diff --git a/src/app/application.cpp b/src/app/application.cpp
index a4dfccc01..24e0d2ce9 100644
--- a/src/app/application.cpp
+++ b/src/app/application.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <thread>
+#include <utility>
 
 std::atomic<bool> Application::s_shutdownRequested{false};
 
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ namespace {
 
   constexpr Logger kLog("app");
   constexpr bool kLockKeysEnabled = true;
+  constexpr std::string_view kPolkitAuthorityBusName = "org.freedesktop.PolicyKit1";
 
   template <typename Factory>
   auto makeWithStartupBackoff(std::string_view label, Factory&& factory) -> decltype(factory()) {
@@ -216,12 +218,28 @@ void Application::syncPolkitAgent() {
     return;
   }
 
+  try {
+    if (!m_systemBus->nameHasOwner(kPolkitAuthorityBusName)) {
+      kLog.warn("polkit agent disabled: {} is not running", kPolkitAuthorityBusName);
+      m_polkitPollSource.reset();
+      m_polkitAgent.reset();
+      return;
+    }
+  } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+    kLog.warn("polkit agent disabled: failed to query {} owner: {}", kPolkitAuthorityBusName, e.what());
+    m_polkitPollSource.reset();
+    m_polkitAgent.reset();
+    return;
+  }
+
   m_polkitAgent = std::make_unique<PolkitAgent>(*m_systemBus);
   m_polkitAgent->setReadyCallback([this](bool ok, const std::string& error) {
     if (!ok) {
       kLog.warn("polkit agent disabled: {}", error);
-      m_polkitPollSource.reset();
-      m_polkitAgent.reset();
+      DeferredCall::callLater([this]() {
+        m_polkitPollSource.reset();
+        m_polkitAgent.reset();
+      });
       return;
     }
     kLog.info("polkit authentication agent active");
@@ -253,7 +271,7 @@ void Application::syncPolkitAgent() {
   m_polkitAgent->start();
 }
 
-void Application::run() {
+void Application::run(std::function<void()> startupReadyCallback) {
   initLogFile();
   kLog.info("noctalia {}", noctalia::build_info::displayVersion());
   runStartupPhase("initServices", [this]() { initServices(); });
@@ -273,9 +291,12 @@ void Application::run() {
 #endif
 
   m_trayInitTimer.start(std::chrono::milliseconds(500), [this]() { startTrayService(); });
-  m_polkitInitTimer.start(std::chrono::milliseconds(0), [this]() { syncPolkitAgent(); });
+  m_polkitInitTimer.start(std::chrono::milliseconds(1000), [this]() { syncPolkitAgent(); });
 
   m_mainLoop = std::make_unique<MainLoop>(m_wayland, m_bar, [this]() { return currentPollSources(); });
+  if (startupReadyCallback) {
+    startupReadyCallback();
+  }
   m_mainLoop->run();
   kLog.info("shutdown");
 }
diff --git a/src/app/application.h b/src/app/application.h
index d36847b94..261b23a54 100644
--- a/src/app/application.h
+++ b/src/app/application.h
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
 #include "wayland/workspace_poll_source.h"
 
 #include <atomic>
+#include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ public:
   Application();
   ~Application();
 
-  void run();
+  void run(std::function<void()> startupReadyCallback = {});
 
   // Public for signal handler
   static std::atomic<bool> s_shutdownRequested;
diff --git a/src/dbus/polkit/polkit_agent.cpp b/src/dbus/polkit/polkit_agent.cpp
index cfae9c7df..23709133c 100644
--- a/src/dbus/polkit/polkit_agent.cpp
+++ b/src/dbus/polkit/polkit_agent.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@
 #include <glib-object.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 #include <memory>
+#include <mutex>
 #include <optional>
 #include <poll.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <string>
 #include <sys/types.h>
+#include <thread>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
@@ -253,6 +255,13 @@ struct PolkitAgent::Impl {
   PolkitAgentSession* session = nullptr;
   GMainContext* context = nullptr;
   GCancellable* registerCancellable = nullptr;
+  std::thread registerThread;
+  mutable std::mutex registerMutex;
+  gpointer pendingRegistrationHandle = nullptr;
+  bool registrationComplete = false;
+  bool registrationOk = false;
+  bool registrationShutdown = false;
+  std::string registrationError;
   bool starting = false;
   bool registered = false;
   std::unique_ptr<InternalAuthRequest> pending;
@@ -280,9 +289,22 @@ struct PolkitAgent::Impl {
     clearPending("PolkitAgent is being destroyed", true);
     if (registerCancellable != nullptr) {
       g_cancellable_cancel(registerCancellable);
+    }
+    {
+      std::lock_guard lock(registerMutex);
+      registrationShutdown = true;
+    }
+    if (registerThread.joinable()) {
+      registerThread.join();
+    }
+    if (registerCancellable != nullptr) {
       g_object_unref(registerCancellable);
       registerCancellable = nullptr;
     }
+    if (pendingRegistrationHandle != nullptr) {
+      polkit_agent_listener_unregister(pendingRegistrationHandle);
+      pendingRegistrationHandle = nullptr;
+    }
     if (listener != nullptr) {
       listener->owner = nullptr;
       listener->initiate = nullptr;
@@ -305,51 +327,133 @@ struct PolkitAgent::Impl {
       return;
     }
     starting = true;
+
+    // Prefer the session id exported by the user's login/session manager. The
+    // process lookup path below is asynchronous in API shape, but it still can
+    // enter GLib's global worker pool before returning.
+    const char* sessionId = std::getenv("XDG_SESSION_ID");
     registerCancellable = g_cancellable_new();
+    if (sessionId != nullptr && sessionId[0] != '\0') {
+      PolkitSubject* subject = polkit_unix_session_new(sessionId);
+      beginRegisterSubject(subject, nullptr);
+      return;
+    }
+
     polkit_unix_session_new_for_process(::getpid(), registerCancellable, &Impl::sessionReadyTrampoline, this);
   }
 
   void onSessionReady(GObject* /*source*/, GAsyncResult* result) {
     starting = false;
     GError* error = nullptr;
-    PolkitSubject* subject = polkit_unix_session_new_for_process_finish(result, &error);
+
+    PolkitSubject* pidSubject = polkit_unix_session_new_for_process_finish(result, &error);
 
     // If we were cancelled (destruction), bail out without touching members
     // beyond the cancellable cleanup that the destructor already handled.
     if (error != nullptr && g_error_matches(error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_CANCELLED)) {
       g_clear_error(&error);
-      if (subject != nullptr) {
-        g_object_unref(subject);
+      if (pidSubject != nullptr) {
+        g_object_unref(pidSubject);
       }
       return;
     }
 
+    beginRegisterSubject(pidSubject, error);
+  }
+
+  void beginRegisterSubject(PolkitSubject* subject, GError* error) {
+    if (subject == nullptr || error != nullptr) {
+      std::string message = error != nullptr ? error->message : "failed to create polkit session subject";
+      g_clear_error(&error);
+      if (subject != nullptr) {
+        g_object_unref(subject);
+      }
+      setRegistrationResult(nullptr, false, std::move(message));
+      return;
+    }
+
+    registerThread = std::thread([this, subject]() {
+      GError* registerError = nullptr;
+      gpointer handle =
+          polkit_agent_listener_register(POLKIT_AGENT_LISTENER(listener), POLKIT_AGENT_REGISTER_FLAGS_NONE, subject,
+                                         k_agentObjectPath, registerCancellable, &registerError);
+      g_object_unref(subject);
+
+      std::string message;
+      if (registerError != nullptr) {
+        message = registerError->message;
+        g_clear_error(&registerError);
+      } else if (handle == nullptr) {
+        message = "polkit listener registration returned no handle";
+      }
+
+      setRegistrationResult(handle, handle != nullptr && message.empty(), std::move(message));
+    });
+  }
+
+  void setRegistrationResult(gpointer handle, bool ok, std::string error) {
+    bool shouldUnregister = false;
+    {
+      std::lock_guard lock(registerMutex);
+      if (registrationShutdown) {
+        shouldUnregister = handle != nullptr;
+      } else {
+        pendingRegistrationHandle = handle;
+        registrationOk = ok;
+        registrationError = std::move(error);
+        registrationComplete = true;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (shouldUnregister) {
+      polkit_agent_listener_unregister(handle);
+    }
+  }
+
+  bool registrationReady() const {
+    std::lock_guard lock(registerMutex);
+    return registrationComplete;
+  }
+
+  void finishRegistrationIfReady() {
+    gpointer handle = nullptr;
+    bool ok = false;
+    std::string error;
+    {
+      std::lock_guard lock(registerMutex);
+      if (!registrationComplete) {
+        return;
+      }
+      handle = pendingRegistrationHandle;
+      pendingRegistrationHandle = nullptr;
+      ok = registrationOk;
+      error = std::move(registrationError);
+      registrationComplete = false;
+      registrationOk = false;
+    }
+
+    if (registerThread.joinable()) {
+      registerThread.join();
+    }
     if (registerCancellable != nullptr) {
       g_object_unref(registerCancellable);
       registerCancellable = nullptr;
     }
 
-    if (subject == nullptr || error != nullptr) {
-      std::string message = error != nullptr ? error->message : "failed to create polkit session subject";
-      g_clear_error(&error);
+    starting = false;
+    if (!ok) {
+      if (handle != nullptr) {
+        polkit_agent_listener_unregister(handle);
+      }
       if (readyCallback) {
-        readyCallback(false, message);
+        readyCallback(false, error.empty() ? "polkit listener registration failed" : error);
       }
       return;
     }
-
-    listener->registration_handle = polkit_agent_listener_register(
-        POLKIT_AGENT_LISTENER(listener), POLKIT_AGENT_REGISTER_FLAGS_NONE, subject, k_agentObjectPath, nullptr, &error);
-    g_object_unref(subject);
-
-    if (error != nullptr) {
-      std::string message = error->message;
-      g_clear_error(&error);
-      if (readyCallback) {
-        readyCallback(false, message);
-      }
-      return;
+    if (listener->registration_handle != nullptr) {
+      polkit_agent_listener_unregister(listener->registration_handle);
     }
+    listener->registration_handle = handle;
     if (listener->registration_handle == nullptr) {
       if (readyCallback) {
         readyCallback(false, "polkit listener registration returned no handle");
@@ -575,9 +679,18 @@ struct PolkitAgent::Impl {
     g_main_context_release(context);
   }
 
-  int pollTimeoutMs() const { return glibPollTimeoutMs; }
+  int pollTimeoutMs() const {
+    if (registrationReady()) {
+      return 0;
+    }
+    if (starting) {
+      return glibPollTimeoutMs < 0 ? 100 : std::min(glibPollTimeoutMs, 100);
+    }
+    return glibPollTimeoutMs;
+  }
 
   void dispatch(const std::vector<pollfd>& fds, std::size_t startIdx) {
+    finishRegistrationIfReady();
     if (!g_main_context_acquire(context)) {
       return;
     }
@@ -603,6 +716,7 @@ struct PolkitAgent::Impl {
     while (g_main_context_pending(context)) {
       g_main_context_iteration(context, FALSE);
     }
+    finishRegistrationIfReady();
   }
 
   PolkitRequest pendingRequest() const {
diff --git a/src/dbus/system_bus.cpp b/src/dbus/system_bus.cpp
index 484ebf8d8..b7e1b4ead 100644
--- a/src/dbus/system_bus.cpp
+++ b/src/dbus/system_bus.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,27 @@
 #include "dbus/system_bus.h"
 
+#include <string>
+
+namespace {
+  constexpr auto kDbusInterface = "org.freedesktop.DBus";
+  const sdbus::ServiceName kDbusName{kDbusInterface};
+  const sdbus::ObjectPath kDbusPath{"/org/freedesktop/DBus"};
+} // namespace
+
 SystemBus::SystemBus() : m_connection(sdbus::createSystemBusConnection()) {}
 
 sdbus::IConnection::PollData SystemBus::getPollData() const { return m_connection->getEventLoopPollData(); }
 
+bool SystemBus::nameHasOwner(std::string_view name) const {
+  auto proxy = sdbus::createProxy(*m_connection, kDbusName, kDbusPath);
+  bool hasOwner = false;
+  proxy->callMethod("NameHasOwner")
+      .onInterface(kDbusInterface)
+      .withArguments(std::string{name})
+      .storeResultsTo(hasOwner);
+  return hasOwner;
+}
+
 void SystemBus::processPendingEvents() {
   while (m_connection->processPendingEvent()) {
   }
diff --git a/src/dbus/system_bus.h b/src/dbus/system_bus.h
index bb256f4cf..3579efcb7 100644
--- a/src/dbus/system_bus.h
+++ b/src/dbus/system_bus.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <sdbus-c++/sdbus-c++.h>
+#include <string_view>
 
 class SystemBus {
 public:
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ public:
 
   [[nodiscard]] sdbus::IConnection& connection() noexcept { return *m_connection; }
   [[nodiscard]] sdbus::IConnection::PollData getPollData() const;
+  [[nodiscard]] bool nameHasOwner(std::string_view name) const;
   void processPendingEvents();
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 9bfc5c3c6..47e7afa5e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -6,11 +6,17 @@
 #include "ipc/ipc_client.h"
 #include "theme/cli.h"
 
+#include <array>
+#include <cerrno>
 #include <clocale>
+#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <string>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #ifdef __GLIBC__
 #if __has_include(<jemalloc/jemalloc.h>)
@@ -23,18 +29,112 @@
 
 namespace {
 
+  enum class SpawnResult { Parent, Error };
+
+  constexpr const char* kDaemonPipeEnv = "NOCTALIA_DAEMON_PIPE_FD";
+  int g_daemonPipe = -1;
+
+  void closeFd(int& fd) {
+    if (fd == -1) {
+      return;
+    }
+    (void)::close(fd);
+    fd = -1;
+  }
+
+  bool writeAll(int fd, const void* data, std::size_t size) {
+    const char* bytes = static_cast<const char*>(data);
+    while (size > 0) {
+      const ssize_t written = ::write(fd, bytes, size);
+      if (written < 0) {
+        if (errno == EINTR) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        return false;
+      }
+      if (written == 0) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      bytes += written;
+      size -= static_cast<std::size_t>(written);
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  bool readAll(int fd, void* data, std::size_t size) {
+    char* bytes = static_cast<char*>(data);
+    while (size > 0) {
+      const ssize_t received = ::read(fd, bytes, size);
+      if (received < 0) {
+        if (errno == EINTR) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        return false;
+      }
+      if (received == 0) {
+        return false;
+      }
+      bytes += received;
+      size -= static_cast<std::size_t>(received);
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  bool redirectStdioToNull() {
+    int fd = ::open("/dev/null", O_RDWR);
+    if (fd == -1) {
+      std::perror("open(\"/dev/null\")");
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    bool ok = true;
+    if (::dup2(fd, STDIN_FILENO) == -1) {
+      std::perror("dup2(stdin)");
+      ok = false;
+    }
+    if (::dup2(fd, STDOUT_FILENO) == -1) {
+      std::perror("dup2(stdout)");
+      ok = false;
+    }
+    if (::dup2(fd, STDERR_FILENO) == -1) {
+      std::perror("dup2(stderr)");
+      ok = false;
+    }
+
+    if (fd > STDERR_FILENO) {
+      (void)::close(fd);
+    }
+    return ok;
+  }
+
+  void completeDaemonStartup(int code) {
+    if (g_daemonPipe == -1) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const int result = code;
+    if (!writeAll(g_daemonPipe, &result, sizeof(result))) {
+      std::fprintf(stderr, "error: failed to notify daemon parent: %s\n", std::strerror(errno));
+    }
+    closeFd(g_daemonPipe);
+    if (code == 0 && !redirectStdioToNull()) {
+      std::fprintf(stderr, "error: failed to redirect daemon stdio\n");
+    }
+  }
+
   int runTopLevelFlag(const char* flag) {
-    if (std::strcmp(flag, "--version") == 0) {
+    if (std::strcmp(flag, "--version") == 0 || std::strcmp(flag, "-v") == 0) {
       const std::string version = noctalia::build_info::displayVersion();
       std::printf("noctalia %s\n", version.c_str());
       return 0;
     }
-    if (std::strcmp(flag, "--help") == 0) {
+    if (std::strcmp(flag, "--help") == 0 || std::strcmp(flag, "-h") == 0) {
       std::puts("Usage: noctalia [OPTIONS]\n"
                 "\n"
                 "Options:\n"
-                "  --help     Show this help message\n"
-                "  --version  Show version information\n"
+                "  -h, --help       Show this help message\n"
+                "  -v, --version    Show version information\n"
+                "  -d, --daemon     Run in background\n"
                 "\n"
                 "Subcommands:\n"
                 "  msg <command>    Send a command to the running instance\n"
@@ -51,16 +151,90 @@ namespace {
     return -1;
   }
 
+  bool takeDaemonPipeFromEnv() {
+    const char* value = std::getenv(kDaemonPipeEnv);
+    if (value == nullptr || value[0] == '\0') {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    errno = 0;
+    char* end = nullptr;
+    const long fd = std::strtol(value, &end, 10);
+    (void)::unsetenv(kDaemonPipeEnv);
+    if (errno != 0 || end == value || *end != '\0' || fd < 0) {
+      std::fprintf(stderr, "error: invalid %s value: %s\n", kDaemonPipeEnv, value);
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    g_daemonPipe = static_cast<int>(fd);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  SpawnResult daemonize(pid_t* outPid, int* parentPipe, char* const argv[]) {
+    auto pipeFds = std::array<int, 2>{-1, -1};
+    if (::pipe(pipeFds.data()) == -1) {
+      std::perror("pipe");
+      return SpawnResult::Error;
+    }
+
+    pid_t pid = ::fork();
+    if (pid < 0) {
+      std::perror("fork");
+      closeFd(pipeFds[0]);
+      closeFd(pipeFds[1]);
+      return SpawnResult::Error;
+    }
+
+    if (pid > 0) {
+      if (outPid)
+        *outPid = pid;
+      if (parentPipe)
+        *parentPipe = pipeFds[0];
+      closeFd(pipeFds[1]);
+      return SpawnResult::Parent;
+    }
+
+    closeFd(pipeFds[0]);
+    // Match v4's early daemon boundary, but exec before shell startup so GLib,
+    // D-Bus, and polkit start from a normal process image rather than a raw
+    // post-fork child.
+    if (::setsid() == -1) {
+      std::perror("setsid");
+      const int daemonResult = 1;
+      (void)writeAll(pipeFds[1], &daemonResult, sizeof(daemonResult));
+      closeFd(pipeFds[1]);
+      _exit(1);
+    }
+
+    const std::string pipeFd = std::to_string(pipeFds[1]);
+    if (::setenv(kDaemonPipeEnv, pipeFd.c_str(), 1) == -1) {
+      std::perror("setenv");
+      const int daemonResult = 1;
+      (void)writeAll(pipeFds[1], &daemonResult, sizeof(daemonResult));
+      closeFd(pipeFds[1]);
+      _exit(1);
+    }
+
+    ::execvp(argv[0], argv);
+    std::perror("execvp");
+    const int daemonResult = 1;
+    (void)writeAll(pipeFds[1], &daemonResult, sizeof(daemonResult));
+    closeFd(pipeFds[1]);
+    _exit(1);
+  }
+
   int runShell() {
     if (IpcClient::isRunning()) {
       std::fputs("error: noctalia is already running\n", stderr);
+      completeDaemonStartup(1);
       return 1;
     }
     try {
       Application app;
-      app.run();
+      app.run([]() { completeDaemonStartup(0); });
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
       logError("fatal: {}", e.what());
+      completeDaemonStartup(1);
       return 1;
     }
     return 0;
@@ -79,6 +253,23 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 #endif
 
   std::setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
+
+  const bool isDaemonChild = takeDaemonPipeFromEnv();
+  bool shouldDaemonize = false;
+
+  for (int i = 1; i < argc; ++i) {
+    if (std::strcmp(argv[i], "--daemon") == 0 || std::strcmp(argv[i], "--daemonize") == 0 ||
+        std::strcmp(argv[i], "-d") == 0) {
+      shouldDaemonize = true;
+      for (int j = i; j < argc - 1; ++j) {
+        argv[j] = argv[j + 1];
+      }
+      --argc;
+      argv[argc] = nullptr;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
   if (argc >= 2) {
     if (std::strcmp(argv[1], "theme") == 0)
       return noctalia::theme::runCli(argc, argv);
@@ -89,9 +280,37 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   }
 
   for (int i = 1; i < argc; ++i) {
-    const int rc = runTopLevelFlag(argv[i]);
-    if (rc >= 0)
-      return rc;
+    if (argv[i][0] == '-') {
+      const int rc = runTopLevelFlag(argv[i]);
+      if (rc >= 0)
+        return rc;
+
+      std::fprintf(stderr, "error: unknown option: %s\n", argv[i]);
+      return 1;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (shouldDaemonize && !isDaemonChild) {
+    pid_t pid = -1;
+    int parentPipe = -1;
+    SpawnResult result = daemonize(&pid, &parentPipe, argv);
+
+    if (result == SpawnResult::Error) {
+      return 1;
+    }
+    if (result == SpawnResult::Parent) {
+      int daemonResult = 1;
+      const bool receivedResult = readAll(parentPipe, &daemonResult, sizeof(daemonResult));
+      closeFd(parentPipe);
+      if (!receivedResult) {
+        std::fputs("error: failed to wait for daemon startup\n", stderr);
+        return 1;
+      }
+      if (daemonResult == 0) {
+        std::printf("noctalia started [pid: %d]\n", pid);
+      }
+      return daemonResult;
+    }
   }
 
   return runShell();