diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
index ff746ea25c70..b9a18f59bdfc 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -593,6 +593,12 @@ const createChat = async (
   );
   goosedClients.set(mainWindow.id, goosedClient);
 
+  console.log('[Main] Waiting for backend server to be ready...');
+  const serverReady = await checkServerStatus(goosedClient);
+  if (!serverReady) {
+    throw new Error('Backend server failed to start in time');
+  }
+
   // Let windowStateKeeper manage the window
   mainWindowState.manage(mainWindow);
 
@@ -1059,7 +1065,6 @@ ipcMain.handle('get-goosed-host-port', async (event) => {
   if (!client) {
     return null;
   }
-  await checkServerStatus(client);
   return client.getConfig().baseUrl || null;
 });