of exiting the process (wired in lib.rs's on_window_event
+// + run() exit-request handler), so the backend and its resolved resource
+// paths (including the AppImage FUSE mount, when applicable) stay alive
+// until the user explicitly quits from here.
 pub fn setup_tray(app: &AppHandle) -> tauri::Result<()> {
   let open_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "open", "Open Devaulty", true, None::<&str>)?;
   let quit_item = MenuItem::with_id(app, "quit", "Quit", true, None::<&str>)?;
@@ -34,15 +36,73 @@ pub fn setup_tray(app: &AppHandle) -> tauri::Result<()> {
   Ok(())
 }
 
-fn show_main_window(app: &AppHandle) {
+// Shows the main window, recreating it from scratch if it was previously
+// destroyed (grace period elapsed after a tray minimize) or doesn't exist
+// yet (second-instance relaunch). Mirrors the "main" window entry in
+// tauri.conf.json so the rebuilt window is indistinguishable from the one
+// created at boot. The Go backend is already running at this point
+// (port/token resolved on first launch), so get_backend_info on the
+// frontend resolves almost immediately here.
+pub fn show_main_window(app: &AppHandle) {
+  let state = app.state::<Arc<SessionState>>();
+
+  // Hold the same lock the destroy timer uses. Bumping the epoch here is
+  // what invalidates a pending timer, but only holding the lock for the
+  // *entire* reopen/recreate sequence (not just the bump) guarantees no
+  // destroy() can run concurrently and undo this reopen.
+  let mut epoch = state.hide_epoch.lock().unwrap();
+  *epoch += 1;
+
   if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
     let _ = window.show();
     let _ = window.set_focus();
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Cold path: the window was actually destroyed. Recreate the splash
+  // window too (it was closed/destroyed by commands::close_splash right
+  // after the last boot) and rebuild "main" hidden, exactly like app
+  // startup. The frontend's normal boot sequence - get_backend_info, then
+  // invoking close_splash once it's ready - takes care of showing "main"
+  // and tearing the splash back down, so reopening after a long idle period
+  // looks the same as first launch instead of a blank window mid-render.
+  if app.get_webview_window("splash").is_none() {
+    if let Err(e) = recreate_splash_window(app) {
+      log::error!("Failed to recreate splash window: {}", e);
+    }
   }
+
+  if let Err(e) = WebviewWindowBuilder::new(app, "main", WebviewUrl::App("index.html".into()))
+    .title("Devaulty")
+    .min_inner_size(1000.0, 650.0)
+    .resizable(true)
+    .fullscreen(false)
+    .visible(false)
+    .build()
+  {
+    log::error!("Failed to recreate main window: {}", e);
+  }
+}
+
+// Rebuilds the "splash" window with the same attributes it has in
+// tauri.conf.json (used only at first boot otherwise).
+fn recreate_splash_window(app: &AppHandle) -> tauri::Result<()> {
+  WebviewWindowBuilder::new(app, "splash", WebviewUrl::App("/splash.html".into()))
+    .title("Devaulty")
+    .inner_size(550.0, 400.0)
+    .center()
+    .decorations(false)
+    .transparent(true)
+    .always_on_top(true)
+    .build()?;
+  Ok(())
 }
 
 fn quit_app(app: &AppHandle) {
   let state = app.state::<Arc<SessionState>>();
+  // Mark this exit as intentional before requesting it, so lib.rs's
+  // ExitRequested handler lets it through instead of preventing it.
+  state.quitting.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
   if let Some(mut child) = state.child_process.lock().unwrap().take() {
     let _ = child.kill();
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/frontend/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 78dff1b..2924984 100644
--- a/frontend/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/frontend/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "../node_modules/@tauri-apps/cli/config.schema.json",
   "productName": "Devaulty",
-  "version": "0.1.19-alpha",
+  "version": "0.1.20-beta",
   "identifier": "com.devaulty.app",
   "build": {
     "frontendDist": "../dist",