diff --git a/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.test.ts b/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.test.ts
index 3d0b54d7824..e12e71ae109 100644
--- a/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.test.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,43 @@ describe('focusExistingMainWindow', () => {
     expect(raceWindow.calls.focus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
 
+  it('reinforces win32 activation when a window is recovered on the retry path', () => {
+    const app = makeFakeApp()
+    const timer = makeTimer()
+    const openedWindow = makeFakeWindow()
+    const warn = vi.fn()
+    let attempts = 0
+    const openWindow = vi.fn(() => {
+      attempts += 1
+      if (attempts < 2) {
+        throw new Error('transient failure')
+      }
+      return openedWindow
+    })
+
+    focusExistingMainWindow({
+      app,
+      getWindow: () => null,
+      openWindow,
+      warn,
+      platform: 'win32',
+      setTimeout: timer.setTimeout
+    })
+
+    timer.run(300)
+    // Why: the retry callback must run the same win32 reinforcement + focus retry
+    // as the sync success path, not just show/focus.
+    expect(openedWindow.calls.moveTop).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(openedWindow.calls.setAlwaysOnTop).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true)
+
+    timer.run(100)
+    expect(app.focus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(openedWindow.calls.focus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+
+    timer.run(250)
+    expect(openedWindow.calls.setAlwaysOnTop).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(false)
+  })
+
   it('gives up after exhausting reopen retries', () => {
     const timer = makeTimer()
     const warn = vi.fn()
@@ -253,5 +290,8 @@ describe('focusExistingMainWindow', () => {
     // a further run() call must not schedule or fire a 4th attempt.
     expect(openWindow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
     expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    timer.run(300)
+    expect(openWindow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.ts b/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.ts
index 874c9adbfa5..21d1fd96b94 100644
--- a/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/focus-existing-window.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,27 @@ function retryFocus(window: BrowserWindow, app: Pick<App, 'focus'>, setTimer: Fo
   }, 100)
 }
 
+// Why: shared so the sync success path and the async retry/adopt callback can't
+// drift on win32 reinforcement (moveTop/pulseAlwaysOnTop) or the 100ms focus retry.
+function activateWindow(
+  window: BrowserWindow,
+  app: Pick<App, 'focus'>,
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform,
+  setTimer: FocusTimer
+): void {
+  safelyFocusApp(app)
+  safelyRevealWindow(window)
+  if (platform === 'win32') {
+    try {
+      window.moveTop()
+    } catch {
+      // Older Electron versions or destroyed windows may reject this; focus retry remains.
+    }
+    pulseAlwaysOnTop(window, setTimer)
+  }
+  retryFocus(window, app, setTimer)
+}
+
 // Why: a second-instance/activate reopen can race transient startup pressure
 // (e.g. GPU/process churn right after another launch attempt exits); one
 // swallowed throw would otherwise strand the app with no window until some
@@ -73,6 +94,7 @@ const REOPEN_RETRY_DELAY_MS = 300
 
 function openWindowWithRetry(
   opts: Pick<FocusExistingMainWindowOptions, 'app' | 'getWindow' | 'openWindow' | 'warn'>,
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform,
   setTimer: FocusTimer,
   attempt: number
 ): BrowserWindow | null {
@@ -93,10 +115,9 @@ function openWindowWithRetry(
       const window =
         existing && !existing.isDestroyed()
           ? existing
-          : openWindowWithRetry(opts, setTimer, attempt + 1)
+          : openWindowWithRetry(opts, platform, setTimer, attempt + 1)
       if (window) {
-        safelyFocusApp(opts.app)
-        safelyRevealWindow(window)
+        activateWindow(window, opts.app, platform, setTimer)
       }
     }, REOPEN_RETRY_DELAY_MS)
     return null
@@ -115,23 +136,13 @@ export function focusExistingMainWindow(
     if (!opts.app.isReady()) {
       return 'pending'
     }
-    window = openWindowWithRetry(opts, setTimer, 1)
+    window = openWindowWithRetry(opts, platform, setTimer, 1)
     if (!window) {
       return 'pending'
     }
     openedWindow = true
   }
 
-  safelyFocusApp(opts.app)
-  safelyRevealWindow(window)
-  if (platform === 'win32') {
-    try {
-      window.moveTop()
-    } catch {
-      // Older Electron versions or destroyed windows may reject this; focus retry remains.
-    }
-    pulseAlwaysOnTop(window, setTimer)
-  }
-  retryFocus(window, opts.app, setTimer)
+  activateWindow(window, opts.app, platform, setTimer)
   return openedWindow ? 'opened' : 'focused'
 }