diff --git a/plugin/subminer/process.lua b/plugin/subminer/process.lua
index b76ba5a..1db2ebd 100644
--- a/plugin/subminer/process.lua
+++ b/plugin/subminer/process.lua
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ local M = {}
 
 local OVERLAY_START_RETRY_DELAY_SECONDS = 0.2
 local OVERLAY_START_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 6
-local STARTUP_OVERLAY_ACTION_RETRY_DELAY_SECONDS = 0.2
-local STARTUP_OVERLAY_ACTION_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 6
 
 function M.create(ctx)
 	local mp = ctx.mp
@@ -16,6 +14,14 @@ function M.create(ctx)
 	local show_osd = ctx.log.show_osd
 	local normalize_log_level = ctx.log.normalize_log_level
 
+	local function resolve_visible_overlay_startup()
+		local raw_visible_overlay = opts.auto_start_visible_overlay
+		if raw_visible_overlay == nil then
+			raw_visible_overlay = opts["auto-start-visible-overlay"]
+		end
+		return options_helper.coerce_bool(raw_visible_overlay, false)
+	end
+
 	local function resolve_backend(override_backend)
 		local selected = override_backend
 		if selected == nil or selected == "" then
@@ -48,6 +54,13 @@ function M.create(ctx)
 			local socket_path = overrides.socket_path or opts.socket_path
 			table.insert(args, "--socket")
 			table.insert(args, socket_path)
+
+			local should_show_visible = resolve_visible_overlay_startup()
+			if should_show_visible then
+				table.insert(args, "--show-visible-overlay")
+			else
+				table.insert(args, "--hide-visible-overlay")
+			end
 		end
 
 		return args
@@ -99,43 +112,6 @@ function M.create(ctx)
 		return overrides
 	end
 
-	local function resolve_visible_overlay_startup()
-		local raw_visible_overlay = opts.auto_start_visible_overlay
-		if raw_visible_overlay == nil then
-			raw_visible_overlay = opts["auto-start-visible-overlay"]
-		end
-		return options_helper.coerce_bool(raw_visible_overlay, false)
-	end
-
-	local function apply_startup_overlay_preferences()
-		local should_show_visible = resolve_visible_overlay_startup()
-		local visible_action = should_show_visible and "show-visible-overlay" or "hide-visible-overlay"
-
-		local function try_apply(attempt)
-			run_control_command_async(visible_action, nil, function(ok)
-				if ok then
-					subminer_log(
-						"debug",
-						"process",
-						"Applied visible startup action: " .. visible_action .. " (attempt " .. tostring(attempt) .. ")"
-					)
-					return
-				end
-
-				if attempt >= STARTUP_OVERLAY_ACTION_MAX_ATTEMPTS then
-					subminer_log("warn", "process", "Failed to apply visible startup action: " .. visible_action)
-					return
-				end
-
-				mp.add_timeout(STARTUP_OVERLAY_ACTION_RETRY_DELAY_SECONDS, function()
-					try_apply(attempt + 1)
-				end)
-			end)
-		end
-
-		try_apply(1)
-	end
-
 	local function build_texthooker_args()
 		local args = { state.binary_path, "--texthooker", "--port", tostring(opts.texthooker_port) }
 		local log_level = normalize_log_level(opts.log_level)
@@ -240,7 +216,6 @@ function M.create(ctx)
 					return
 				end
 
-				apply_startup_overlay_preferences()
 			end)
 		end
 
@@ -376,7 +351,6 @@ function M.create(ctx)
 		build_command_args = build_command_args,
 		run_control_command_async = run_control_command_async,
 		parse_start_script_message_overrides = parse_start_script_message_overrides,
-		apply_startup_overlay_preferences = apply_startup_overlay_preferences,
 		ensure_texthooker_running = ensure_texthooker_running,
 		start_overlay = start_overlay,
 		start_overlay_from_script_message = start_overlay_from_script_message,
diff --git a/scripts/test-plugin-start-gate.lua b/scripts/test-plugin-start-gate.lua
index 1964b82..9fcce30 100644
--- a/scripts/test-plugin-start-gate.lua
+++ b/scripts/test-plugin-start-gate.lua
@@ -239,6 +239,16 @@ local function find_start_call(async_calls)
 	return nil
 end
 
+local function call_has_arg(call, target)
+	local args = (call and call.args) or {}
+	for _, value in ipairs(args) do
+		if value == target then
+			return true
+		end
+	end
+	return false
+end
+
 local function has_sync_command(sync_calls, executable)
 	for _, call in ipairs(sync_calls) do
 		local args = call.args or {}
@@ -353,4 +363,58 @@ do
 	)
 end
 
+do
+	local recorded, err = run_plugin_scenario({
+		process_list = "",
+		option_overrides = {
+			binary_path = binary_path,
+			auto_start = "yes",
+			auto_start_visible_overlay = "yes",
+		},
+		media_title = "Random Movie",
+		files = {
+			[binary_path] = true,
+		},
+	})
+	assert_true(recorded ~= nil, "plugin failed to load for visible auto-start scenario: " .. tostring(err))
+	fire_event(recorded, "file-loaded")
+	local start_call = find_start_call(recorded.async_calls)
+	assert_true(start_call ~= nil, "auto-start should issue --start command")
+	assert_true(
+		call_has_arg(start_call, "--show-visible-overlay"),
+		"auto-start with visible overlay enabled should pass --show-visible-overlay"
+	)
+	assert_true(
+		not call_has_arg(start_call, "--hide-visible-overlay"),
+		"auto-start with visible overlay enabled should not pass --hide-visible-overlay"
+	)
+end
+
+do
+	local recorded, err = run_plugin_scenario({
+		process_list = "",
+		option_overrides = {
+			binary_path = binary_path,
+			auto_start = "yes",
+			auto_start_visible_overlay = "no",
+		},
+		media_title = "Random Movie",
+		files = {
+			[binary_path] = true,
+		},
+	})
+	assert_true(recorded ~= nil, "plugin failed to load for hidden auto-start scenario: " .. tostring(err))
+	fire_event(recorded, "file-loaded")
+	local start_call = find_start_call(recorded.async_calls)
+	assert_true(start_call ~= nil, "auto-start should issue --start command")
+	assert_true(
+		call_has_arg(start_call, "--hide-visible-overlay"),
+		"auto-start with visible overlay disabled should pass --hide-visible-overlay"
+	)
+	assert_true(
+		not call_has_arg(start_call, "--show-visible-overlay"),
+		"auto-start with visible overlay disabled should not pass --show-visible-overlay"
+	)
+end
+
 print("plugin start gate regression tests: OK")