diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
index c87aa5a1977d..1f63e9b2f3ae 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
@@ -62,9 +62,17 @@ export default function App() {
     view: 'welcome',
     viewOptions: {},
   });
-  const { getExtensions, addExtension } = useConfig();
+  const { getExtensions, addExtension, read } = useConfig();
   const initAttemptedRef = useRef(false);
 
+  // Utility function to extract the command from the link
+  function extractCommand(link: string): string {
+    const url = new URL(link);
+    const cmd = url.searchParams.get('cmd') || 'Unknown Command';
+    const args = url.searchParams.getAll('arg').map(decodeURIComponent);
+    return `${cmd} ${args.join(' ')}`.trim();
+  }
+
   useEffect(() => {
     // Skip if feature flag is not enabled
     if (!process.env.ALPHA) {
@@ -94,46 +102,42 @@ export default function App() {
       }
     };
 
-    setupExtensions();
-  }, []); // Empty dependency array since we're using initAttemptedRef
+    const initializeApp = async () => {
+      try {
+        // Check if we have the required configuration
+        const provider = (await read('GOOSE_PROVIDER', false)) as string;
+        const model = (await read('GOOSE_MODEL', false)) as string;
+
+        if (provider && model) {
+          // We have all needed configuration, initialize the system
+          console.log('Initializing system with stored GOOSE_MODEL and GOOSE_PROVIDER');
+          await initializeSystem(provider, model);
+          setView('chat');
+        } else {
+          // Missing configuration, show onboarding
+          console.log('Missing configuration, showing onboarding');
+          setView('welcome');
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Error initializing app:', error);
+        setView('welcome');
+      }
+    };
 
-  const [isGoosehintsModalOpen, setIsGoosehintsModalOpen] = useState(false);
-  const [isLoadingSession, setIsLoadingSession] = useState(false);
+    initializeApp().then();
+    setupExtensions().then();
+  }, []); // Empty dependency array since we're using initAttemptedRef
 
-  const { switchModel } = useModel();
-  const { addRecentModel } = useRecentModels();
   const setView = (view: View, viewOptions: Record<any, any> = {}) => {
     setInternalView({ view, viewOptions });
   };
 
-  // Utility function to extract the command from the link
-  function extractCommand(link: string): string {
-    const url = new URL(link);
-    const cmd = url.searchParams.get('cmd') || 'Unknown Command';
-    const args = url.searchParams.getAll('arg').map(decodeURIComponent);
-    return `${cmd} ${args.join(' ')}`.trim();
-  }
+  const [isGoosehintsModalOpen, setIsGoosehintsModalOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [isLoadingSession, setIsLoadingSession] = useState(false);
+  const { chat, setChat } = useChat({ setView, setIsLoadingSession });
 
   useEffect(() => window.electron.reactReady(), []);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const handleAddExtension = (_: any, link: string) => {
-      const command = extractCommand(link);
-      const extName = extractExtensionName(link);
-      window.electron.logInfo(`Adding extension from deep link ${link}`);
-      setPendingLink(link);
-      setModalMessage(
-        `Are you sure you want to install the ${extName} extension?\n\nCommand: ${command}`
-      );
-      setModalVisible(true);
-    };
-
-    window.electron.on('add-extension', handleAddExtension);
-    return () => {
-      window.electron.off('add-extension', handleAddExtension);
-    };
-  }, []);
-
   // Keyboard shortcut handler
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -149,53 +153,6 @@ export default function App() {
     };
   }, []);
 
-  // Attempt to detect config for a stored provider
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const config = window.electron.getConfig();
-    const storedProvider = getStoredProvider(config);
-    if (storedProvider) {
-      setView('chat');
-    } else {
-      setView('welcome');
-    }
-  }, []);
-
-  // Initialize system if we have a stored provider
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const setupStoredProvider = async () => {
-      const config = window.electron.getConfig();
-
-      if (config.GOOSE_PROVIDER && config.GOOSE_MODEL) {
-        window.electron.logInfo(
-          'Initializing system with environment: GOOSE_MODEL and GOOSE_PROVIDER as priority.'
-        );
-        await initializeSystem(config.GOOSE_PROVIDER, config.GOOSE_MODEL);
-        return;
-      }
-      const storedProvider = getStoredProvider(config);
-      const storedModel = getStoredModel();
-      if (storedProvider) {
-        try {
-          await initializeSystem(storedProvider, storedModel);
-
-          if (!storedModel) {
-            const modelName = getDefaultModel(storedProvider.toLowerCase());
-            const model = createSelectedModel(storedProvider.toLowerCase(), modelName);
-            switchModel(model);
-            addRecentModel(model);
-          }
-        } catch (error) {
-          // TODO: add sessionError state and show error screen with option to start fresh
-          console.error('Failed to initialize with stored provider:', error);
-        }
-      }
-    };
-
-    setupStoredProvider();
-  }, []);
-
-  const { chat, setChat } = useChat({ setView, setIsLoadingSession });
-
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleFatalError = (_: any, errorMessage: string) => {
       setFatalError(errorMessage);
@@ -220,6 +177,26 @@ export default function App() {
     }
   }, [view]);
 
+  // TODO: modify
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleAddExtension = (_: any, link: string) => {
+      const command = extractCommand(link);
+      const extName = extractExtensionName(link);
+      window.electron.logInfo(`Adding extension from deep link ${link}`);
+      setPendingLink(link);
+      setModalMessage(
+        `Are you sure you want to install the ${extName} extension?\n\nCommand: ${command}`
+      );
+      setModalVisible(true);
+    };
+
+    window.electron.on('add-extension', handleAddExtension);
+    return () => {
+      window.electron.off('add-extension', handleAddExtension);
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  // TODO: modify
   const handleConfirm = async () => {
     if (pendingLink && !isInstalling) {
       setIsInstalling(true);
@@ -235,12 +212,68 @@ export default function App() {
     }
   };
 
+  // TODO: modify
   const handleCancel = () => {
     console.log('Cancelled extension installation.');
     setModalVisible(false);
     setPendingLink(null);
   };
 
+  const { switchModel } = useModel(); // TODO: remove
+  const { addRecentModel } = useRecentModels(); // TODO: remove
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (process.env.ALPHA) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // TODO: remove
+    // Attempt to detect config for a stored provider
+    const detectStoredProvider = () => {
+      const config = window.electron.getConfig();
+      const storedProvider = getStoredProvider(config);
+      if (storedProvider) {
+        setView('chat');
+      } else {
+        setView('welcome');
+      }
+    };
+
+    // TODO: remove
+    // Initialize system if we have a stored provider
+    const setupStoredProvider = async () => {
+      const config = window.electron.getConfig();
+
+      if (config.GOOSE_PROVIDER && config.GOOSE_MODEL) {
+        window.electron.logInfo(
+          'Initializing system with environment: GOOSE_MODEL and GOOSE_PROVIDER as priority.'
+        );
+        await initializeSystem(config.GOOSE_PROVIDER, config.GOOSE_MODEL);
+        return;
+      }
+      const storedProvider = getStoredProvider(config);
+      const storedModel = getStoredModel();
+      if (storedProvider) {
+        try {
+          await initializeSystem(storedProvider, storedModel);
+
+          if (!storedModel) {
+            const modelName = getDefaultModel(storedProvider.toLowerCase());
+            const model = createSelectedModel(storedProvider.toLowerCase(), modelName);
+            switchModel(model);
+            addRecentModel(model);
+          }
+        } catch (error) {
+          // TODO: add sessionError state and show error screen with option to start fresh
+          console.error('Failed to initialize with stored provider:', error);
+        }
+      }
+    };
+    detectStoredProvider();
+    setupStoredProvider();
+  }, []);
+
+  // keep
   if (fatalError) {
     return <ErrorScreen error={fatalError} onReload={() => window.electron.reloadApp()} />;
   }