diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 287b65f..d024e4a 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,28 @@ impl<R: Runtime> WindowExt for WebviewWindow<R> {
   }
 }
 
+#[tauri::command]
+async fn warm_up_nodecar() -> Result<(), String> {
+  use tokio::process::Command;
+  use tokio::time::{timeout, Duration};
+
+  let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
+
+  let warmup_future = Command::new("nodecar").output();
+  match timeout(Duration::from_secs(15), warmup_future).await {
+    Ok(Ok(_output)) => {
+      let duration = start_time.elapsed();
+      println!(
+        "Nodecar warm-up (frontend-triggered) completed in {:.2}s",
+        duration.as_secs_f64()
+      );
+      Ok(())
+    }
+    Ok(Err(e)) => Err(format!("Failed to start nodecar warm-up: {e}")),
+    Err(_) => Err("Nodecar warm-up timed out after 15s".to_string()),
+  }
+}
+
 #[tauri::command]
 async fn handle_url_open(app: tauri::AppHandle, url: String) -> Result<(), String> {
   println!("handle_url_open called with URL: {url}");
@@ -460,36 +482,7 @@ pub fn run() {
         }
       });
 
-      // Warm up nodecar binary in the background
-      tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
-        println!("Starting nodecar warm-up...");
-        let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
-
-        // Send a ping request to nodecar to trigger unpacking/warm-up
-        match tokio::process::Command::new("nodecar").output().await {
-          Ok(output) => {
-            let duration = start_time.elapsed();
-            if output.status.success() {
-              println!(
-                "Nodecar warm-up completed successfully in {:.2}s",
-                duration.as_secs_f64()
-              );
-            } else {
-              println!(
-                "Nodecar warm-up completed with non-zero exit code in {:.2}s",
-                duration.as_secs_f64()
-              );
-            }
-          }
-          Err(e) => {
-            let duration = start_time.elapsed();
-            println!(
-              "Nodecar warm-up failed after {:.2}s: {e}",
-              duration.as_secs_f64()
-            );
-          }
-        }
-      });
+      // Nodecar warm-up is now triggered from the frontend to allow UI blocking overlay
 
       Ok(())
     })
@@ -549,6 +542,7 @@ pub fn run() {
       delete_selected_profiles,
       is_geoip_database_available,
       download_geoip_database,
+      warm_up_nodecar,
     ])
     .run(tauri::generate_context!())
     .expect("error while running tauri application");
diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index a18f8b2..d68579c 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ interface PendingUrl {
 }
 
 export default function Home() {
+  const [isInitializing, setIsInitializing] = useState(true);
   const [profiles, setProfiles] = useState<BrowserProfile[]>([]);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [createProfileDialogOpen, setCreateProfileDialogOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -260,6 +261,28 @@ export default function Home() {
     }
   }, [hasCheckedStartupPrompt]);
 
+  // Warm up nodecar at startup and block UI until complete
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    (async () => {
+      try {
+        await invoke("warm_up_nodecar");
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setError(
+            `Initialization failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`,
+          );
+        }
+      } finally {
+        if (!cancelled) setIsInitializing(false);
+      }
+    })();
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
   const checkAllPermissions = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
       // Wait for permissions to be initialized before checking
@@ -778,6 +801,17 @@ export default function Home() {
         </div>
       </main>
 
+      {isInitializing && (
+        <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[100000] backdrop-blur-sm bg-black/30 flex items-center justify-center">
+          <div className="bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 rounded-xl p-6 shadow-xl border border-black/10 dark:border-white/10 w-[320px] text-center">
+            <div className="animate-spin rounded-full h-8 w-8 border-2 border-gray-300 border-t-gray-900 dark:border-gray-700 dark:border-t-white mx-auto mb-4" />
+            <div className="font-medium">
+              Initialization, please don't close the app
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       <CreateProfileDialog
         isOpen={createProfileDialogOpen}
         onClose={() => {