diff --git a/crates/owlry/src/main.rs b/crates/owlry/src/main.rs
index 83ac9b2..90a37aa 100644
--- a/crates/owlry/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/owlry/src/main.rs
@@ -10,10 +10,43 @@ mod ui;
 use app::OwlryApp;
 use cli::{CliArgs, Command};
 use log::{info, warn};
+use std::os::unix::io::AsRawFd;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "dev-logging")]
 use log::debug;
 
+/// Try to acquire an exclusive lock on the UI lock file.
+///
+/// Returns `Some(File)` if the lock was acquired (no other instance running),
+/// or `None` if another instance already holds the lock.
+/// The returned `File` must be kept alive for the duration of the process.
+fn try_acquire_lock() -> Option<std::fs::File> {
+    use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
+
+    let lock_path = owlry_core::paths::socket_path()
+        .parent()
+        .unwrap()
+        .join("owlry-ui.lock");
+
+    // Ensure the parent directory exists
+    if let Some(parent) = lock_path.parent() {
+        let _ = std::fs::create_dir_all(parent);
+    }
+
+    std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .write(true)
+        .create(true)
+        .truncate(true)
+        .mode(0o600)
+        .open(&lock_path)
+        .ok()
+        .and_then(|f| {
+            let fd = f.as_raw_fd();
+            let ret = unsafe { libc::flock(fd, libc::LOCK_EX | libc::LOCK_NB) };
+            if ret == 0 { Some(f) } else { None }
+        })
+}
+
 fn main() {
     let args = CliArgs::parse_args();
 
@@ -46,6 +79,27 @@ fn main() {
         debug!("CLI args: {:?}", args);
     }
 
+    // Toggle behavior: if another instance is already running, tell the daemon
+    // to toggle visibility and exit immediately.
+    let _lock_guard = match try_acquire_lock() {
+        Some(file) => file,
+        None => {
+            // Another instance holds the lock — send toggle to daemon and exit
+            info!("Another owlry instance detected, sending toggle");
+            let socket_path = client::CoreClient::socket_path();
+            if let Ok(mut client) = client::CoreClient::connect(&socket_path) {
+                if let Err(e) = client.toggle() {
+                    eprintln!("Failed to toggle existing instance: {}", e);
+                    std::process::exit(1);
+                }
+            } else {
+                eprintln!("Another instance is running but daemon is unreachable");
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            }
+            std::process::exit(0);
+        }
+    };
+
     info!("Starting Owlry launcher");
 
     // Diagnostic: log critical environment variables