diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.test.ts b/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.test.ts
index e134110..f0cfc0d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.test.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.test.ts
@@ -225,6 +225,33 @@ describe("favorites / recents / move-selection", () => {
     expect(commands.recordRecentConnection).toHaveBeenCalledWith("c1");
   });
 
+  it("loadAll refreshes recents once connections are known (startup race fix)", async () => {
+    const conn = makeConn({ id: "c1", name: "Prod" });
+    vi.spyOn(commands, "getConnections").mockResolvedValue([conn]);
+    vi.spyOn(commands, "getFolders").mockResolvedValue([]);
+    vi.spyOn(commands, "getTags").mockResolvedValue([]);
+    vi.spyOn(commands, "getRecentConnections").mockResolvedValue([
+      { connection_id: "c1", opened_at: "2026-08-02T00:00:00Z" },
+    ]);
+
+    // Simulate the app-shell mount: loadAll fires and populates connections.
+    await useConnectionStore.getState().loadAll();
+
+    // The recent strip must now show the connection that was opened previously.
+    expect(commands.getRecentConnections).toHaveBeenCalledWith(8);
+    expect(useConnectionStore.getState().recent).toEqual([conn]);
+  });
+
+  it("loadRecent maps cached recent ids against the current connection list", async () => {
+    const conn = makeConn({ id: "c1", name: "Prod" });
+    useConnectionStore.setState({ connections: [conn] });
+    vi.spyOn(commands, "getRecentConnections").mockResolvedValue([
+      { connection_id: "c1", opened_at: "2026-08-02T00:00:00Z" },
+    ]);
+    await useConnectionStore.getState().loadRecent();
+    expect(useConnectionStore.getState().recent).toEqual([conn]);
+  });
+
   describe("duplicateConnection", () => {
     it("copies fields with a '(copy)' name and favorite false", async () => {
       const src = makeConn({ id: "c1", name: "Prod", folder_id: "f1", tag_ids: ["t1"], favorite: true });
diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.ts b/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.ts
index 04e28b7..3e856c2 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/connectionStore.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ export const useConnectionStore = create<ConnectionState>((set, get) => ({
       set((s) => ({ connections: [...s.connections].sort((a, b) => Number(b.favorite) - Number(a.favorite)) }));
       // Also load tag order
       get().loadTagOrder();
+      // Refresh recents once connections are known so the recent strip is not
+      // computed against an empty list (avoids a startup race with loadRecent).
+      get().loadRecent().catch(() => {});
     } catch (e) {
       set({ loading: false, error: e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e) });
     }