diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/ConfigContext.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/ConfigContext.tsx
index 57c1c683dfc0..fd97bca068ce 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/ConfigContext.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/ConfigContext.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import type {
   ExtensionConfig,
 } from '../api';
 import { removeShims } from './settings/extensions/utils';
-import { ensureClientInitialized } from '../utils';
 
 export type { ExtensionConfig } from '../api/types.gen';
 
@@ -183,7 +182,6 @@ export const ConfigProvider: React.FC<ConfigProviderProps> = ({ children }) => {
   useEffect(() => {
     // Load all configuration data and providers on mount
     (async () => {
-      await ensureClientInitialized();
       // Load config
       const configResponse = await readAllConfig();
       setConfig(configResponse.data?.config || {});
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/ModelAndProviderContext.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/ModelAndProviderContext.tsx
index a8aadbb2caa2..27d3164b4793 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/ModelAndProviderContext.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/ModelAndProviderContext.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import {
   getModelDisplayName,
   getProviderDisplayName,
 } from './settings/models/predefinedModelsUtils';
-import { ensureClientInitialized } from '../utils';
 
 // titles
 export const UNKNOWN_PROVIDER_TITLE = 'Provider name lookup';
@@ -171,7 +170,6 @@ export const ModelAndProviderProvider: React.FC<ModelAndProviderProviderProps> =
 
   const refreshCurrentModelAndProvider = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
-      await ensureClientInitialized();
       const { model, provider } = await getCurrentModelAndProvider();
       setCurrentModel(model);
       setCurrentProvider(provider);
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/ProviderGuard.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/ProviderGuard.tsx
index 7f4e3fc416c7..3c88e806e833 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/ProviderGuard.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/ProviderGuard.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { startOpenRouterSetup } from '../utils/openRouterSetup';
 import WelcomeGooseLogo from './WelcomeGooseLogo';
 import { initializeSystem } from '../utils/providerUtils';
 import { toastService } from '../toasts';
-import { ensureClientInitialized } from '../utils';
 
 interface ProviderGuardProps {
   children: React.ReactNode;
@@ -96,8 +95,6 @@ export default function ProviderGuard({ children }: ProviderGuardProps) {
   useEffect(() => {
     const checkProvider = async () => {
       try {
-        await ensureClientInitialized();
-
         const config = window.electron.getConfig();
         console.log('ProviderGuard - Full config:', config);
 
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/contexts/ClientInitializationContext.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/contexts/ClientInitializationContext.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..02bbce5a41a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/contexts/ClientInitializationContext.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import React, { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState, ReactNode } from 'react';
+import { client } from '../api/client.gen';
+
+interface ClientInitializationContextType {
+  isInitialized: boolean;
+  initializationError: Error | null;
+}
+
+// Track if client has been initialized to avoid duplicate initialization
+let clientInitialized = false;
+
+async function ensureClientInitialized() {
+  if (clientInitialized) return;
+  client.setConfig({
+    baseUrl: window.appConfig.get('GOOSE_API_HOST') + ':' + window.appConfig.get('GOOSE_PORT'),
+    headers: {
+      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+      'X-Secret-Key': await window.electron.getSecretKey(),
+    },
+  });
+  clientInitialized = true;
+}
+
+const ClientInitializationContext = createContext<ClientInitializationContextType | undefined>(
+  undefined
+);
+
+interface ClientInitializationProviderProps {
+  children: ReactNode;
+}
+
+export const ClientInitializationProvider: React.FC<ClientInitializationProviderProps> = ({
+  children,
+}) => {
+  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);
+  const [initializationError, setInitializationError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const initializeClient = async () => {
+      try {
+        await ensureClientInitialized();
+        setIsInitialized(true);
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Failed to initialize API client:', error);
+        setInitializationError(error instanceof Error ? error : new Error('Unknown error'));
+      }
+    };
+
+    initializeClient();
+  }, []);
+
+  return (
+    <ClientInitializationContext.Provider value={{ isInitialized, initializationError }}>
+      {children}
+    </ClientInitializationContext.Provider>
+  );
+};
+
+export const useClientInitialization = () => {
+  const context = useContext(ClientInitializationContext);
+  if (context === undefined) {
+    throw new Error('useClientInitialization must be used within a ClientInitializationProvider');
+  }
+  return context;
+};
+
+// Helper component to ensure initialization before rendering children
+export const RequireClientInitialization: React.FC<{ children: ReactNode }> = ({ children }) => {
+  const { isInitialized, initializationError } = useClientInitialization();
+
+  if (initializationError) {
+    throw initializationError;
+  }
+
+  if (!isInitialized) {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex justify-center items-center py-12">
+        <div className="animate-spin rounded-full h-8 w-8 border-t-2 border-b-2 border-textStandard"></div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return <>{children}</>;
+};
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useChat.ts b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useChat.ts
index b7d09ea58841..7db74e5a6e65 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useChat.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useChat.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { ChatType } from '../types/chat';
 import { fetchSessionDetails, generateSessionId } from '../sessions';
-import { ensureClientInitialized } from '../utils';
 import { View, ViewOptions } from '../App';
 
 type UseChatArgs = {
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ export const useChat = ({ setIsLoadingSession, setView, setPairChat }: UseChatAr
 
       setIsLoadingSession(true);
       try {
-        await ensureClientInitialized();
         const sessionDetails = await fetchSessionDetails(resumeSessionId);
 
         // Only set view if we have valid session details
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/renderer.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/renderer.tsx
index 71a90179f19d..8f8694e82e03 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/renderer.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/renderer.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import React, { Suspense, lazy } from 'react';
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
 import { ConfigProvider } from './components/ConfigContext';
+import {
+  ClientInitializationProvider,
+  RequireClientInitialization,
+} from './contexts/ClientInitializationContext';
 import { ErrorBoundary } from './components/ErrorBoundary';
 import { patchConsoleLogging } from './utils';
 import SuspenseLoader from './suspense-loader';
@@ -10,13 +14,17 @@ patchConsoleLogging();
 const App = lazy(() => import('./App'));
 
 ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(
-  <React.StrictMode>
-    <Suspense fallback={SuspenseLoader()}>
-      <ConfigProvider>
-        <ErrorBoundary>
-          <App />
-        </ErrorBoundary>
-      </ConfigProvider>
-    </Suspense>
-  </React.StrictMode>
+  <ClientInitializationProvider>
+    <React.StrictMode>
+      <Suspense fallback={SuspenseLoader()}>
+        <RequireClientInitialization>
+          <ConfigProvider>
+            <ErrorBoundary>
+              <App />
+            </ErrorBoundary>
+          </ConfigProvider>
+        </RequireClientInitialization>
+      </Suspense>
+    </React.StrictMode>
+  </ClientInitializationProvider>
 );
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/utils.ts b/ui/desktop/src/utils.ts
index 01557f0d9d8d..922519dd7b09 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/utils.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { clsx, type ClassValue } from 'clsx';
 import { twMerge } from 'tailwind-merge';
-import { client } from './api/client.gen';
 
 export function cn(...inputs: ClassValue[]) {
   return twMerge(clsx(inputs));
@@ -17,19 +16,3 @@ export function patchConsoleLogging() {
   // Intercept console methods
   return;
 }
-
-// This needs to be called before any API calls are made, but since we're using the client
-// in multiple useEffect locations, we can't be sure who goes first.
-let clientInitialized = false;
-
-export async function ensureClientInitialized() {
-  if (clientInitialized) return;
-  client.setConfig({
-    baseUrl: window.appConfig.get('GOOSE_API_HOST') + ':' + window.appConfig.get('GOOSE_PORT'),
-    headers: {
-      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-      'X-Secret-Key': await window.electron.getSecretKey(),
-    },
-  });
-  clientInitialized = true;
-}