fix: invalidate stale startup reconcile generations

Bind deferred startup reconciliation to an explicit FolderMonitor lifecycle generation and invalidate pending work on stop, pause, resume, import replacement, shutdown, and every non-deferred restart. This prevents an old startup request from surviving into a later productive monitor lifecycle.

Challenge each renderer document with a monotonic generation before accepting readiness, reject stale or foreign acknowledgements, and preserve exactly-once release across reloads and renderer initialization recovery. Add dynamic hidden Electron and lifecycle harness coverage for stale readiness, restart, close, shutdown, and ARIA regressions.

main.js

@@ -112,9 +112,10 @@ let closePreparationAttempt = 0;
 let closeQuiesceOwnerAttempt = null;
 let lastRestoredCloseAttempt = null;
 let closeFolderMonitorWasRunning = false;
-let folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+let folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration = 0;
-let folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = false;
+let folderMonitorRendererGeneration = 0;
-let folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted = false;
+let folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
+let folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
 let preparedUpdate = null;
 let updatePreparationPromise = null;
 let updateQuitPending = false;
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ function requestClosePreparation() {
   const attempt = ++closePreparationAttempt;
   closeFlushRequested = true;
   closeFolderMonitorWasRunning = !!folderMonitor.running;
-  try { folderMonitor.stop(); } catch {}
+  try { stopFolderMonitor(); } catch {}
   try { if (uploadManager) uploadManager.cancel(); } catch {}
   (async () => {
     try {
@@ -1521,9 +1522,10 @@ function createWindow() {
   closeFlushApproved = false;
   closeFlushRequested = false;
   closeHandshakeReady = false;
-  folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+  folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration = 0;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = false;
+  folderMonitorRendererGeneration = 0;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted = false;
+  folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
+  folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
   closeQuiesceOwnerAttempt = null;
   lastRestoredCloseAttempt = null;
   configStore.setWritesQuiesced(false);
@@ -1536,8 +1538,8 @@ function createWindow() {
   });
 
   mainWindow.on('closed', () => {
-    folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
-    folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = false;
+    invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle();
   });
 
   mainWindow.webContents.setBackgroundThrottling(false);
@@ -1545,13 +1547,18 @@ function createWindow() {
   mainWindow.webContents.on('did-start-navigation', (_event, _url, isInPlace, isMainFrame) => {
     if (isInPlace || !isMainFrame) return;
     closeHandshakeReady = false;
-    folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+    folderMonitorRendererGeneration++;
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
     updateAnnouncementState.reset();
     restoreClosePreparation(closePreparationAttempt);
   });
 
+  mainWindow.webContents.on('did-finish-load', () => {
+    safeSend('folder-monitor:renderer-generation', folderMonitorRendererGeneration);
+  });
+
   mainWindow.webContents.on('render-process-gone', (_event, details) => {
-    folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
     _writeCrashLog('RENDER PROCESS GONE', new Error(details.reason || 'unknown'), details);
     debugLog(`RENDER PROCESS GONE: reason=${details.reason} exitCode=${details.exitCode}`);
     if (mainWindow && !mainWindow.isDestroyed()) {
@@ -1753,8 +1760,7 @@ app.on('before-quit', (event) => {
 app.on('will-quit', () => {
   if (quitTeardownStarted) return;
   quitTeardownStarted = true;
-  folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+  folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = false;
   if (updateCheckInterval) clearInterval(updateCheckInterval);
   updateCheckInterval = null;
   if (preparedUpdate && updateQuitPending && closeFlushApproved && !preparedUpdateLaunchStarted) {
@@ -1769,7 +1775,7 @@ app.on('will-quit', () => {
   updateQuitPending = false;
   if (restartAfterClosePreparation) app.relaunch();
   if (uploadManager) try { uploadManager.cancel(); } catch {}
-  try { folderMonitor.stop(); } catch {}
+  try { stopFolderMonitor(); } catch {}
   try {
     if (remoteServer) { remoteServer.stop(); remoteServer = null; }
     destroyCaptureWindow();
@@ -2808,7 +2814,7 @@ async function syncImportedRuntime(config) {
     warnings.push('allgemeine Laufzeiteinstellungen');
   }
   try {
-    folderMonitor.stop();
+    stopFolderMonitor();
     const folderSettings = config.globalSettings.folderMonitor;
     if (folderSettings && folderSettings.enabled && folderSettings.folderPath) await startFolderMonitor(folderSettings);
   } catch (error) {
@@ -3118,9 +3124,9 @@ ipcMain.on('app:close-handshake-ready', (event) => {
   }
 });
 
-ipcMain.on('folder-monitor:renderer-ready', (event) => {
+ipcMain.on('folder-monitor:renderer-ready', (event, generation) => {
-  if (mainWindow && !mainWindow.isDestroyed() && event.sender === mainWindow.webContents) {
+  if (mainWindow && !mainWindow.isDestroyed() && event.sender === mainWindow.webContents && Number.isSafeInteger(generation) && generation === folderMonitorRendererGeneration) {
-    folderMonitorRendererReady = true;
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = generation;
     releaseFolderMonitorStartupReconcile();
   }
 });
@@ -3334,10 +3340,26 @@ function bindFolderMonitorEvents(settings) {
   });
 }
 
+function invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle() {
+  folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration++;
+  folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
+  return folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration;
+}
+
+function stopFolderMonitor() {
+  invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle();
+  return folderMonitor.stop();
+}
+
 function releaseFolderMonitorStartupReconcile() {
-  if (!folderMonitorRendererReady || !folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending || folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted || quitTeardownStarted || !folderMonitor.running) return false;
+  const pending = folderMonitorStartupReconcile;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = false;
+  if (!pending || pending.monitorGeneration !== folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration) return false;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted = true;
+  if (folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration !== folderMonitorRendererGeneration) return false;
+  if (quitTeardownStarted || !folderMonitor.running) {
+    folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
+    return false;
+  }
+  folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
   try {
     void folderMonitor.scan({ emitFiles: true, trigger: 'startup' }).catch(error => {
       debugLog(`folder-monitor startup scan failed: ${error.message}`);
@@ -3348,15 +3370,16 @@ function releaseFolderMonitorStartupReconcile() {
   return true;
 }
 
-function deferFolderMonitorStartupReconcile() {
+function deferFolderMonitorStartupReconcile(monitorGeneration) {
-  if (folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending || folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted) return false;
+  if (monitorGeneration !== folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration || folderMonitorStartupReconcile) return false;
-  folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending = true;
+  folderMonitorStartupReconcile = Object.freeze({ monitorGeneration });
   releaseFolderMonitorStartupReconcile();
   return true;
 }
 
 async function startFolderMonitor(settings, options = {}) {
   try {
+    const monitorGeneration = invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle();
     const persisted = configStore.load().globalSettings?.folderMonitor || {};
     const normalized = normalizeAutomationSettings(settings);
     const effectiveSettings = {
@@ -3373,7 +3396,7 @@ async function startFolderMonitor(settings, options = {}) {
       return { includesExisting: false, paused: true };
     }
     const result = folderMonitor.start(effectiveSettings);
-    if (options.deferStartupReconcile === true) deferFolderMonitorStartupReconcile();
+    if (options.deferStartupReconcile === true) deferFolderMonitorStartupReconcile(monitorGeneration);
     else await folderMonitor.scan({ emitFiles: true, trigger: 'startup' });
     debugLog(`folder-monitor started: ${settings.folderPath}`);
     return result;
@@ -3384,6 +3407,7 @@ async function startFolderMonitor(settings, options = {}) {
 }
 
 async function resumeFolderMonitor(settings) {
+  invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle();
   bindFolderMonitorEvents(settings);
   const result = await folderMonitor.resume(settings, { reconcile: false });
   debugLog(`folder-monitor resumed: ${settings.folderPath}`);
@@ -3397,7 +3421,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('folder-monitor:start', async (_event, settings) => {
 });
 
 ipcMain.handle('folder-monitor:stop', () => {
-  folderMonitor.stop();
+  stopFolderMonitor();
   debugLog('folder-monitor stopped');
   return { ok: true };
 });
@@ -3421,6 +3445,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('automation:pause-after-active', () => enqueueAutomationLifecycle
         folderMonitor: { ...settings, paused: true, pausedAt: Date.now() }
       }
     });
+    invalidateFolderMonitorLifecycle();
     try {
       await folderMonitor.pause();
     } catch {
@@ -3460,7 +3485,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('automation:resume', () => enqueueAutomationLifecycle(async gener
         await folderMonitor.scan({ emitFiles: true, trigger: 'resume' });
       }
     } catch {
-      folderMonitor.stop();
+      stopFolderMonitor();
       if (pausedSettings.enabled && pausedSettings.folderPath) {
         bindFolderMonitorEvents(pausedSettings);
         folderMonitor.configure(pausedSettings);

preload.js

@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
 const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer, webUtils } = require('electron');
 
 let folderMonitorCandidateListenerReady = false;
-let folderMonitorReadySent = false;
+let folderMonitorRendererGeneration = null;
+let folderMonitorReadySentGeneration = null;
+
+function signalFolderMonitorReady() {
+  if (!folderMonitorCandidateListenerReady || !Number.isSafeInteger(folderMonitorRendererGeneration) || folderMonitorRendererGeneration <= 0 || folderMonitorReadySentGeneration === folderMonitorRendererGeneration) return false;
+  folderMonitorReadySentGeneration = folderMonitorRendererGeneration;
+  ipcRenderer.send('folder-monitor:renderer-ready', folderMonitorRendererGeneration);
+  return true;
+}
+
+ipcRenderer.on('folder-monitor:renderer-generation', (_event, generation) => {
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(generation) || generation <= 0 || (folderMonitorRendererGeneration !== null && generation <= folderMonitorRendererGeneration)) return;
+  folderMonitorRendererGeneration = generation;
+  signalFolderMonitorReady();
+});
 
 contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('api', {
   // Config
@@ -102,12 +116,7 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('api', {
     ipcRenderer.on('folder-monitor:new-files', (_event, data) => callback(data));
     folderMonitorCandidateListenerReady = true;
   },
-  signalFolderMonitorReady: () => {
+  signalFolderMonitorReady,
-    if (!folderMonitorCandidateListenerReady || folderMonitorReadySent) return false;
-    folderMonitorReadySent = true;
-    ipcRenderer.send('folder-monitor:renderer-ready');
-    return true;
-  },
   onAutomationStatus: (callback) => {
     ipcRenderer.on('automation:status', (_event, data) => callback(data));
   },
@@ -187,7 +196,9 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('api', {
   getPathForFile: (file) => webUtils.getPathForFile(file),
   removeAllListeners: () => {
     folderMonitorCandidateListenerReady = false;
-    folderMonitorReadySent = false;
+    folderMonitorRendererGeneration = null;
+    folderMonitorReadySentGeneration = null;
+    ipcRenderer.removeAllListeners('folder-monitor:renderer-generation');
     ipcRenderer.removeAllListeners('upload-progress');
     ipcRenderer.removeAllListeners('upload-batch-done');
     ipcRenderer.removeAllListeners('upload-stats');

tests/package-build-files.test.js

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ function createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource) {
   assert.notEqual(blockStart, -1, 'automation lifecycle block missing');
   assert.notEqual(blockEnd, -1, 'automation lifecycle block boundary missing');
   const handlers = new Map();
+  const onHandlers = new Map();
   const order = [];
   const sent = [];
   const saves = [];
@@ -113,24 +114,43 @@ function createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource) {
     finishAfterActive: () => order.push('finish'),
     startBatch: () => order.push('startBatch')
   };
+  const webContents = {};
   const context = {
     configStore,
     debugLog: () => {},
     dialog: { showOpenDialog: async () => ({ canceled: true, filePaths: [] }) },
     folderMonitor,
-    ipcMain: { handle: (channel, handler) => handlers.set(channel, handler) },
+    folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration: 0,
+    folderMonitorRendererGeneration: 1,
+    folderMonitorRendererReady: false,
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration: null,
+    folderMonitorStartupReconcile: null,
+    folderMonitorStartupReconcilePending: false,
+    folderMonitorStartupReconcileStarted: false,
+    ipcMain: {
+      handle: (channel, handler) => handlers.set(channel, handler),
+      on: (channel, handler) => onHandlers.set(channel, handler)
+    },
+    mainWindow: { isDestroyed: () => false, webContents },
     normalizeAutomationSettings: require('../lib/automation-control').normalizeAutomationSettings,
     path,
+    quitTeardownStarted: false,
     safeSend: (channel, snapshot) => { sent.push([channel, snapshot]); return true; },
     uploadManager
   };
   vm.runInNewContext(mainSource.slice(blockStart, blockEnd), context);
+  const readyStart = mainSource.indexOf("ipcMain.on('folder-monitor:renderer-ready'");
+  const readyEnd = mainSource.indexOf("\nipcMain.on('app:close-preparation-started'", readyStart);
+  assert.notEqual(readyStart, -1, 'folder monitor renderer ready handler missing');
+  assert.notEqual(readyEnd, -1, 'folder monitor renderer ready handler boundary missing');
+  vm.runInNewContext(mainSource.slice(readyStart, readyEnd), context);
   publishStatus = () => context.publishAutomationStatus();
   return {
     handlers,
     configuredSettings,
     context,
     order,
+    onHandlers,
     pauseDeferred,
     resumeDeferred,
     saves,
@@ -140,6 +160,7 @@ function createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource) {
     },
     startedSettings,
     state: () => structuredClone(state),
+    webContents,
     publishStatus
   };
 }
@@ -357,9 +378,9 @@ test('folder monitor readiness is emitted once and only after the candidate list
       invoke: () => Promise.resolve(),
       on: (channel, listener) => {
         listeners.set(channel, listener);
-        order.push(`listen:${channel}`);
+        order.push(['listen', channel]);
       },
-      send: channel => { order.push(`send:${channel}`); },
+      send: (...args) => { order.push(['send', ...args]); },
       removeAllListeners: () => {}
     },
     webUtils: {
@@ -383,16 +404,87 @@ test('folder monitor readiness is emitted once and only after the candidate list
   let received = null;
   exposedApi.onFolderMonitorNewFiles(files => { received = files; });
   exposedApi.signalFolderMonitorReady();
+  listeners.get('folder-monitor:renderer-generation')({}, 4);
   exposedApi.signalFolderMonitorReady();
+  listeners.get('folder-monitor:renderer-generation')({}, 4);
+  listeners.get('folder-monitor:renderer-generation')({}, 3);
+  listeners.get('folder-monitor:renderer-generation')({}, 5);
   listeners.get('folder-monitor:new-files')({}, [{ path: 'C:\\watch\\ready.mkv' }]);
 
   assert.deepEqual(order, [
-    'listen:folder-monitor:new-files',
+    ['listen', 'folder-monitor:renderer-generation'],
-    'send:folder-monitor:renderer-ready'
+    ['listen', 'folder-monitor:new-files'],
+    ['send', 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready', 4],
+    ['send', 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready', 5]
   ]);
   assert.deepEqual(received, [{ path: 'C:\\watch\\ready.mkv' }]);
 });
 
+test('stopped and resumed monitor generations cannot release a deferred startup reconcile', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const harness = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+  const settings = {
+    enabled: true,
+    folderPath: 'C:\\watch',
+    paused: false,
+    pausedAt: null,
+    queueLimitJobs: 15000,
+    reconcileIntervalMinutes: 5
+  };
+  harness.setFolderMonitorState({ paused: false, pausedAt: null });
+
+  await harness.context.startFolderMonitor(settings, { deferStartupReconcile: true });
+  const pause = harness.handlers.get('automation:pause-after-active')();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.saves.length === 1);
+  harness.saves[0].deferred.resolve();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.order.includes('pause'));
+  harness.pauseDeferred.resolve();
+  await pause;
+  harness.handlers.get('folder-monitor:stop')();
+  harness.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: harness.webContents }, 1);
+
+  harness.resumeDeferred.resolve();
+  const resume = harness.handlers.get('automation:resume')();
+  await waitForCondition(() => harness.saves.length === 2);
+  harness.saves[1].deferred.resolve();
+  await resume;
+  harness.context.folderMonitorRendererGeneration = 2;
+  harness.context.folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
+  harness.context.folderMonitorRendererReady = false;
+  harness.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: harness.webContents }, 1);
+  harness.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: harness.webContents }, 2);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(harness.order.filter(entry => entry.startsWith('scan:')), ['scan:resume:true']);
+});
+
+test('a nondeferred monitor restart supersedes pending startup work and each generation releases at most once', async () => {
+  const mainSource = fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'main.js'), 'utf8');
+  const settings = {
+    enabled: true,
+    folderPath: 'C:\\watch',
+    paused: false,
+    pausedAt: null,
+    queueLimitJobs: 15000,
+    reconcileIntervalMinutes: 5
+  };
+  const restarted = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+  restarted.setFolderMonitorState({ paused: false, pausedAt: null });
+  await restarted.context.startFolderMonitor(settings, { deferStartupReconcile: true });
+  await restarted.context.startFolderMonitor(settings);
+  restarted.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: restarted.webContents }, 1);
+  restarted.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: restarted.webContents }, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(restarted.order.filter(entry => entry.startsWith('scan:')), ['scan:startup:true']);
+
+  const deferred = createAutomationLifecycleHarness(mainSource);
+  deferred.setFolderMonitorState({ paused: false, pausedAt: null });
+  await deferred.context.startFolderMonitor(settings, { deferStartupReconcile: true });
+  deferred.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: {} }, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(deferred.order.filter(entry => entry.startsWith('scan:')), []);
+  deferred.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: deferred.webContents }, 1);
+  deferred.onHandlers.get('folder-monitor:renderer-ready')({ sender: deferred.webContents }, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(deferred.order.filter(entry => entry.startsWith('scan:')), ['scan:startup:true']);
+});
+
 test('preload exposes account cooldown snapshots and removes their listener during cleanup', async () => {
   const listeners = new Map();
   const invocations = [];
@@ -531,9 +623,14 @@ test('automation pause save commits before lifecycle effects and save failure is
     debugLog: () => {},
     dialog: { showOpenDialog: async () => ({ canceled: true, filePaths: [] }) },
     folderMonitor,
+    folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration: 0,
+    folderMonitorRendererGeneration: 1,
+    folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration: null,
+    folderMonitorStartupReconcile: null,
     ipcMain: { handle: (channel, handler) => handlers.set(channel, handler) },
     normalizeAutomationSettings: require('../lib/automation-control').normalizeAutomationSettings,
     path,
+    quitTeardownStarted: false,
     safeSend: (channel, snapshot) => { sent.push([channel, snapshot]); return true; },
     uploadManager
   });

tests/startup-renderer.test.js

@@ -3655,6 +3655,11 @@ const watchPath = process.env.MHU_AUTOMATION_WATCH;
 app.setPath('userData', process.env.MHU_AUTOMATION_USER_DATA);
 let configStore;
 let closeFlushRequested = false;
+let folderMonitorLifecycleGeneration = 0;
+let folderMonitorRendererGeneration = 1;
+let folderMonitorRendererReadyGeneration = null;
+let folderMonitorStartupReconcile = null;
+let quitTeardownStarted = false;
 const settingsImportGate = { canStartUpload: () => true };
 const sentEvents = [];
 const intervalCallbacks = new Set();
@@ -3868,6 +3873,234 @@ ${startupAutomation}
   }
 });
 
+function runStartupHandshakeScenario(scenario) {
+  const projectRoot = path.join(__dirname, '..');
+  const probeRoot = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), `mhu-startup-${scenario}-`));
+  try {
+    const appRoot = path.join(probeRoot, 'app');
+    const userDataPath = path.join(probeRoot, 'user-data');
+    const outputPath = path.join(probeRoot, 'result.json');
+    const watchPath = path.join(probeRoot, 'watch');
+    fs.mkdirSync(appRoot, { recursive: true });
+    fs.mkdirSync(watchPath, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(watchPath, 'scenario-ready.mkv'), Buffer.alloc(23, 6));
+    for (const relativePath of ['main.js', 'preload.js', 'preload-drop-target.js', 'package.json']) {
+      fs.copyFileSync(path.join(projectRoot, relativePath), path.join(appRoot, relativePath));
+    }
+    for (const relativePath of ['lib', 'renderer', 'assets']) {
+      fs.cpSync(path.join(projectRoot, relativePath), path.join(appRoot, relativePath), { recursive: true });
+    }
+    if (scenario === 'init-recovery') {
+      const rendererAppPath = path.join(appRoot, 'renderer', 'app.js');
+      const rendererSource = fs.readFileSync(rendererAppPath, 'utf8');
+      fs.writeFileSync(rendererAppPath, rendererSource.replace(
+        'async function init() {',
+        "async function init() {\n  if (sessionStorage.getItem('startup-init-failed') !== 'true') { sessionStorage.setItem('startup-init-failed', 'true'); throw new Error('forced renderer init failure'); }"
+      ));
+    }
+    fs.symlinkSync(path.join(projectRoot, 'node_modules'), path.join(appRoot, 'node_modules'), 'junction');
+    const probePath = path.join(appRoot, 'scenario-probe.cjs');
+    const probeSource = `
+const { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain } = require('electron');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const ConfigStore = require('./lib/config-store');
+const FolderMonitor = require('./lib/folder-monitor');
+const scenario = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO;
+const outputPath = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_OUTPUT;
+const userDataPath = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_USER_DATA;
+const watchPath = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_WATCH;
+app.setPath('userData', userDataPath);
+BrowserWindow.prototype.show = function () {};
+const rendererGenerations = [];
+const originalLoadFile = BrowserWindow.prototype.loadFile;
+BrowserWindow.prototype.loadFile = function (...args) {
+  const originalSend = this.webContents.send.bind(this.webContents);
+  this.webContents.send = (channel, ...payload) => {
+    if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-generation') rendererGenerations.push(payload[0]);
+    return originalSend(channel, ...payload);
+  };
+  return originalLoadFile.apply(this, args);
+};
+let monitorStartedResolve;
+const monitorStarted = new Promise(resolve => { monitorStartedResolve = resolve; });
+let getConfigStartedResolve;
+const getConfigStarted = new Promise(resolve => { getConfigStartedResolve = resolve; });
+let releaseConfig;
+const configRelease = new Promise(resolve => { releaseConfig = resolve; });
+let startupScanCalls = 0;
+let getConfigCalls = 0;
+const originalStart = FolderMonitor.prototype.start;
+FolderMonitor.prototype.start = function (...args) {
+  const result = originalStart.apply(this, args);
+  monitorStartedResolve();
+  return result;
+};
+const originalScan = FolderMonitor.prototype.scan;
+FolderMonitor.prototype.scan = function (options = {}) {
+  if (options.trigger === 'startup' && options.emitFiles === true) startupScanCalls++;
+  return originalScan.call(this, options);
+};
+const readySignals = { folder: 0, close: 0 };
+let folderReadyHandler = null;
+const originalOn = ipcMain.on.bind(ipcMain);
+ipcMain.on = (channel, handler) => {
+  if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready') folderReadyHandler = handler;
+  return originalOn(channel, function (event, ...args) {
+    if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready') readySignals.folder++;
+    if (channel === 'app:close-handshake-ready') readySignals.close++;
+    return handler.call(this, event, ...args);
+  });
+};
+const originalHandle = ipcMain.handle.bind(ipcMain);
+ipcMain.handle = (channel, handler) => originalHandle(channel, async function (event, ...args) {
+  if (channel === 'get-config') {
+    getConfigCalls++;
+    getConfigStartedResolve();
+    if (scenario !== 'init-recovery') await configRelease;
+  }
+  return handler.call(this, event, ...args);
+});
+
+async function waitFor(read, timeoutMs = 20000) {
+  const startedAt = Date.now();
+  while (Date.now() - startedAt < timeoutMs) {
+    const value = await read();
+    if (value) return value;
+    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 25));
+  }
+  throw new Error('startup scenario probe timed out');
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  const store = new ConfigStore(app);
+  const current = store.load();
+  await store.save({
+    globalSettings: {
+      ...current.globalSettings,
+      language: 'en',
+      logVerbose: false,
+      logFilePath: path.join(userDataPath, 'fileuploader.log'),
+      folderMonitor: {
+        ...current.globalSettings.folderMonitor,
+        enabled: true,
+        folderPath: watchPath,
+        recursive: true,
+        extensions: 'mkv',
+        filterMode: 'include',
+        skipDuplicates: true,
+        includeExisting: false,
+        autoStart: false,
+        hosters: ['doodstream.com'],
+        queueLimitJobs: 15000,
+        reconcileIntervalMinutes: 60,
+        paused: false,
+        pausedAt: null
+      }
+    }
+  });
+  require('./main.js');
+  await app.whenReady();
+  const window = await waitFor(async () => BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().find(candidate => !candidate.isDestroyed()) || null);
+  await monitorStarted;
+  if (scenario !== 'init-recovery') await getConfigStarted;
+  let initFailureVisible = false;
+  if (scenario === 'init-recovery') {
+    initFailureVisible = await waitFor(async () => {
+      try {
+        return await window.webContents.executeJavaScript("sessionStorage.getItem('startup-init-failed') === 'true'");
+      } catch {
+        return false;
+      }
+    });
+    window.webContents.reload();
+    await waitFor(async () => readySignals.folder === 1 && readySignals.close === 1 && startupScanCalls === 1);
+  } else {
+    if (scenario === 'pending-close') window.emit('closed');
+    if (scenario === 'pending-shutdown') app.emit('will-quit');
+    folderReadyHandler({ sender: window.webContents }, rendererGenerations[0]);
+    releaseConfig();
+    await waitFor(async () => readySignals.close === 1);
+  }
+  let rendererState = null;
+  if (scenario === 'init-recovery') {
+    rendererState = await waitFor(async () => {
+      try {
+        const state = await window.webContents.executeJavaScript("(() => { if (typeof queueJobs === 'undefined' || typeof automationEventQueue === 'undefined') return null; return { candidateNames: queueJobs.filter(job => job.fileName === 'scenario-ready.mkv').map(job => job.fileName), draining: Boolean(automationEventDrainPromise), pendingCandidates: automationEventQueue.size }; })()");
+        return state && !state.draining && state.pendingCandidates === 0 ? state : null;
+      } catch {
+        return null;
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, JSON.stringify({
+    hidden: window.isVisible() === false,
+    scenario,
+    initFailureVisible,
+    readySignals,
+    startupScanCalls,
+    getConfigCalls,
+    rendererGenerations,
+    rendererState
+  }), 'utf8');
+  window.destroy();
+  app.exit(0);
+})().catch(error => {
+  fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, JSON.stringify({ error: error.stack || String(error), scenario, readySignals, startupScanCalls, getConfigCalls, rendererGenerations }), 'utf8');
+  app.exit(1);
+});
+`;
+    fs.writeFileSync(probePath, probeSource, 'utf8');
+    const electronPath = path.join(projectRoot, 'node_modules', 'electron', 'dist', 'electron.exe');
+    const probeEnvironment = {
+      ...process.env,
+      MHU_PERF: '0',
+      MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO: scenario,
+      MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_OUTPUT: outputPath,
+      MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_USER_DATA: userDataPath,
+      MHU_STARTUP_SCENARIO_WATCH: watchPath
+    };
+    delete probeEnvironment.RUN_UI_SMOKE;
+    const execution = spawnSync(electronPath, [probePath, `--user-data-dir=${userDataPath}`], {
+      cwd: appRoot,
+      env: probeEnvironment,
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+      windowsHide: true,
+      timeout: 60000
+    });
+    const probeOutput = fs.existsSync(outputPath) ? fs.readFileSync(outputPath, 'utf8') : '';
+    assert.equal(execution.status, 0, `${execution.stdout}\n${execution.stderr}\n${probeOutput}`);
+    return JSON.parse(probeOutput);
+  } finally {
+    fs.rmSync(probeRoot, { recursive: true, force: true, maxRetries: 3, retryDelay: 100 });
+    assert.equal(fs.existsSync(probeRoot), false);
+  }
+}
+
+test('hidden renderer init failure leaves startup pending for one successful reload generation', { skip: process.platform !== 'win32' }, () => {
+  const outcome = runStartupHandshakeScenario('init-recovery');
+  assert.equal(outcome.error, undefined);
+  assert.equal(outcome.hidden, true);
+  assert.equal(outcome.initFailureVisible, true);
+  assert.deepEqual(outcome.readySignals, { folder: 1, close: 1 });
+  assert.equal(outcome.startupScanCalls, 1);
+  assert.equal(outcome.getConfigCalls, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(outcome.rendererGenerations, [1, 2]);
+  assert.deepEqual(outcome.rendererState.candidateNames, ['scenario-ready.mkv']);
+});
+
+for (const scenario of ['pending-close', 'pending-shutdown']) {
+  test(`hidden ${scenario} invalidates startup pending before renderer readiness`, { skip: process.platform !== 'win32' }, () => {
+    const outcome = runStartupHandshakeScenario(scenario);
+    assert.equal(outcome.error, undefined);
+    assert.equal(outcome.hidden, true);
+    assert.deepEqual(outcome.readySignals, { folder: 1, close: 1 });
+    assert.equal(outcome.startupScanCalls, 0);
+    assert.equal(outcome.getConfigCalls, 1);
+    assert.deepEqual(outcome.rendererGenerations, [1]);
+  });
+}
+
 test('real startup releases one productive reconcile only after the folder candidate listener is ready', { skip: process.platform !== 'win32' }, () => {
   const projectRoot = path.join(__dirname, '..');
   const probeRoot = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'mhu-startup-ready-e2e-'));
@@ -3898,10 +4131,21 @@ const userDataPath = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_READY_USER_DATA;
 const watchPath = process.env.MHU_STARTUP_READY_WATCH;
 app.setPath('userData', userDataPath);
 BrowserWindow.prototype.show = function () {};
+const rendererGenerations = [];
+const originalLoadFile = BrowserWindow.prototype.loadFile;
+BrowserWindow.prototype.loadFile = function (...args) {
+  const originalSend = this.webContents.send.bind(this.webContents);
+  this.webContents.send = (channel, ...payload) => {
+    if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-generation') rendererGenerations.push(payload[0]);
+    return originalSend(channel, ...payload);
+  };
+  return originalLoadFile.apply(this, args);
+};
 let monitorStartedResolve;
 const monitorStarted = new Promise(resolve => { monitorStartedResolve = resolve; });
 let getConfigStartedResolve;
 const getConfigStarted = new Promise(resolve => { getConfigStartedResolve = resolve; });
+let getConfigCalls = 0;
 let releaseConfig;
 const configRelease = new Promise(resolve => { releaseConfig = resolve; });
 let startupScanSettledResolve;
@@ -3927,15 +4171,20 @@ FolderMonitor.prototype.scan = function (options = {}) {
   return result;
 };
 const readySignals = { folder: 0, close: 0 };
+let folderReadyHandler = null;
 const originalOn = ipcMain.on.bind(ipcMain);
-ipcMain.on = (channel, handler) => originalOn(channel, function (event, ...args) {
+ipcMain.on = (channel, handler) => {
-  if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready') readySignals.folder++;
+  if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready') folderReadyHandler = handler;
-  if (channel === 'app:close-handshake-ready') readySignals.close++;
+  return originalOn(channel, function (event, ...args) {
-  return handler.call(this, event, ...args);
+    if (channel === 'folder-monitor:renderer-ready') readySignals.folder++;
-});
+    if (channel === 'app:close-handshake-ready') readySignals.close++;
+    return handler.call(this, event, ...args);
+  });
+};
 const originalHandle = ipcMain.handle.bind(ipcMain);
 ipcMain.handle = (channel, handler) => originalHandle(channel, async function (event, ...args) {
   if (channel === 'get-config') {
+    getConfigCalls++;
     getConfigStartedResolve();
     await configRelease;
   }
@@ -3988,7 +4237,15 @@ async function waitFor(read, timeoutMs = 20000) {
     startupScanSettledCalls,
     folderReadySignals: readySignals.folder
   };
-  if (startupScanCalls > 0) await startupScanSettled;
+  const foreign = new BrowserWindow({ show: false });
+  await foreign.loadURL('data:text/html,<html></html>');
+  folderReadyHandler({ sender: foreign.webContents }, rendererGenerations[0]);
+  const afterForeignSignal = startupScanCalls;
+  window.webContents.reload();
+  await waitFor(async () => getConfigCalls === 2);
+  const beforeStaleSignal = startupScanCalls;
+  folderReadyHandler({ sender: window.webContents }, rendererGenerations[0]);
+  const afterStaleSignal = startupScanCalls;
   releaseConfig();
   await waitFor(async () => readySignals.close === 1);
   await waitFor(async () => startupScanCalls === 1);
@@ -4001,18 +4258,26 @@ async function waitFor(read, timeoutMs = 20000) {
       return null;
     }
   });
+  window.webContents.reload();
+  await waitFor(async () => readySignals.folder === 2 && readySignals.close === 2);
   fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, JSON.stringify({
     hidden: window.isVisible() === false,
     beforeReady,
     readySignals,
     startupScanCalls,
     startupScanSettledCalls,
+    getConfigCalls,
+    rendererGenerations,
+    afterForeignSignal,
+    beforeStaleSignal,
+    afterStaleSignal,
     rendererState
   }), 'utf8');
+  foreign.destroy();
   window.destroy();
   app.exit(0);
 })().catch(error => {
-  fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, JSON.stringify({ error: error.stack || String(error), readySignals, startupScanCalls, startupScanSettledCalls }), 'utf8');
+  fs.writeFileSync(outputPath, JSON.stringify({ error: error.stack || String(error), readySignals, startupScanCalls, startupScanSettledCalls, getConfigCalls, rendererGenerations }), 'utf8');
   app.exit(1);
 });
 `;
@@ -4043,6 +4308,11 @@ async function waitFor(read, timeoutMs = 20000) {
       readySignals: outcome.readySignals,
       startupScanCalls: outcome.startupScanCalls,
       startupScanSettledCalls: outcome.startupScanSettledCalls,
+      getConfigCalls: outcome.getConfigCalls,
+      rendererGenerations: outcome.rendererGenerations,
+      afterForeignSignal: outcome.afterForeignSignal,
+      beforeStaleSignal: outcome.beforeStaleSignal,
+      afterStaleSignal: outcome.afterStaleSignal,
       lastScanTrigger: outcome.rendererState.monitor.lastScanTrigger,
       candidateNames: outcome.rendererState.candidateJobs.map(job => job.fileName)
     }, {
@@ -4051,9 +4321,14 @@ async function waitFor(read, timeoutMs = 20000) {
         startupScanSettledCalls: 0,
         folderReadySignals: 0
       },
-      readySignals: { folder: 1, close: 1 },
+      readySignals: { folder: 2, close: 2 },
       startupScanCalls: 1,
       startupScanSettledCalls: 1,
+      getConfigCalls: 3,
+      rendererGenerations: [1, 2, 3],
+      afterForeignSignal: 0,
+      beforeStaleSignal: 0,
+      afterStaleSignal: 0,
       lastScanTrigger: 'startup',
       candidateNames: ['startup-ready.mkv']
     });