diff --git a/src/gui/src/UI/UIDesktop.js b/src/gui/src/UI/UIDesktop.js
index fe332aeda..6613cc7ae 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/UI/UIDesktop.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/UI/UIDesktop.js
@@ -646,10 +646,10 @@ async function UIDesktop (options) {
     // Desktop
     // If desktop is not in fullpage/embedded mode, we hide it until files and directories are loaded and then fade in the UI
     // This gives a calm and smooth experience for the user
-    h += `<div class="desktop item-container disable-user-select" 
-                data-uid="${options.desktop_fsentry.uid}" 
-                data-sort_by="${!options.desktop_fsentry.sort_by ? 'name' : options.desktop_fsentry.sort_by}" 
-                data-sort_order="${!options.desktop_fsentry.sort_order ? 'asc' : options.desktop_fsentry.sort_order}" 
+    h += `<div class="desktop item-container disable-user-select"
+                data-uid="${options.desktop_fsentry?.uid ?? ''}"
+                data-sort_by="${!options.desktop_fsentry?.sort_by ? 'name' : options.desktop_fsentry.sort_by}"
+                data-sort_order="${!options.desktop_fsentry?.sort_order ? 'asc' : options.desktop_fsentry.sort_order}"
                 data-path="${html_encode(window.desktop_path)}"
             >`;
 
@@ -1261,18 +1261,16 @@ async function UIDesktop (options) {
     // i.e. https://puter.com/app/<app_name>
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     if ( window.url_paths[0]?.toLocaleLowerCase() === 'app' && window.url_paths[1] ) {
-        window.app_launched_from_url = window.url_paths[1];
-        // get app metadata
-        try {
-            window.app_launched_from_url = await puter.apps.get(window.url_paths[1], { icon_size: 64 });
-            window.is_fullpage_mode = window.app_launched_from_url.metadata?.fullpage_on_landing ?? window.is_fullpage_mode ?? false;
-
-            // show 'Show Desktop' button
-            if ( window.is_fullpage_mode ) {
-                $('.show-desktop-btn').removeClass('hidden');
+        // If app metadata was already fetched early (for fullpage detection), reuse it
+        if ( !window.app_launched_from_url?.name ) {
+            window.app_launched_from_url = window.url_paths[1];
+            // get app metadata
+            try {
+                window.app_launched_from_url = await puter.apps.get(window.url_paths[1], { icon_size: 64 });
+                window.is_fullpage_mode = window.app_launched_from_url.metadata?.fullpage_on_landing ?? window.is_fullpage_mode ?? false;
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.error('UIDesktop app path launch error', e);
             }
-        } catch (e) {
-            console.error('UIDesktop app path launch error', e);
         }
 
         // get query params, any param that doesn't start with 'puter.' will be passed to the app
@@ -2472,9 +2470,6 @@ window.exit_fullpage_mode = (el_window) => {
     // reset dektop height to take into account the taskbar height
     $('.desktop').css('height', `calc(100vh - ${window.taskbar_height + window.toolbar_height}px)`);
 
-    // hide the 'Show Desktop' button in toolbar
-    $('.show-desktop-btn').hide();
-
     // refresh desktop background
     window.refresh_desktop_background();
 };
diff --git a/src/gui/src/css/style.css b/src/gui/src/css/style.css
index 4cfcd7815..f8d1e6442 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/css/style.css
+++ b/src/gui/src/css/style.css
@@ -1972,20 +1972,6 @@ label {
     box-shadow: rgb(255 255 255 / 44%) 0px 0px 0px 0.5px inset, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px 0.5px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 14px;
 }
 
-.show-desktop-btn {
-    color: white;
-    font-size: 11px !important;
-    padding: 2px 5px 2px !important;
-    border: 1px solid;
-    border-radius: 4px;
-    height: 18px !important;
-    width: 110px !important;
-    margin-top: 2px;
-    text-decoration: none;
-    margin-left: 10px !important;
-    font-weight: 500;
-}
-
 .device-phone .toolbar {
     z-index: 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/src/initgui.js b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
index 42c75d931..f03e1b26d 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/initgui.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
@@ -521,6 +521,24 @@ window.initgui = async function (options) {
         window.history.replaceState(null, document.title, cleanUrl);
     }
 
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Early check for fullpage mode from app metadata
+    // If the user navigated to /app/<app_name> and the app has fullpage_on_landing,
+    // set fullpage mode now so we can skip loading the desktop background and items.
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    if ( !window.is_fullpage_mode && window.url_paths[0]?.toLocaleLowerCase() === 'app' && window.url_paths[1] ) {
+        try {
+            const app_info = await puter.apps.get(window.url_paths[1], { icon_size: 64 });
+            if ( app_info?.metadata?.fullpage_on_landing ) {
+                window.is_fullpage_mode = true;
+                window.taskbar_height = 0;
+                window.app_launched_from_url = app_info;
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            // App metadata fetch failed; will retry later in UIDesktop
+        }
+    }
+
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Desktop background (early)
     // Set before action=login/signup so OIDC error redirects show the background behind the form.
@@ -860,10 +878,15 @@ window.initgui = async function (options) {
             // Load desktop, only if we're not embedded in a popup and not on the dashboard page
             // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             if ( !window.embedded_in_popup && !window.is_dashboard_mode ) {
-                await window.get_auto_arrange_data();
-                puter.fs.stat({ path: window.desktop_path, consistency: 'eventual' }).then(desktop_fsentry => {
-                    UIDesktop({ desktop_fsentry: desktop_fsentry });
-                });
+                if ( window.is_fullpage_mode ) {
+                    // In fullpage mode, skip loading desktop items and background
+                    UIDesktop({});
+                } else {
+                    await window.get_auto_arrange_data();
+                    puter.fs.stat({ path: window.desktop_path, consistency: 'eventual' }).then(desktop_fsentry => {
+                        UIDesktop({ desktop_fsentry: desktop_fsentry });
+                    });
+                }
             }
             // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             // Dashboard mode
@@ -1408,14 +1431,35 @@ window.initgui = async function (options) {
             await UIWindowCopyToken({ show_header: true });
         }
 
+        // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        // Early check for fullpage mode from app metadata (after login)
+        // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        if ( !window.is_fullpage_mode && window.url_paths[0]?.toLocaleLowerCase() === 'app' && window.url_paths[1] ) {
+            try {
+                const app_info = await puter.apps.get(window.url_paths[1], { icon_size: 64 });
+                if ( app_info?.metadata?.fullpage_on_landing ) {
+                    window.is_fullpage_mode = true;
+                    window.taskbar_height = 0;
+                    window.app_launched_from_url = app_info;
+                }
+            } catch (e) {
+                // App metadata fetch failed; will retry later in UIDesktop
+            }
+        }
+
         // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         // Load desktop, if not embedded in a popup and not on the dashboard page
         // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         if ( !window.embedded_in_popup && !window.is_dashboard_mode ) {
-            await window.get_auto_arrange_data();
-            puter.fs.stat({ path: window.desktop_path, consistency: 'eventual' }).then(desktop_fsentry => {
-                UIDesktop({ desktop_fsentry: desktop_fsentry });
-            });
+            if ( window.is_fullpage_mode ) {
+                // In fullpage mode, skip loading desktop items and background
+                UIDesktop({});
+            } else {
+                await window.get_auto_arrange_data();
+                puter.fs.stat({ path: window.desktop_path, consistency: 'eventual' }).then(desktop_fsentry => {
+                    UIDesktop({ desktop_fsentry: desktop_fsentry });
+                });
+            }
         }
         // -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         // Dashboard mode: open explorer pointing to home directory