diff --git a/delphi-backend/PMServer.dpr b/delphi-backend/PMServer.dpr
index 9b57c3a..b1b5730 100644
--- a/delphi-backend/PMServer.dpr
+++ b/delphi-backend/PMServer.dpr
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 program PMServer;
 
 uses
-  Winapi.Windows,
-  System.SysUtils,
   System.StartUpCopy,
   FMX.Forms,
-  FMX.Platform.Win,
   PM.SingleInstance in 'Source\PM.SingleInstance.pas',
   UMainForm in 'UMainForm.pas' {MainForm},
   PM.JSON in 'Source\PM.JSON.pas',
@@ -47,18 +44,5 @@ begin
 
   Application.Initialize;
   Application.CreateForm(TMainForm, MainForm);
-  // --tray ("Start with Windows"): keep the window off screen entirely.
-  // FormCreate already sets Visible := False, but FMX re-shows the main form
-  // after the constructor returns, which is why the window still flashed for
-  // ~1 s during the Windows logon. Doing it HERE — after CreateForm, before
-  // Run pumps any message — is the point where it sticks. The handle still
-  // exists, so WebView2 initialises normally and the vault is ready the
-  // moment the user clicks the tray icon.
-  if FindCmdLineSwitch('tray', True) then
-  begin
-    MainForm.Visible := False;
-    if MainForm.Handle <> nil then
-      ShowWindow(WindowHandleToPlatform(MainForm.Handle).Wnd, SW_HIDE);
-  end;
   Application.Run;
 end.
diff --git a/delphi-backend/UMainForm.pas b/delphi-backend/UMainForm.pas
index 62a2c86..2929977 100644
--- a/delphi-backend/UMainForm.pas
+++ b/delphi-backend/UMainForm.pas
@@ -171,6 +171,9 @@ type
     // our own message queue, so these already run on the main thread.
     // Every tray restore goes through here so the minimise guard cannot get
     // stuck raised (see the implementation).
+    // One-shot: hides the window the first time FMX shows it on a --tray
+    // launch, then unhooks itself.
+    procedure TrayStartupHideOnce(Sender: TObject);
     procedure RestoreWindowFromTray;
     procedure WinStateMinimizeStart;
     procedure WinStateMinimizeEnd;
@@ -206,15 +209,18 @@ procedure WinStateEventProc(hWinEventHook: THandle; AEvent: DWORD; AWnd: HWND;
 
 procedure TMainForm.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
 begin
-  // --tray (the "Start with Windows" registry entry): never let the window
-  // become visible at all. Hiding it later — even via ForceQueue — only runs
-  // once the message loop is free, i.e. AFTER the DB open, the HTTP server
-  // start and the WebView2 init have finished, so the window sat on screen
-  // for a second or two during the Windows logon. Setting Visible here, before
-  // any of that, means there is nothing to flash. MinimizeToTray still runs
-  // below to add the tray icon and drop the taskbar entry.
+  // --tray ("Start with Windows"): get the window off screen as early as
+  // possible. Visible := False alone is not enough — FMX re-shows the main
+  // form after the constructor returns — so OnActivate hides it again the
+  // instant it appears. That fires on the very first show, long before the
+  // deferred MinimizeToTray below, which only runs once the message loop is
+  // free (i.e. after the DB open, the server start and the WebView2 init:
+  // the second the window used to sit on screen during the Windows logon).
   if FindCmdLineSwitch('tray', True) then
-    Visible := False;
+  begin
+    Visible    := False;
+    OnActivate := TrayStartupHideOnce;
+  end;
 
   // The .fmx ships WindowState = wsMaximized, so that is the starting intent.
   // Wired here (not in the .fmx) to keep the designer file untouched.
@@ -1592,6 +1598,17 @@ begin
   else if AEvent = EVENT_SYSTEM_MINIMIZEEND then MainForm.WinStateMinimizeEnd;
 end;
 
+procedure TMainForm.TrayStartupHideOnce(Sender: TObject);
+var
+  LHwnd: HWND;
+begin
+  OnActivate := nil;          // one shot — never fight the user afterwards
+  Visible := False;
+  LHwnd := WindowHandleToPlatform(Self.Handle).Wnd;
+  if LHwnd <> 0 then
+    ShowWindow(LHwnd, SW_HIDE);
+end;
+
 // Single entry point for every tray restore. ExecuteAutofill really minimises
 // the window (SW_MINIMIZE) before typing, which raises the guard; if the window
 // is then HIDDEN to the tray instead of being un-minimised, MINIMIZEEND may