diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index b64c134b46..91772e4a33 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
       ],
       "category": "public.app-category.developer-tools",
       "extendInfo": {
+        "LSUIElement": true,
         "CFBundleAllowMixedLocalizations": true,
         "CFBundleDevelopmentRegion": "en",
         "CFBundleLocalizations": [
diff --git a/apps/desktop/scripts/verify-workdsh-carrier.ts b/apps/desktop/scripts/verify-workdsh-carrier.ts
index 627c899496..711e404159 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/scripts/verify-workdsh-carrier.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/scripts/verify-workdsh-carrier.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ export function normalizeAsarEntry(entry: string): string {
 }
 
 export async function afterPack(context: PackContext): Promise<void> {
+  if (context.electronPlatformName === 'darwin') {
+    const plist = join(context.appOutDir, `${context.packager.appInfo.productFilename}.app`, 'Contents', 'Info.plist')
+    const nativeRole = spawnSync('/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy', ['-c', 'Print :LSUIElement', plist], { encoding: 'utf8' })
+    if (nativeRole.status !== 0 || nativeRole.stdout.trim() !== 'true') throw new Error('macOS carrier must start as a native UIElement before browser worker JavaScript runs')
+  }
   const resources = context.electronPlatformName === 'darwin'
     ? join(context.appOutDir, `${context.packager.appInfo.productFilename}.app`, 'Contents', 'Resources')
     : join(context.appOutDir, 'resources')
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/workdsh-main.ts b/apps/desktop/src/workdsh-main.ts
index d33ce8845a..1e5c3b19bb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/workdsh-main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/workdsh-main.ts
@@ -451,6 +451,9 @@ const worker = browserWorkerRequest()
 if (worker !== undefined) {
   startBrowserWorker(worker)
 } else {
+// The native bundle starts without a Dock icon so spawned browser workers cannot
+// flash one before JavaScript runs. Only the primary application becomes foreground.
+if (process.platform === 'darwin') app.setActivationPolicy('regular')
 const desktopUserData = process.env.WORKDSH_DESKTOP_USER_DATA
 if (desktopUserData) {
   if (!isAbsolute(desktopUserData)) throw new Error('Desktop user data override must be absolute')
diff --git a/apps/desktop/tests/connection-lifecycle.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/tests/connection-lifecycle.spec.ts
index 9fdc994dca..af69ae313c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/tests/connection-lifecycle.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/tests/connection-lifecycle.spec.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ vi.mock('electron', async () => {
   return {
     BrowserWindow: Window,
     ipcMain: { handle: (name: string, fn: any) => { state.handlers[name] = fn } },
-    app: Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), { setName: vi.fn(), requestSingleInstanceLock: () => true, whenReady: async () => {}, quit: vi.fn(), relaunch: vi.fn(), getPath: () => state.userData }),
+    app: Object.assign(new EventEmitter(), { setActivationPolicy: vi.fn(), setName: vi.fn(), requestSingleInstanceLock: () => true, whenReady: async () => {}, quit: vi.fn(), relaunch: vi.fn(), getPath: () => state.userData }),
     shell: { openExternal: vi.fn() }, dialog: { showErrorBox: vi.fn(), showOpenDialog: vi.fn(async () => ({ canceled: true, filePaths: [] })) },
     Menu: { buildFromTemplate: (menu: any[]) => { state.menu = menu; return menu }, setApplicationMenu: vi.fn() },
   }
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ it('enforces the packaged backend, uses explicitly installed enterprise identity
   })
   try {
     await import('../src/workdsh-main.ts')
+    const { app: startupApp } = await import('electron')
+    if (process.platform === 'darwin') expect(startupApp.setActivationPolicy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('regular')
+    else expect(startupApp.setActivationPolicy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     await vi.waitFor(() => expect(state.windows).toHaveLength(1))
     const entry = state.windows[0]
     expect(decodeURIComponent(entry.url)).toContain('<p>https://company.test</p>')