diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
index 2c1402b101e1..cbeaa171c71f 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { IpcRendererEvent } from 'electron';
-import { HashRouter, Routes, Route, useNavigate, useLocation } from 'react-router-dom';
+import {
+  HashRouter,
+  Routes,
+  Route,
+  useNavigate,
+  useLocation,
+  NavigateFunction,
+} from 'react-router-dom';
 import { ErrorUI } from './components/ErrorBoundary';
 import { ExtensionInstallModal } from './components/modals/ExtensionInstallModal';
 import { useExtensionInstallModal } from './hooks/useExtensionInstallModal';
@@ -349,6 +356,21 @@ const ExtensionsRoute = () => {
   );
 };
 
+// Component to capture navigate function and provide it via callback
+const NavigateCapture = ({
+  onNavigateReady,
+}: {
+  onNavigateReady: (navigate: NavigateFunction) => void;
+}) => {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    onNavigateReady(navigate);
+  }, [navigate, onNavigateReady]);
+
+  return null;
+};
+
 export default function App() {
   const [fatalError, setFatalError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [isLoadingSession, setIsLoadingSession] = useState(false);
@@ -369,50 +391,67 @@ export default function App() {
   const { modalState, modalConfig, dismissModal, confirmInstall } =
     useExtensionInstallModal(addExtension);
 
-  // Create a setView function for useChat hook - we'll use window.history instead of navigate
+  // Create a setView function for useChat hook
+  const navigateRef = useRef<NavigateFunction | null>(null);
   const setView = (view: View, viewOptions: ViewOptions = {}) => {
     console.log(`Setting view to: ${view}`, viewOptions);
     console.trace('setView called from:'); // This will show the call stack
-    // Convert view to route navigation using hash routing
-    switch (view) {
-      case 'chat':
-        window.location.hash = '#/';
-        break;
-      case 'pair':
-        window.location.hash = '#/pair';
-        break;
-      case 'settings':
-        window.location.hash = '#/settings';
-        break;
-      case 'extensions':
-        window.location.hash = '#/extensions';
-        break;
-      case 'sessions':
-        window.location.hash = '#/sessions';
-        break;
-      case 'schedules':
-        window.location.hash = '#/schedules';
-        break;
-      case 'recipes':
-        window.location.hash = '#/recipes';
-        break;
-      case 'permission':
-        window.location.hash = '#/permission';
-        break;
-      case 'ConfigureProviders':
-        window.location.hash = '#/configure-providers';
-        break;
-      case 'recipeEditor':
-        window.location.hash = '#/recipe-editor';
-        break;
-      case 'welcome':
-        window.location.hash = '#/welcome';
-        break;
-      default:
-        console.error(`Unknown view: ${view}, not navigating anywhere. This is likely a bug.`);
-        console.trace('Invalid setView call stack:');
-        // Don't navigate anywhere for unknown views to avoid unexpected redirects
-        break;
+
+    // Use React Router navigation if available, otherwise fallback to hash manipulation
+    // navigateRef.current may not be available during:
+    // - Initial app startup before React Router is fully initialized
+    // - Component unmounting/remounting cycles
+    // - Error boundary scenarios where React Router context is lost
+    // - When rendered outside of Router context (though this shouldn't happen in our app)
+    // - Race conditions during rapid navigation or window creation
+    if (navigateRef.current) {
+      const navigationHandler = createNavigationHandler(navigateRef.current);
+      navigationHandler(view, viewOptions);
+    } else {
+      // Fallback to hash manipulation for cases where navigate isn't available yet
+      // This is a legacy implementation that directly manipulates the URL hash
+      // as a backup when React Router navigation is not available
+      console.warn('Navigate function not available, using hash fallback');
+      switch (view) {
+        case 'chat':
+          window.location.hash = '#/';
+          break;
+        case 'pair':
+          window.location.hash = '#/pair';
+          break;
+        case 'settings':
+          window.location.hash = '#/settings';
+          break;
+        case 'extensions':
+          window.location.hash = '#/extensions';
+          break;
+        case 'sessions':
+          window.location.hash = '#/sessions';
+          break;
+        case 'schedules':
+          window.location.hash = '#/schedules';
+          break;
+        case 'recipes':
+          window.location.hash = '#/recipes';
+          break;
+        case 'permission':
+          window.location.hash = '#/permission';
+          break;
+        case 'ConfigureProviders':
+          window.location.hash = '#/configure-providers';
+          break;
+        case 'recipeEditor':
+          window.location.hash = '#/recipe-editor';
+          break;
+        case 'welcome':
+          window.location.hash = '#/welcome';
+          break;
+        default:
+          console.error(`Unknown view: ${view}, not navigating anywhere. This is likely a bug.`);
+          console.trace('Invalid setView call stack:');
+          // Don't navigate anywhere for unknown views to avoid unexpected redirects
+          break;
+      }
     }
   };
 
@@ -712,6 +751,11 @@ export default function App() {
             onCancel={dismissModal}
             isSubmitting={modalState.isPending}
           />
+          <NavigateCapture
+            onNavigateReady={(navigate) => {
+              navigateRef.current = navigate;
+            }}
+          />
           <div className="relative w-screen h-screen overflow-hidden bg-background-muted flex flex-col">
             <div className="titlebar-drag-region" />
             <Routes>
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
index 7fd5821715c6..83f6908dbd94 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import {
   updateEnvironmentVariables,
   updateSchedulingEngineEnvironment,
 } from './utils/settings';
+import localStorageInjectionScript from './utils/localStorageInjectionScript';
 import * as crypto from 'crypto';
 // import electron from "electron";
 import * as yaml from 'yaml';
@@ -655,35 +656,19 @@ const createChat = async (
   // We need to wait for the window to load before we can access localStorage
   mainWindow.webContents.on('did-finish-load', () => {
     const configStr = JSON.stringify(windowConfig).replace(/'/g, "\\'");
-    mainWindow.webContents
-      .executeJavaScript(
-        `
-      (function() {
-        function setConfig() {
-          try {
-            if (window.localStorage) {
-              localStorage.setItem('gooseConfig', '${configStr}');
-              return true;
-            }
-          } catch (e) {
-            console.warn('localStorage access failed:', e);
-          }
-          return false;
-        }
 
-        if (!setConfig()) {
-          setTimeout(() => {
-            if (!setConfig()) {
-              console.error('Failed to set localStorage after retry - continuing without localStorage config');
-            }
-          }, 100);
-        }
-      })();
-    `
-      )
-      .catch((error) => {
-        console.error('Failed to execute localStorage script:', error);
-      });
+    // This JavaScript is injected into the renderer process to set localStorage with retry logic.
+    // The retry mechanism is necessary because localStorage may not be immediately available
+    // during Electron renderer initialization, especially on slower systems or during heavy load.
+    // We use executeJavaScript from the main process because:
+    // 1. The main process needs to pass configuration data to the renderer process
+    // 2. This happens during window initialization before the renderer's React app is ready
+    // 3. The timing is critical - we need to set config before React components try to read it
+    // 4. Direct IPC communication would require the renderer to be fully loaded first
+    const injectionScript = localStorageInjectionScript('gooseConfig', configStr);
+    mainWindow.webContents.executeJavaScript(injectionScript).catch((error) => {
+      console.error('Failed to execute localStorage script:', error);
+    });
   });
 
   // Handle new window creation for links
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/utils/localStorageInjectionScript.ts b/ui/desktop/src/utils/localStorageInjectionScript.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..479b7bf0e8bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/utils/localStorageInjectionScript.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * Generates the JavaScript code to inject into the renderer process for setting localStorage
+ * with retry logic. This is used by the main process to inject configuration.
+ *
+ * @param key The localStorage key to set
+ * @param value The value to store (will be JSON stringified if not already a string)
+ * @returns JavaScript code as a string
+ */
+export default function generateLocalStorageInjectionScript(key: string, value: string): string {
+  return `
+    (function() {
+      let retryCount = 0;
+      const maxRetries = 5;
+      const baseDelay = 100;
+      
+      function setConfig() {
+        try {
+          if (window.localStorage && typeof window.localStorage.setItem === 'function') {
+            localStorage.setItem('${key}', '${value}');
+            console.log('[Renderer] Successfully set localStorage ${key}');
+            return true;
+          } else {
+            console.warn('[Renderer] localStorage not available or setItem not a function');
+          }
+        } catch (e) {
+          console.warn('[Renderer] localStorage access failed:', e);
+        }
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      function retrySetConfig() {
+        if (setConfig()) {
+          return; // Success, no need to retry
+        }
+        
+        retryCount++;
+        if (retryCount < maxRetries) {
+          const delay = baseDelay * Math.pow(2, retryCount - 1); // Exponential backoff
+          console.log(\`[Renderer] Retrying localStorage ${key} set (attempt \${retryCount + 1}/\${maxRetries}) in \${delay}ms\`);
+          setTimeout(retrySetConfig, delay);
+        } else {
+          console.error('[Renderer] Failed to set localStorage ${key} after all retries - continuing without localStorage config');           
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Initial attempt
+      retrySetConfig();
+    })();
+  `;
+}