diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/main/lifecycle/index.ts b/packages/desktop/src/main/lifecycle/index.ts
index 68624d2ed3..ac9f6373c3 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/main/lifecycle/index.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/main/lifecycle/index.ts
@@ -147,8 +147,9 @@ const platform = Layer.merge(DesktopLogging.layer, Shutdown.layer)
 
 export const layer = Layer.unwrap(
   Effect.gen(function* () {
-    if (!acquireApplicationLock()) return yield* Effect.interrupt
+    // Electron scopes the single-instance lock to userData.
     yield* configureApplication()
+    if (!acquireApplicationLock()) return yield* Effect.interrupt
     return runtime.pipe(Layer.provideMerge(platform))
   }),
 )