diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/src/index.js b/packages/bruno-electron/src/index.js
index bf70bc274..ab62c48fe 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-electron/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/src/index.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 const { execSync } = require('node:child_process');
 const isDev = require('electron-is-dev');
 const os = require('os');
-const { initializeShellEnv } = require('@usebruno/requests');
+const { initializeShellEnv, waitForShellEnv } = require('./store/shell-env-state');
 const { percentageToZoomLevel } = require('@usebruno/common');
 
 if (isDev) {
@@ -181,8 +181,7 @@ if (useSingleInstance && !gotTheLock) {
 
 // Prepare the renderer once the app is ready
 app.on('ready', async () => {
-  // Ensure shell environment is loaded before any operations that need it
-  await initializeShellEnv();
+  initializeShellEnv();
 
   if (isDev) {
     const { installExtension, REDUX_DEVTOOLS, REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS } = require('electron-devtools-installer');
@@ -203,8 +202,10 @@ app.on('ready', async () => {
 
   // Initialize system proxy cache early (non-blocking)
   const { fetchSystemProxy } = require('./store/system-proxy');
-  fetchSystemProxy().catch((err) => {
-    console.warn('Failed to initialize system proxy cache:', err);
+  waitForShellEnv().then(() => {
+    fetchSystemProxy().catch((err) => {
+      console.warn('Failed to initialize system proxy cache:', err);
+    });
   });
 
   Menu.setApplicationMenu(menu);
diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/shell-env-state.js b/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/shell-env-state.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95773f8d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/shell-env-state.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+const { initializeShellEnv: _initializeShellEnv } = require('@usebruno/requests');
+
+const TIMEOUT_MS = 60_000;
+
+let _promise = null;
+
+const _initWithTimeout = () => {
+  let timer;
+  const timeout = new Promise((_, reject) => {
+    timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      _promise = null;
+      reject(new Error('Shell environment initialization timed out'));
+    }, TIMEOUT_MS);
+  });
+  return Promise.race([_initializeShellEnv(), timeout]).finally(() => clearTimeout(timer));
+};
+
+const initializeShellEnv = () => {
+  if (!_promise) _promise = _initWithTimeout();
+};
+
+const waitForShellEnv = () => {
+  if (!_promise) _promise = _initWithTimeout();
+  return _promise;
+};
+
+module.exports = { initializeShellEnv, waitForShellEnv };
diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/tests/shell-env-state.spec.js b/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/tests/shell-env-state.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aeb40f00d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/src/store/tests/shell-env-state.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+let mockInitialize;
+
+jest.mock('@usebruno/requests', () => ({
+  initializeShellEnv: (...args) => mockInitialize(...args)
+}));
+
+describe('shell-env-state', () => {
+  let initializeShellEnv, waitForShellEnv;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetModules();
+    mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+    ({ initializeShellEnv, waitForShellEnv } = require('../shell-env-state'));
+  });
+
+  describe('initializeShellEnv', () => {
+    it('calls the underlying initializer exactly once on first call', () => {
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      expect(mockInitialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    it('returns undefined (fire-and-forget)', () => {
+      const result = initializeShellEnv();
+      expect(result).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('waitForShellEnv', () => {
+    it('returns a promise', () => {
+      const result = waitForShellEnv();
+      expect(result).toBeInstanceOf(Promise);
+    });
+
+    it('resolves when the underlying promise resolves', async () => {
+      mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve('shell-ready'));
+
+      await expect(waitForShellEnv()).resolves.toBe('shell-ready');
+    });
+
+    it('returns the same promise on repeated calls', () => {
+      const p1 = waitForShellEnv();
+      const p2 = waitForShellEnv();
+      expect(p1).toBe(p2);
+    });
+
+    it('does not reinitialize if initializeShellEnv was already called', () => {
+      initializeShellEnv();
+      waitForShellEnv();
+      expect(mockInitialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    it('propagates rejection from the underlying initializer', async () => {
+      const err = new Error('shell init failed');
+      mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => Promise.reject(err));
+
+      await expect(waitForShellEnv()).rejects.toThrow('shell init failed');
+    });
+
+    describe('timeout', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => jest.useFakeTimers());
+      afterEach(() => jest.useRealTimers());
+
+      it('rejects after 60 seconds', async () => {
+        mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => new Promise(() => {})); // never resolves
+        ({ waitForShellEnv } = require('../shell-env-state'));
+
+        const p = waitForShellEnv();
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(60_000);
+
+        await expect(p).rejects.toThrow('Shell environment initialization timed out');
+      });
+
+      it('resets the promise after timeout so next call retries', async () => {
+        mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => new Promise(() => {}));
+        ({ initializeShellEnv, waitForShellEnv } = require('../shell-env-state'));
+
+        const p = waitForShellEnv();
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(60_000);
+        await expect(p).rejects.toThrow('timed out');
+
+        // After timeout _promise is null — next call should reinitialize
+        mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve('retry-ok'));
+        const p2 = waitForShellEnv();
+        await expect(p2).resolves.toBe('retry-ok');
+        expect(mockInitialize).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      });
+
+      it('does not time out if the initializer resolves in time', async () => {
+        mockInitialize = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve('fast'));
+        ({ waitForShellEnv } = require('../shell-env-state'));
+
+        const p = waitForShellEnv();
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(59_999);
+
+        await expect(p).resolves.toBe('fast');
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});