diff --git a/electron/electron-env.d.ts b/electron/electron-env.d.ts
index 178313d..4716472 100644
--- a/electron/electron-env.d.ts
+++ b/electron/electron-env.d.ts
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ interface Window {
 		showCountdownOverlay: (value: number) => Promise<void>;
 		setCountdownOverlayValue: (value: number) => Promise<void>;
 		hideCountdownOverlay: () => Promise<void>;
-		onCountdownOverlayValue: (callback: (value: number) => void) => () => void;
+		onCountdownOverlayValue: (callback: (value: number | null) => void) => () => void;
 		setMicrophoneExpanded: (expanded: boolean) => void;
 		setHasUnsavedChanges: (hasChanges: boolean) => void;
 		onRequestSaveBeforeClose: (callback: () => Promise<boolean> | boolean) => () => void;
diff --git a/electron/ipc/handlers.ts b/electron/ipc/handlers.ts
index 66ea746..fdabf6c 100644
--- a/electron/ipc/handlers.ts
+++ b/electron/ipc/handlers.ts
@@ -359,7 +359,30 @@ export function registerIpcHandlers(
 	onRecordingStateChange?: (recording: boolean, sourceName: string) => void,
 	switchToHud?: () => void,
 ) {
-	ipcMain.handle("countdown-overlay-show", async (_, value: number) => {
+	const countdownOverlayState = {
+		visible: false,
+		value: null as number | null,
+	};
+
+	const flushCountdownOverlayState = (win: BrowserWindow) => {
+		if (win.isDestroyed()) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		win.webContents.send("countdown-overlay-value", countdownOverlayState.value);
+		if (countdownOverlayState.visible && !win.isVisible()) {
+			setTimeout(() => {
+				if (!win.isDestroyed() && countdownOverlayState.visible && !win.isVisible()) {
+					win.showInactive();
+				}
+			}, 16);
+		}
+	};
+
+	ipcMain.handle("countdown-overlay-show", (_, value: number) => {
+		countdownOverlayState.visible = true;
+		countdownOverlayState.value = value;
+
 		const win = getCountdownOverlayWindow() ?? createCountdownOverlayWindow();
 		if (win.isDestroyed()) {
 			return;
@@ -368,38 +391,47 @@ export function registerIpcHandlers(
 		if (win.webContents.isLoading()) {
 			win.webContents.once("did-finish-load", () => {
 				if (!win.isDestroyed()) {
-					win.webContents.send("countdown-overlay-value", value);
-					win.showInactive();
+					flushCountdownOverlayState(win);
 				}
 			});
 		} else {
-			win.webContents.send("countdown-overlay-value", value);
-			win.showInactive();
+			flushCountdownOverlayState(win);
 		}
 	});
 
 	ipcMain.handle("countdown-overlay-set-value", (_, value: number) => {
+		countdownOverlayState.value = value;
+
 		const win = getCountdownOverlayWindow();
 		if (!win || win.isDestroyed()) {
 			return;
 		}
 
+		if (win.webContents.isLoading()) {
+			return;
+		}
+
 		win.webContents.send("countdown-overlay-value", value);
 	});
 
 	ipcMain.handle("countdown-overlay-hide", () => {
+		countdownOverlayState.visible = false;
+		countdownOverlayState.value = null;
+
 		const win = getCountdownOverlayWindow();
 		if (!win || win.isDestroyed()) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		win.hide();
+		if (!win.webContents.isLoading()) {
+			win.webContents.send("countdown-overlay-value", countdownOverlayState.value);
+		}
 	});
 
 	ipcMain.handle("switch-to-hud", () => {
 		if (switchToHud) switchToHud();
 	});
-	ipcMain.handle("start-new-recording", async () => {
+	ipcMain.handle("start-new-recording", () => {
 		try {
 			setCurrentRecordingSessionState(null);
 			if (switchToHud) {
diff --git a/electron/main.ts b/electron/main.ts
index 6e0e0d5..ad0a33f 100644
--- a/electron/main.ts
+++ b/electron/main.ts
@@ -349,8 +349,17 @@ app.on("window-all-closed", () => {
 app.on("activate", () => {
 	// On OS X it's common to re-create a window in the app when the
 	// dock icon is clicked and there are no other windows open.
-	if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0) {
-		createWindow();
+	const hasVisibleWindow = BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().some((window) => {
+		if (window.isDestroyed() || !window.isVisible()) {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		const url = window.webContents.getURL();
+		const isCountdownOverlayWindow = url.includes("windowType=countdown-overlay");
+		return !isCountdownOverlayWindow;
+	});
+	if (!hasVisibleWindow) {
+		showMainWindow();
 	}
 });
 
diff --git a/electron/preload.ts b/electron/preload.ts
index 15773df..77b7d99 100644
--- a/electron/preload.ts
+++ b/electron/preload.ts
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electronAPI", {
 	hideCountdownOverlay: () => {
 		return ipcRenderer.invoke("countdown-overlay-hide");
 	},
-	onCountdownOverlayValue: (callback: (value: number) => void) => {
-		const listener = (_event: unknown, value: number) => callback(value);
+	onCountdownOverlayValue: (callback: (value: number | null) => void) => {
+		const listener = (_event: unknown, value: number | null) => callback(value);
 		ipcRenderer.on("countdown-overlay-value", listener);
 		return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener("countdown-overlay-value", listener);
 	},
diff --git a/electron/windows.ts b/electron/windows.ts
index a5ed36f..daa6e5e 100644
--- a/electron/windows.ts
+++ b/electron/windows.ts
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ export function createCountdownOverlayWindow(): BrowserWindow {
 		transparent: true,
 		backgroundColor: "#00000000",
 		hasShadow: false,
-		show: !HEADLESS,
+		show: false,
 		webPreferences: {
 			preload: path.join(__dirname, "preload.mjs"),
 			nodeIntegration: false,
diff --git a/src/components/launch/CountdownOverlay.tsx b/src/components/launch/CountdownOverlay.tsx
index afe2cc9..a3a149d 100644
--- a/src/components/launch/CountdownOverlay.tsx
+++ b/src/components/launch/CountdownOverlay.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 
 export function CountdownOverlay() {
-	const [value, setValue] = useState(3);
+	const [value, setValue] = useState<number | null>(null);
 
 	useEffect(() => {
 		const unsubscribe = window.electronAPI.onCountdownOverlayValue((nextValue) => {
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ export function CountdownOverlay() {
 
 	return (
 		<div className="w-screen h-screen bg-transparent flex items-center justify-center pointer-events-none select-none">
-			<div className="text-white/90 text-[120px] font-bold leading-none tabular-nums">{value}</div>
+			{value === null ? null : (
+				<div className="text-white/90 text-[120px] font-bold leading-none tabular-nums">
+					{value}
+				</div>
+			)}
 		</div>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/src/hooks/useScreenRecorder.ts b/src/hooks/useScreenRecorder.ts
index b1e0bb9..6a17c1e 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useScreenRecorder.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useScreenRecorder.ts
@@ -401,6 +401,9 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 		}
 	};
 
+	const isCountdownRunActive = (runId?: number) =>
+		runId === undefined || countdownRunId.current === runId;
+
 	const startRecordCountdown = async () => {
 		if (countdownActive || recording) {
 			return;
@@ -442,16 +445,16 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 				return;
 			}
 
-			await startRecording();
+			await startRecording(runId);
 		} finally {
 			if (countdownRunId.current === runId) {
 				setCountdownActive(false);
+				await safeHideCountdownOverlay();
 			}
-			await safeHideCountdownOverlay();
 		}
 	};
 
-	const startRecording = async () => {
+	const startRecording = async (countdownRunToken?: number) => {
 		try {
 			const selectedSource = await window.electronAPI.getSelectedSource();
 			if (!selectedSource) {
@@ -459,6 +462,11 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 				return;
 			}
 
+			if (!isCountdownRunActive(countdownRunToken)) {
+				teardownMedia();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			let screenMediaStream: MediaStream;
 
 			const videoConstraints = {
@@ -499,6 +507,11 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 			}
 			screenStream.current = screenMediaStream;
 
+			if (!isCountdownRunActive(countdownRunToken)) {
+				teardownMedia();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if (microphoneEnabled) {
 				try {
 					microphoneStream.current = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({
@@ -523,6 +536,11 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 				}
 			}
 
+			if (!isCountdownRunActive(countdownRunToken)) {
+				teardownMedia();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if (webcamEnabled) {
 				try {
 					webcamStream.current = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({
@@ -551,6 +569,11 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 				}
 			}
 
+			if (!isCountdownRunActive(countdownRunToken)) {
+				teardownMedia();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			stream.current = new MediaStream();
 			const videoTrack = screenMediaStream.getVideoTracks()[0];
 			if (!videoTrack) {
@@ -610,6 +633,11 @@ export function useScreenRecorder(): UseScreenRecorderReturn {
 			);
 
 			const hasAudio = stream.current.getAudioTracks().length > 0;
+			if (!isCountdownRunActive(countdownRunToken)) {
+				teardownMedia();
+				return;
+			}
+
 			screenRecorder.current = createRecorderHandle(stream.current, {
 				mimeType,
 				videoBitsPerSecond,