diff --git a/sloppy.py b/sloppy.py
index ee725162..33c391ba 100644
--- a/sloppy.py
+++ b/sloppy.py
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ _SLOPPY_COLD_START_TS: float = time.time()
 
 project_root = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 if project_root not in sys.path:
-    sys.path.insert(0, project_root)
+ sys.path.insert(0, project_root)
 
 thirdparty = os.path.join(project_root, "thirdparty")
 if thirdparty not in sys.path:
-    sys.path.insert(0, thirdparty)
+ sys.path.insert(0, thirdparty)
 
 os.environ["HF_HUB_DISABLE_SYMLINKS_WARNING"] = "1"
 os.environ["HF_HUB_DISABLE_PROGRESS_BARS"] = "1"
@@ -33,38 +33,43 @@ parser.add_argument("--headless", action="store_true", help="Run in headless mod
 parser.add_argument("--web-host", default=None, help="Enable web mode and bind to this host (e.g., 0.0.0.0)")
 parser.add_argument("--web-port", type=int, default=8080, help="Web mode port (default: 8080)")
 parser.add_argument("--enable-test-hooks", action="store_true", help="Enable the HookServer on :8999 for external automation")
-args = parser.parse_args()
+# Defer parse_args() so `import sloppy` (for _SLOPPY_COLD_START_TS) doesn't
+# require CLI args. parse_args() runs at the start of __main__ only.
+args: argparse.Namespace = argparse.Namespace()  # type: ignore[assignment]
 
-if args.web_host is not None:
-    with startup_profiler.phase("web_host_imports"):
-        from imgui_bundle import hello_imgui
-        from src.api_hooks import HookServer
-    with startup_profiler.phase("gui_2_import_webhost"):
-        from src.gui_2 import App
-    with startup_profiler.phase("app_construct"):
-        app = App()
 
-    if args.enable_test_hooks:
-        hook_server = HookServer(app)
-        hook_server.start()
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+ args = parser.parse_args()
+ if args.web_host is not None:
+  with startup_profiler.phase("web_host_imports"):
+   from imgui_bundle import hello_imgui
+   from src.api_hooks import HookServer
+  with startup_profiler.phase("gui_2_import_webhost"):
+   from src.gui_2 import App
+  with startup_profiler.phase("app_construct"):
+   app = App()
 
-    runner_params = hello_imgui.RunnerParams()
-    runner_params.app_window_params.window_title = "Manual Slop (Web)"
-    runner_params.app_window_params.borderless = True
-    runner_params.imgui_window_params.default_imgui_window_type = hello_imgui.DefaultImGuiWindowType.provide_full_screen_docker_space
-    runner_params.app_window_params.restore_previous_window_size = True
+  if args.enable_test_hooks:
+   hook_server = HookServer(app)
+   hook_server.start()
 
-    with startup_profiler.phase("hello_imgui_run"):
-        hello_imgui.run(runner_params, lambda: app.render_frame())
-elif args.headless:
-    with startup_profiler.phase("headless_imports"):
-        from src.app_controller import AppController
-    with startup_profiler.phase("appcontroller_construct_headless"):
-        controller = AppController(headless=True)
-    with startup_profiler.phase("appcontroller_run"):
-        controller.run()
-else:
-    with startup_profiler.phase("gui_2_main_import"):
-        from src.gui_2 import main
-    with startup_profiler.phase("main_call"):
-        main()
\ No newline at end of file
+  runner_params = hello_imgui.RunnerParams()
+  runner_params.app_window_params.window_title = "Manual Slop (Web)"
+  runner_params.app_window_params.borderless = True
+  runner_params.imgui_window_params.default_imgui_window_type = hello_imgui.DefaultImGuiWindowType.provide_full_screen_dock_space
+  runner_params.app_window_params.restore_previous_window_size = True
+
+  with startup_profiler.phase("hello_imgui_run"):
+   hello_imgui.run(runner_params, lambda: app.render_frame())
+ elif args.headless:
+  with startup_profiler.phase("headless_imports"):
+   from src.app_controller import AppController
+  with startup_profiler.phase("appcontroller_construct_headless"):
+   controller = AppController(headless=True)
+  with startup_profiler.phase("appcontroller_run"):
+   controller.run()
+ else:
+  with startup_profiler.phase("gui_2_main_import"):
+   from src.gui_2 import main
+  with startup_profiler.phase("main_call"):
+   main()
diff --git a/src/gui_2.py b/src/gui_2.py
index 1b64c575..945d3039 100644
--- a/src/gui_2.py
+++ b/src/gui_2.py
@@ -170,11 +170,14 @@ class App:
     [C: src/mcp_client.py:_DDGParser.__init__, src/mcp_client.py:_TextExtractor.__init__]
   """
   # --- Core Dependencies & State ---
-  self.controller = app_controller.AppController()
+  from src.startup_profiler import startup_profiler
+  with startup_profiler.phase("app_init_AppController"):
+   self.controller = app_controller.AppController()
   self.controller._app = self
-  from src import history, performance_monitor
-  self.perf_monitor = performance_monitor.PerformanceMonitor()
-  self.history = history.HistoryManager(max_capacity=100)
+  with startup_profiler.phase("app_init_history_perfmon"):
+   from src import history, performance_monitor
+   self.perf_monitor = performance_monitor.PerformanceMonitor()
+   self.history = history.HistoryManager(max_capacity=100)
   # --- Undo/Redo & Snapshot State ---
   self._last_ui_snapshot: Optional[history.UISnapshot] = None
   self._snapshot_timer: float = 0.0
@@ -413,7 +416,7 @@ class App:
 
  def run(self) -> None:
   """
-  
+
     Initializes the ImGui runner and starts the main application loop.
     [C: simulation/sim_base.py:run_sim, src/mcp_client.py:get_git_diff, src/project_manager.py:get_git_commit, src/rag_engine.py:RAGEngine._search_mcp, src/shell_runner.py:run_powershell, tests/conftest.py:kill_process_tree, tests/conftest.py:live_gui, tests/test_conductor_abort_event.py:test_conductor_abort_event_populated, tests/test_conductor_engine_v2.py:test_conductor_engine_dynamic_parsing_and_execution, tests/test_conductor_engine_v2.py:test_conductor_engine_run_executes_tickets_in_order, tests/test_extended_sims.py:test_ai_settings_sim_live, tests/test_extended_sims.py:test_context_sim_live, tests/test_extended_sims.py:test_execution_sim_live, tests/test_extended_sims.py:test_tools_sim_live, tests/test_external_editor_gui.py:get_vscode_processes, tests/test_external_editor_gui.py:test_vscode_launches_with_diff_view, tests/test_gui_custom_window.py:test_app_window_is_borderless, tests/test_headless_simulation.py:module, tests/test_headless_verification.py:test_headless_verification_error_and_qa_interceptor, tests/test_headless_verification.py:test_headless_verification_full_run, tests/test_mock_gemini_cli.py:run_mock, tests/test_orchestration_logic.py:test_conductor_engine_run, tests/test_parallel_execution.py:test_conductor_engine_pool_integration, tests/test_sim_ai_settings.py:test_ai_settings_simulation_run, tests/test_sim_context.py:test_context_simulation_run, tests/test_sim_execution.py:test_execution_simulation_run, tests/test_sim_tools.py:test_tools_simulation_run]
   """
@@ -426,10 +429,18 @@ class App:
    api = self.create_api()
    uvicorn.run(api, host="0.0.0.0", port=port)
   else:
-   theme.load_from_config(self.config)
-   self.runner_params = hello_imgui.RunnerParams()
-   self.runner_params.app_window_params.window_title = "manual slop"
-   
+   from src.startup_profiler import startup_profiler
+   if hasattr(self, "controller") and hasattr(self.controller, "mark_gui_run_started"):
+    self.controller.mark_gui_run_started()
+   with startup_profiler.phase("theme_load_from_config"):
+    theme.load_from_config(self.config)
+   with startup_profiler.phase("imgui_bundle_import"):
+    from imgui_bundle import hello_imgui as _hi
+   with startup_profiler.phase("RunnerParams_init"):
+    self.runner_params = _hi.RunnerParams()
+    self.runner_params.app_window_params.window_title = "manual slop"
+   print(f"[startup] RunnerParams() init: {(time.time()-_t)*1000:.1f}ms", file=sys.stderr)
+
    if sys.platform == "win32":
     self.runner_params.app_window_params.borderless = True
     self.runner_params.app_window_params.borderless_closable = False