fix(app): keep reload splash continuous

Treat desktop settings evaluation as part of daemon startup so restored app chrome cannot render between bootstrap phases.

packages/app/e2e/helpers/desktop-updates.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ export interface DesktopBridgeConfig {
   daemonListen?: string;
   /** Keep start_desktop_daemon pending to hold the desktop startup blocker open. */
   hangDaemonStart?: boolean;
+  /** Delay the desktop settings IPC response to exercise startup ordering. */
+  desktopSettingsDelayMs?: number;
   /**
    * Controls what dialog.ask returns when the daemon management confirm dialog
    * fires. True = confirm (proceed with the action), false = cancel. Defaults to
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ declare global {
     __capturedDialogCall: ConfirmDialogCall | undefined;
     __capturedDialogOpenCalls: Array<Record<string, unknown> | undefined>;
     __recordDesktopEditorOpen?: (input: DesktopEditorOpenRecord) => Promise<void>;
+    __desktopDaemonStartRequested?: boolean;
   }
 }
 
@@ -129,6 +132,7 @@ export async function injectDesktopBridge(page: Page, config: DesktopBridgeConfi
     let daemonRunning = true;
     let currentPid: number | null = cfg.daemonPid ?? null;
     let startCount = 0;
+    window.__desktopDaemonStartRequested = false;
 
     function buildDaemonStatus() {
       return {
@@ -145,6 +149,7 @@ export async function injectDesktopBridge(page: Page, config: DesktopBridgeConfi
     }
 
     function startDesktopDaemon() {
+      window.__desktopDaemonStartRequested = true;
       if (cfg.hangDaemonStart) {
         return new Promise(() => undefined);
       }
@@ -156,6 +161,13 @@ export async function injectDesktopBridge(page: Page, config: DesktopBridgeConfi
       return buildDaemonStatus();
     }
 
+    async function waitForDesktopSettingsResponse() {
+      const delayMs = cfg.desktopSettingsDelayMs ?? 0;
+      if (delayMs > 0) {
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, delayMs));
+      }
+    }
+
     const desktopBridge: {
       platform: string;
       invoke: (command: string, args?: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise<unknown>;
@@ -212,6 +224,7 @@ export async function injectDesktopBridge(page: Page, config: DesktopBridgeConfi
         }
 
         if (command === "get_desktop_settings") {
+          await waitForDesktopSettingsResponse();
           return {
             releaseChannel: "stable",
             daemon: { manageBuiltInDaemon: manageDaemon, keepRunningAfterQuit: true },
@@ -277,6 +290,17 @@ export async function injectDesktopBridge(page: Page, config: DesktopBridgeConfi
   }, config);
 }
 
+export async function waitForDesktopDaemonStartRequest(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await page.waitForFunction(() => window.__desktopDaemonStartRequested === true);
+  // Give the startup state two paints to expose any app → splash regression.
+  await page.evaluate(
+    () =>
+      new Promise<void>((resolve) =>
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => requestAnimationFrame(() => resolve())),
+      ),
+  );
+}
+
 export async function waitForDirectoryDialog(
   page: Page,
 ): Promise<Record<string, unknown> | undefined> {

packages/app/e2e/workspace-navigation-regression.spec.ts

@@ -31,11 +31,52 @@ import {
 } from "./helpers/workspace-ui";
 import { clickSettingsBackToWorkspace } from "./helpers/settings";
 import { getServerId } from "./helpers/server-id";
-import { injectDesktopBridge } from "./helpers/desktop-updates";
+import { injectDesktopBridge, waitForDesktopDaemonStartRequest } from "./helpers/desktop-updates";
 import { expectAppRoute } from "./helpers/route-assertions";
 import { installDaemonWebSocketGate } from "./helpers/daemon-websocket-gate";
 
 const LOADING_WORKSPACE_TEXT_PATTERN = /Loading workspace/i;
+type StartupPresentation = "splash" | "app";
+
+declare global {
+  interface Window {
+    __paseoStartupPresentationTrace?: StartupPresentation[];
+  }
+}
+
+async function observeStartupPresentation(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await page.addInitScript(() => {
+    const trace: StartupPresentation[] = [];
+    window.__paseoStartupPresentationTrace = trace;
+
+    document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
+      const recordPresentation = () => {
+        let presentation: StartupPresentation | null = null;
+        if (document.querySelector('[data-testid="startup-splash"]')) {
+          presentation = "splash";
+        } else if (
+          document.querySelector(
+            '[data-testid="workspace-header-title"], [data-testid="sidebar-settings"]',
+          )
+        ) {
+          presentation = "app";
+        }
+        if (presentation && trace.at(-1) !== presentation) {
+          trace.push(presentation);
+        }
+      };
+      new MutationObserver(recordPresentation).observe(document.documentElement, {
+        childList: true,
+        subtree: true,
+      });
+      recordPresentation();
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+async function getStartupPresentation(page: Page): Promise<StartupPresentation[]> {
+  return page.evaluate(() => window.__paseoStartupPresentationTrace?.slice() ?? []);
+}
 
 async function expectNoLoadingWorkspacePane(
   page: Page,
@@ -239,7 +280,9 @@ test.describe("Workspace navigation regression", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test("refresh keeps the user on the same workspace route", async ({ page }) => {
+  test("refresh keeps one continuous splash before restoring the workspace route", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
     const serverId = getServerId();
     const daemonGate = await installDaemonWebSocketGate(page);
     const workspace = await seedWorkspace({ repoPrefix: "workspace-refresh-route-" });
@@ -254,6 +297,7 @@ test.describe("Workspace navigation regression", () => {
         serverId,
         manageBuiltInDaemon: true,
         hangDaemonStart: true,
+        desktopSettingsDelayMs: 250,
         daemonListen: `127.0.0.1:${getE2EDaemonPort()}`,
       });
       await openWorkspaceThroughApp(page, { serverId, workspace });
@@ -261,14 +305,16 @@ test.describe("Workspace navigation regression", () => {
       await expectWorkspaceTabVisible(page, agent.id);
       await expectWorkspaceLocation(page, { serverId, workspace });
 
+      await observeStartupPresentation(page);
       await daemonGate.drop();
       await page.reload();
-      await expect(page.getByTestId("startup-splash")).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 });
+      await waitForDesktopDaemonStartRequest(page);
       daemonGate.restore();
       await waitForSidebarHydration(page);
 
       await expectWorkspaceLocation(page, { serverId, workspace });
       await waitForWorkspaceTabsVisible(page);
+      expect(await getStartupPresentation(page)).toEqual(["splash", "app"]);
     } finally {
       daemonGate.restore();
       await workspace.cleanup();

packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx

@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ import {
   resolveStartupBlocker,
   resolveStartupNavigationReady,
   shouldRunStartupGiveUpTimer,
-  startDaemonIfGateAllows,
   startHostRuntimeBootstrap,
   type StartupBlocker,
 } from "@/navigation/host-runtime-bootstrap";
@@ -337,7 +336,6 @@ function HostRuntimeBootstrapProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
       store,
       daemonStartService,
       shouldStartDaemon: shouldStartBuiltInDaemon,
-      onGateError: (message) => daemonStartService.recordError(message),
     });
   }, []);
 
@@ -376,11 +374,7 @@ function HostRuntimeBootstrapProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 
   const retry = useCallback(() => {
     const daemonStartService = getDaemonStartService({ store: getHostRuntimeStore() });
-    startDaemonIfGateAllows({
+    void daemonStartService.startIfEnabled({ shouldStart: shouldStartBuiltInDaemon });
-      daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: shouldStartBuiltInDaemon,
-      onGateError: (message) => daemonStartService.recordError(message),
-    });
   }, []);
 
   const splashError =

packages/app/src/navigation/host-runtime-bootstrap.test.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import {
   resolveStartupBlocker,
   resolveStartupNavigationReady,
@@ -7,115 +7,37 @@ import {
   shouldRunStartupGiveUpTimer,
   startHostRuntimeBootstrap,
 } from "./host-runtime-bootstrap";
-
+import type {
-function createFakeStore() {
+  DaemonStartCondition,
-  return { boot: vi.fn() };
+  StartDaemonIfEnabledInput,
-}
+} from "@/runtime/daemon-start-service";
-
-function createFakeDaemonStartService() {
-  return {
-    start: vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true as const })),
-  };
-}
 
 describe("startHostRuntimeBootstrap", () => {
-  it("fires boot and daemon-start without awaiting the daemon-start promise", () => {
+  it("boots the host registry and starts the managed-daemon decision as one operation", () => {
     const events: string[] = [];
+    const shouldStartDaemon = async () => true;
     const store = {
-      boot: vi.fn(() => {
+      boot: () => {
         events.push("boot");
-      }),
-    };
-    const daemonStartService = {
-      start: vi.fn(async () => {
-        events.push("daemon-start");
-        return { ok: true as const };
-      }),
-    };
-
-    startHostRuntimeBootstrap({
-      store,
-      daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: true,
-    });
-
-    expect(store.boot).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(daemonStartService.start).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(events).toEqual(["boot", "daemon-start"]);
-  });
-
-  it("skips daemon-start when shouldStartDaemon is false", () => {
-    const store = createFakeStore();
-    const daemonStartService = createFakeDaemonStartService();
-
-    startHostRuntimeBootstrap({
-      store,
-      daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: false,
-    });
-
-    expect(store.boot).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(daemonStartService.start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it("skips daemon-start when the startup gate resolves false", async () => {
-    const store = createFakeStore();
-    const daemonStartService = createFakeDaemonStartService();
-
-    startHostRuntimeBootstrap({
-      store,
-      daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: async () => false,
-    });
-    await Promise.resolve();
-
-    expect(store.boot).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(daemonStartService.start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it("surfaces gate rejection to onGateError without starting the daemon", async () => {
-    const store = createFakeStore();
-    const daemonStartService = createFakeDaemonStartService();
-    const onGateError = vi.fn();
-
-    startHostRuntimeBootstrap({
-      store,
-      daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: async () => {
-        throw new Error("settings file unreadable");
       },
-      onGateError,
+    };
-    });
+    let receivedCondition: DaemonStartCondition | null = null;
-    await vi.waitFor(() => {
-      expect(onGateError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    });
-
-    expect(daemonStartService.start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(onGateError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("settings file unreadable"));
-  });
-
-  it("does not await the daemon-start promise", () => {
-    const store = createFakeStore();
-    let resolveStart: ((value: { ok: true }) => void) | undefined;
     const daemonStartService = {
-      start: vi.fn(
+      startIfEnabled: async (input: StartDaemonIfEnabledInput) => {
-        () =>
+        receivedCondition = input.shouldStart;
-          new Promise<{ ok: true }>((resolve) => {
+        events.push("daemon-start-decision");
-            resolveStart = resolve;
+        return { ok: true as const };
-          }),
+      },
-      ),
     };
 
     startHostRuntimeBootstrap({
       store,
       daemonStartService,
-      shouldStartDaemon: true,
+      shouldStartDaemon,
     });
 
-    expect(store.boot).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(events).toEqual(["boot", "daemon-start-decision"]);
-    expect(daemonStartService.start).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(receivedCondition).toBe(shouldStartDaemon);
-
-    resolveStart?.({ ok: true });
   });
 });
 

packages/app/src/navigation/host-runtime-bootstrap.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import type { ActiveWorkspaceSelection } from "@/stores/navigation-active-workspace-store";
-import type { DaemonStartResult } from "@/runtime/daemon-start-service";
+import type {
+  DaemonStartCondition,
+  DaemonStartResult,
+  StartDaemonIfEnabledInput,
+} from "@/runtime/daemon-start-service";
 import type { Href } from "expo-router";
 import {
   buildHostRootRoute,
@@ -12,54 +16,22 @@ export interface HostRuntimeBootstrapStore {
 }
 
 export interface HostRuntimeBootstrapDaemonStartService {
-  start: () => Promise<DaemonStartResult>;
+  startIfEnabled: (input: StartDaemonIfEnabledInput) => Promise<DaemonStartResult>;
 }
 
-type HostRuntimeBootstrapStartGate = boolean | (() => boolean | Promise<boolean>);
-
 export interface StartHostRuntimeBootstrapInput {
   store: HostRuntimeBootstrapStore;
   daemonStartService: HostRuntimeBootstrapDaemonStartService;
-  shouldStartDaemon: HostRuntimeBootstrapStartGate;
+  shouldStartDaemon: DaemonStartCondition;
-  onGateError?: (message: string) => void;
 }
 
 export function startHostRuntimeBootstrap(input: StartHostRuntimeBootstrapInput): void {
   input.store.boot();
-  startDaemonIfGateAllows({
+  void input.daemonStartService.startIfEnabled({
-    daemonStartService: input.daemonStartService,
+    shouldStart: input.shouldStartDaemon,
-    shouldStartDaemon: input.shouldStartDaemon,
-    onGateError: input.onGateError,
   });
 }
 
-export function startDaemonIfGateAllows(input: {
-  daemonStartService: HostRuntimeBootstrapDaemonStartService;
-  shouldStartDaemon: HostRuntimeBootstrapStartGate;
-  onGateError?: (message: string) => void;
-}): void {
-  const gate = input.shouldStartDaemon;
-  if (typeof gate === "boolean") {
-    if (gate) {
-      void input.daemonStartService.start();
-    }
-    return;
-  }
-
-  void Promise.resolve()
-    .then(() => gate())
-    .then((shouldStartDaemon) => {
-      if (shouldStartDaemon) {
-        void input.daemonStartService.start();
-      }
-      return null;
-    })
-    .catch((error) => {
-      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
-      input.onGateError?.(`Failed to evaluate desktop daemon settings: ${message}`);
-    });
-}
-
 const WELCOME_ROUTE: Href = "/welcome";
 
 export type StartupBlocker =

packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.test.ts

@@ -164,6 +164,53 @@ describe("DaemonStartService", () => {
     expect(runningSnapshots).toEqual([true, false]);
   });
 
+  it("stays running while deciding whether the managed daemon should start", async () => {
+    const fake = createFakeStore();
+    let resolveCondition: ((value: boolean) => void) | undefined;
+    let daemonStartCount = 0;
+    const service = new DaemonStartService({
+      store: fake.store,
+      startDesktopDaemon: async () => {
+        daemonStartCount += 1;
+        return makeStatus();
+      },
+    });
+
+    const startPromise = service.startIfEnabled({
+      shouldStart: () =>
+        new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
+          resolveCondition = resolve;
+        }),
+    });
+
+    expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+    expect(daemonStartCount).toBe(0);
+
+    resolveCondition?.(true);
+    await startPromise;
+
+    expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+    expect(daemonStartCount).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("finishes without starting the daemon when management is disabled", async () => {
+    const fake = createFakeStore();
+    let daemonStartCount = 0;
+    const service = new DaemonStartService({
+      store: fake.store,
+      startDesktopDaemon: async () => {
+        daemonStartCount += 1;
+        return makeStatus();
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await service.startIfEnabled({ shouldStart: false });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ ok: true });
+    expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+    expect(daemonStartCount).toBe(0);
+  });
+
   it("clears the error and notifies subscribers when retry begins", async () => {
     const fake = createFakeStore();
     const startMock = vi
@@ -188,19 +235,27 @@ describe("DaemonStartService", () => {
     expect(service.getLastError()).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it("recordError surfaces an external error and notifies subscribers", () => {
+  it("surfaces settings errors through the daemon startup state", async () => {
     const fake = createFakeStore();
     const service = new DaemonStartService({
       store: fake.store,
       startDesktopDaemon: async () => makeStatus(),
     });
-    const notifications = vi.fn();
-    service.subscribe(notifications);
 
-    service.recordError("settings file unreadable");
+    const result = await service.startIfEnabled({
+      shouldStart: async () => {
+        throw new Error("settings file unreadable");
+      },
+    });
 
-    expect(service.getLastError()).toBe("settings file unreadable");
+    expect(result).toEqual({
-    expect(notifications).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      ok: false,
+      error: "Failed to evaluate desktop daemon settings: settings file unreadable",
+    });
+    expect(service.getLastError()).toBe(
+      "Failed to evaluate desktop daemon settings: settings file unreadable",
+    );
+    expect(service.isRunning()).toBe(false);
   });
 
   it("stops notifying after a subscriber unsubscribes", async () => {

packages/app/src/runtime/daemon-start-service.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import { connectionFromListen } from "@/types/host-connection";
 import type { HostRuntimeStore } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 
 export type DaemonStartResult = { ok: true } | { ok: false; error: string };
+export type DaemonStartCondition = boolean | (() => boolean | Promise<boolean>);
+
+export interface StartDaemonIfEnabledInput {
+  shouldStart: DaemonStartCondition;
+}
 
 type DaemonConnectionStore = Pick<HostRuntimeStore, "upsertConnectionFromListen">;
 
@@ -50,8 +55,27 @@ export class DaemonStartService {
   }
 
   async start(): Promise<DaemonStartResult> {
+    return this.startIfEnabled({ shouldStart: true });
+  }
+
+  async startIfEnabled(input: StartDaemonIfEnabledInput): Promise<DaemonStartResult> {
+    // Settings evaluation is part of startup. Publish the running state before
+    // its first await so restored app chrome cannot appear between these phases.
     this.beginRequest();
     try {
+      let shouldStart: boolean;
+      try {
+        shouldStart =
+          typeof input.shouldStart === "boolean" ? input.shouldStart : await input.shouldStart();
+      } catch (error) {
+        const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+        return this.fail(`Failed to evaluate desktop daemon settings: ${message}`);
+      }
+
+      if (!shouldStart) {
+        return { ok: true };
+      }
+
       const daemon = await this.invokeStartDesktopDaemon();
       const result = await upsertDesktopDaemonConnection(this.store, daemon);
       return result.ok ? result : this.fail(result.error);
@@ -66,10 +90,6 @@ export class DaemonStartService {
     return this.lastError;
   }
 
-  recordError(message: string): void {
-    this.setLastError(message);
-  }
-
   isRunning(): boolean {
     return this.inFlightCount > 0;
   }