diff --git a/src/MultiSeat.Service/Sessions/ProcessInjector.cs b/src/MultiSeat.Service/Sessions/ProcessInjector.cs
index 80c8b92..f6db956 100644
--- a/src/MultiSeat.Service/Sessions/ProcessInjector.cs
+++ b/src/MultiSeat.Service/Sessions/ProcessInjector.cs
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ public async Task<int> LaunchInSessionAsync(
         string? arguments = null,
         string? workingDir = null,
         CancellationToken ct = default,
-        bool allowConsoleSession = false)
+        bool allowConsoleSession = false,
+        bool minimized = false)
     {
         _logger.LogInformation(
             "Launching '{Exe}' in session {Sid} (account: {Account})",
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ public async Task<int> LaunchInSessionAsync(
                 cb = Marshal.SizeOf<Kernel32.StartupInfo>(),
                 lpDesktop = @"WinSta0\Default",
                 dwFlags = Kernel32.STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW,
-                wShowWindow = Kernel32.SW_SHOW  // games should be visible
+                wShowWindow = ShowWindowFor(minimized)
             };
 
             var creationFlags = CreationFlagsFor(launchPlan.Supervised);
@@ -209,6 +210,15 @@ internal static uint CreationFlagsFor(bool supervised) =>
         (supervised ? Kernel32.CREATE_NO_WINDOW : Kernel32.CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE) |
         Kernel32.NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initial window state for a launch in a seat. Games are shown, as they always were. Seat
+    /// Apollo is started minimized without taking focus, so its console does not sit in the seat's
+    /// view. It keeps its console (CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE, not CREATE_NO_WINDOW) so GetConsoleWindow
+    /// stays non-NULL for Apollo's restart and quit logic; see issue #120.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static short ShowWindowFor(bool minimized) =>
+        minimized ? Kernel32.SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE : Kernel32.SW_SHOW;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Launch Apollo streaming server inside a target session.
     /// Special handling: Apollo needs specific env vars and the config path.
@@ -220,18 +230,29 @@ public Task<int> LaunchApolloInSessionAsync(
         string configPath,
         CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        var arguments = $"\"{configPath}\"";
+        var request = ApolloLaunchRequestFor(apolloExePath, configPath);
+        return LaunchInSessionAsync(
+            sessionId, accountName,
+            request.ExePath, request.Arguments,
+            request.WorkingDir,
+            ct,
+            minimized: request.Minimized);
+    }
 
+    /// <summary>What a seat Apollo launch asks LaunchInSessionAsync for.</summary>
+    internal readonly record struct ApolloLaunchRequest(
+        string ExePath, string Arguments, string? WorkingDir, bool Minimized);
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Builds the seat Apollo launch request. The one place that decides Apollo starts minimized
+    /// (issue #120).
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static ApolloLaunchRequest ApolloLaunchRequestFor(string apolloExePath, string configPath) =>
         // Working dir = per-seat config dir (not the Apollo install dir).
         // Apollo resolves sunshine_state.json from {workingDir}/config/sunshine_state.json.
         // Each seat must have its own working dir so they get distinct UUIDs and
         // Moonlight can list them as separate servers.
-        return LaunchInSessionAsync(
-            sessionId, accountName,
-            apolloExePath, arguments,
-            Path.GetDirectoryName(configPath),
-            ct);
-    }
+        new(apolloExePath, $"\"{configPath}\"", Path.GetDirectoryName(configPath), Minimized: true);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Refuse to launch a seat's process into the console session.
diff --git a/src/MultiSeat.Tests/Sessions/SteamIsolationOptionsTests.cs b/src/MultiSeat.Tests/Sessions/SteamIsolationOptionsTests.cs
index 64230f6..d9e9fe9 100644
--- a/src/MultiSeat.Tests/Sessions/SteamIsolationOptionsTests.cs
+++ b/src/MultiSeat.Tests/Sessions/SteamIsolationOptionsTests.cs
@@ -69,4 +69,49 @@ public void OrdinaryLaunchKeepsItsNewConsole()
             Kernel32.CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT | Kernel32.CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE | Kernel32.NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS,
             flags);
     }
+
+    // Seat Apollo starts minimized without stealing focus (issue #120); everything else is shown.
+    // Apollo keeps its console, so GetConsoleWindow stays non-NULL.
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApolloLaunchIsMinimizedWithoutActivation()
+    {
+        Assert.Equal(Kernel32.SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE, ProcessInjector.ShowWindowFor(minimized: true));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void OrdinaryLaunchStaysVisible()
+    {
+        Assert.Equal(Kernel32.SW_SHOW, ProcessInjector.ShowWindowFor(minimized: false));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApolloLaunchKeepsItsConsoleAndNeverUsesNoWindow()
+    {
+        // Apollo is never supervised, so it takes the ordinary flags.
+        var flags = ProcessInjector.CreationFlagsFor(supervised: false);
+        Assert.True((flags & Kernel32.CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE) != 0);
+        Assert.True((flags & Kernel32.CREATE_NO_WINDOW) == 0);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void SupervisedLaunchWindowStateIsUnchanged()
+    {
+        // The supervised Steam launch is not minimized: only the Apollo launch asks for that.
+        Assert.Equal(Kernel32.SW_SHOW, ProcessInjector.ShowWindowFor(minimized: false));
+        Assert.True((ProcessInjector.CreationFlagsFor(supervised: true) & Kernel32.CREATE_NO_WINDOW) != 0);
+    }
+
+    // The wiring: the Apollo launch request is minimized, quotes the config path, and runs from
+    // the config file's directory.
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApolloLaunchRequestIsMinimizedWithSeatConfigAndWorkingDir()
+    {
+        var request = ProcessInjector.ApolloLaunchRequestFor(
+            @"C:\Program Files\ApolloVibe\sunshine.exe",
+            @"C:\Seats\seat1\config\sunshine.conf");
+        Assert.True(request.Minimized);
+        Assert.Equal(@"C:\Program Files\ApolloVibe\sunshine.exe", request.ExePath);
+        Assert.Equal("\"C:\\Seats\\seat1\\config\\sunshine.conf\"", request.Arguments);
+        Assert.Equal(@"C:\Seats\seat1\config", request.WorkingDir);
+    }
 }