diff --git a/src/chrome/content/overlay.js b/src/chrome/content/overlay.js
index e975b6c..f75b370 100644
--- a/src/chrome/content/overlay.js
+++ b/src/chrome/content/overlay.js
@@ -17,20 +17,15 @@ var firetrayChrome = { // each new window gets a new firetrayChrome !
     let init = firetray.Handler.initialized || firetray.Handler.init();
 
     LOG("ONLOAD"); firetray.Handler.dumpWindows();
-    firetray.Handler.registerWindow(win);
+    let winId = firetray.Handler.registerWindow(win);
 
-    // update unread messages count
     if (firetray.Handler.inMailApp && firetray.Messaging.initialized)
       firetray.Messaging.updateMsgCount();
 
-    // prevent window closing.
     win.addEventListener('close', firetrayChrome.onClose, true);
 
-    if (!firetray.Handler.appStarted
-        && firetray.Utils.prefService.getBoolPref('start_hidden')) {
+    if (firetray.Handler.windows[winId].startHidden) {
       LOG('start_hidden');
-      let winId = firetray.Handler.getWindowIdFromChromeWindow(win);
-      LOG('winId='+winId);
       firetray.Handler.hideSingleWindow(winId);
     }
 
@@ -63,7 +58,7 @@ var firetrayChrome = { // each new window gets a new firetrayChrome !
         firetray.Handler.hideSingleWindow(winId);
       } else
         firetray.Handler.hideAllWindows();
-      event && event.preventDefault(); // no event when called directly (xul)
+      event && event.preventDefault();
     }
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/modules/FiretrayHandler.jsm b/src/modules/FiretrayHandler.jsm
index 46607e0..db628f4 100644
--- a/src/modules/FiretrayHandler.jsm
+++ b/src/modules/FiretrayHandler.jsm
@@ -139,11 +139,10 @@ firetray.Handler = {
       LOG("RECEIVED: "+topic+", launching timer");
       // sessionstore-windows-restored does not come after the realization of
       // all windows... so we wait a little
-      var timer = Cc["@mozilla.org/timer;1"].createInstance(Ci.nsITimer);
-      timer.initWithCallback({ notify: function() {
+      firetray.Utils.timer(function() {
         firetray.Handler.appStarted = true;
         LOG("*** appStarted ***");
-      }}, FIRETRAY_DELAY_BROWSER_STARTUP_MILLISECONDS, Ci.nsITimer.TYPE_ONE_SHOT);
+      }, FIRETRAY_DELAY_BROWSER_STARTUP_MILLISECONDS, Ci.nsITimer.TYPE_ONE_SHOT);
       break;
     case "xpcom-will-shutdown":
       LOG("xpcom-will-shutdown");
@@ -360,7 +359,7 @@ firetray.PrefListener = new PrefListener(
     LOG('Pref changed: '+name);
     switch (name) {
     case 'hides_single_window':
-      firetray.Handler.updatePopupMenu();
+      firetray.Handler.showHidePopupMenuItems();
       break;
     case 'show_icon_on_hide':
       firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
diff --git a/src/modules/linux/FiretrayPopupMenu.jsm b/src/modules/linux/FiretrayPopupMenu.jsm
index 829c03a..4b958db 100644
--- a/src/modules/linux/FiretrayPopupMenu.jsm
+++ b/src/modules/linux/FiretrayPopupMenu.jsm
@@ -151,6 +151,9 @@ firetray.PopupMenu = {
   },
 
   showSingleWindowItem: function(xid) {
+    if (!this.windowItemsHandled())
+      return;
+
     LOG("showSingleWindowItem");
     let menuItemWindow = firetray.Handler.gtkPopupMenuWindowItems.get(xid);
     this.showItem(menuItemWindow);
@@ -173,13 +176,15 @@ firetray.PopupMenu = {
       this.hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparator(xid);
   },
 
-  // PopupMenu.hideItem(firetray.Handler.gtkPopupMenuWindowItems.get(xid))
   hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparator: function(xid) {
     this.hideSingleWindowItem(xid);
     this.hideWindowSeparator();
   },
 
   hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparatorMaybe: function(xid) {
+    if (!this.windowItemsHandled())
+      return;
+
     this.hideSingleWindowItem(xid);
     if (firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount === firetray.Handler.windowsCount)
       this.hideWindowSeparator();
@@ -202,19 +207,20 @@ firetray.PopupMenu = {
   hideWindowSeparator: function() {
     LOG("hiding menuSeparatorWindows");
     gtk.gtk_widget_hide(ctypes.cast(this.menuSeparatorWindows, gtk.GtkWidget.ptr));
+  },
+
+  showHideWindowItems: function() {
+    if (this.windowItemsHandled())
+      this.showAllWindowItemsOnlyVisibleWindows();
+    else
+      this.hideAllWindowItems();
+  },
+
+  windowItemsHandled: function() {
+    return (firetray.Handler.inBrowserApp &&
+            firetray.Utils.prefService.getBoolPref('hides_single_window'));
   }
 
 }; // firetray.PopupMenu
 
-
-firetray.Handler.popupMenuWindowItemsHandled = function() {
-  return (firetray.Handler.inBrowserApp &&
-          firetray.Utils.prefService.getBoolPref('hides_single_window'));
-};
-
-firetray.Handler.updatePopupMenu = function() {
-  if (firetray.Handler.popupMenuWindowItemsHandled())
-    firetray.PopupMenu.showAllWindowItemsOnlyVisibleWindows();
-  else
-    firetray.PopupMenu.hideAllWindowItems();
-};
+firetray.Handler.showHidePopupMenuItems = firetray.PopupMenu.showHideWindowItems;
diff --git a/src/modules/linux/FiretrayWindow.jsm b/src/modules/linux/FiretrayWindow.jsm
index a20cb9c..61d676a 100644
--- a/src/modules/linux/FiretrayWindow.jsm
+++ b/src/modules/linux/FiretrayWindow.jsm
@@ -188,7 +188,65 @@ firetray.Window = {
     return true;
   },
 
-  saveWindowPositionAndSize: function(xid) {
+  showSingleStateful: function(xid) {
+    LOG("showSingleStateful xid="+xid);
+
+    // try to restore previous state. TODO: z-order respected ?
+    firetray.Window.restorePositionAndSize(xid);
+    firetray.Window.restoreStates(xid);
+
+    // better visual effect if visibility set here instead of before
+    firetray.Window.setVisibility(xid, true);
+
+    firetray.Window.restoreDesktop(xid);               // after show
+    firetray.Window.activate(xid);
+
+    firetray.PopupMenu.hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparatorMaybe(xid);
+    firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+  },
+  showSingleStatelessOnce: function(xid) {
+    LOG("showSingleStateless");
+
+    firetray.Window.setVisibility(xid, true);
+
+    firetray.PopupMenu.hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparatorMaybe(xid);
+    firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+
+    firetray.Handler.windows[xid].show = firetray.Window.showSingleStateful; // reset
+  },
+
+  // NOTE: we keep using high-level cross-plat BaseWindow.visibility (instead of
+  // gdk_window_show_unraised)
+  /* FIXME: hiding windows should also hide child windows */
+  hideSingleStateful: function(xid) {
+    LOG("hideSingleStateful");
+
+    firetray.Window.savePositionAndSize(xid);
+    firetray.Window.saveStates(xid);
+    firetray.Window.saveDesktop(xid);
+
+    firetray.Window.setVisibility(xid, false);
+
+    firetray.PopupMenu.showSingleWindowItem(xid);
+    firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+  },
+  /**
+   * hides without saving window states (position, size, ...) This is needed
+   * when application starts hidden: as windows are not realized, their state
+   * is not accurate.
+   */
+  hideSingleStatelessOnce: function(xid) {
+    LOG("hideSingleStateless");
+
+    firetray.Window.setVisibility(xid, false);
+
+    firetray.PopupMenu.showSingleWindowItem(xid);
+    firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+
+    firetray.Handler.windows[xid].hide = firetray.Window.hideSingleStateful; // reset
+  },
+
+  savePositionAndSize: function(xid) {
     let gx = {}, gy = {}, gwidth = {}, gheight = {};
     firetray.Handler.windows[xid].baseWin.getPositionAndSize(gx, gy, gwidth, gheight);
     firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedX = gx.value;
@@ -198,7 +256,7 @@ firetray.Window = {
     LOG("save: gx="+gx.value+", gy="+gy.value+", gwidth="+gwidth.value+", gheight="+gheight.value);
   },
 
-  restoreWindowPositionAndSize: function(xid) {
+  restorePositionAndSize: function(xid) {
     if ("undefined" === typeof(firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedX))
       return; // windows[xid].saved* may not be initialized
 
@@ -215,13 +273,13 @@ firetray.Window = {
     });
   },
 
-  saveWindowStates: function(xid) {
+  saveStates: function(xid) {
     let winStates = firetray.Window.getXWindowStates(x11.Window(xid));
     firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedStates = winStates;
     LOG("save: windowStates="+winStates);
   },
 
-  restoreWindowStates: function(xid) {
+  restoreStates: function(xid) {
     let winStates = firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedStates;
     LOG("restored WindowStates: " + winStates);
     if (winStates & FIRETRAY_XWINDOW_MAXIMIZED) {
@@ -235,15 +293,15 @@ firetray.Window = {
     delete firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedStates;
   },
 
-  saveWindowDesktop: function(xid) {
+  saveDesktop: function(xid) {
     let winDesktop = firetray.Window.getXWindowDesktop(x11.Window(xid));
     firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedDesktop = winDesktop;
     LOG("save: windowDesktop="+winDesktop);
   },
 
-  restoreWindowDesktop: function(xid) {
+  restoreDesktop: function(xid) {
     let desktopDest = firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedDesktop;
-    if (desktopDest === null) return;
+    if (desktopDest === null || "undefined" === typeof(desktopDest)) return;
 
     let dataSize = 1;
     let data = ctypes.long(dataSize);
@@ -254,6 +312,14 @@ firetray.Window = {
     delete firetray.Handler.windows[xid].savedDesktop;
   },
 
+  setVisibility: function(xid, visibility) {
+    firetray.Handler.windows[xid].baseWin.visibility = visibility;
+    firetray.Handler.windows[xid].visibility = visibility;
+    firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount = visibility ?
+      firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount + 1 :
+      firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount - 1 ;
+  },
+
   xSendClientMessgeEvent: function(xid, atom, data, dataSize) {
     let xev = new x11.XClientMessageEvent;
     xev.type = x11.ClientMessage;
@@ -389,9 +455,12 @@ firetray.Window = {
 
   getWindowTitle: function(xid) {
     let title = firetray.Handler.windows[xid].baseWin.title;
+    LOG("baseWin.title="+title);
     let tailIndex = title.indexOf(" - Mozilla "+firetray.Handler.appNameOriginal);
     if (tailIndex !== -1)
-      return title.substring(0, tailIndex)
+      return title.substring(0, tailIndex);
+    else if (title === "Mozilla "+firetray.Handler.appNameOriginal)
+      return title;
     else
       return null;
   },
@@ -484,12 +553,22 @@ firetray.Handler.registerWindow = function(win) {
   } catch (x) {
     firetray.Window.unregisterWindowByXID(xid);
     ERROR(x);
-    return false;
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  if (!firetray.Handler.appStarted &&
+      firetray.Utils.prefService.getBoolPref('start_hidden')) {
+    this.windows[xid].startHidden = true;
+    this.windows[xid].hide = firetray.Window.hideSingleStatelessOnce;
+    this.windows[xid].show = firetray.Window.showSingleStatelessOnce;
+  } else {
+    this.windows[xid].startHidden = false;
+    this.windows[xid].hide = firetray.Window.hideSingleStateful;
+    this.windows[xid].show = firetray.Window.showSingleStateful;
   }
 
   LOG("AFTER"); firetray.Handler.dumpWindows();
-
-  return true;
+  return xid;
 };
 
 firetray.Handler.unregisterWindow = function(win) {
@@ -499,41 +578,13 @@ firetray.Handler.unregisterWindow = function(win) {
 };
 
 firetray.Handler.showSingleWindow = function(xid) {
-  LOG("show xid="+xid);
-
-  // try to restore previous state. TODO: z-order respected ?
-  firetray.Window.restoreWindowPositionAndSize(xid);
-  firetray.Window.restoreWindowStates(xid);
-  firetray.Handler.windows[xid].baseWin.visibility = true; // show
-  firetray.Window.restoreWindowDesktop(xid);               // after show
-  firetray.Window.activate(xid);
-  // TODO: we need want to restore to the original monitor (screen)
-
-  firetray.Handler.windows[xid].visibility = true;
-  firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount += 1;
-
-  if (firetray.Handler.popupMenuWindowItemsHandled())
-    firetray.PopupMenu.hideSingleWindowItemAndSeparatorMaybe(xid);
-  firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+  LOG("showSingleWindow xid="+xid);
+  this.windows[xid].show(xid);
 };
 
-// NOTE: we keep using high-level cross-plat BaseWindow.visibility (instead of
-// gdk_window_show_unraised)
-/* FIXME: hiding windows should also hide child windows */
 firetray.Handler.hideSingleWindow = function(xid) {
-  LOG("hideSingleWindow");
-
-  firetray.Window.saveWindowPositionAndSize(xid);
-  firetray.Window.saveWindowStates(xid);
-  firetray.Window.saveWindowDesktop(xid);
-  firetray.Handler.windows[xid].baseWin.visibility = false; // hide
-
-  firetray.Handler.windows[xid].visibility = false;
-  firetray.Handler.visibleWindowsCount -= 1;
-
-  if (firetray.Handler.popupMenuWindowItemsHandled())
-    firetray.PopupMenu.showSingleWindowItem(xid);
-  firetray.Handler.showHideIcon();
+  LOG("hideSingleWindow xid="+xid);
+  this.windows[xid].hide(xid);
 };
 
 firetray.Handler.showHideAllWindows = function(gtkStatusIcon, userData) {