diff --git a/src/AppDelegate.swift b/src/AppDelegate.swift
index ae7cd4c..c37a226 100644
--- a/src/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/src/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -41,11 +41,22 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
             self, selector: #selector(settingsDidChange),
             name: .settingsChanged, object: nil
         )
+
+        if let url = pendingOpenURLs.first {
+            pendingOpenURLs = []
+            appState.loadNoteFromFile(url)
+        }
     }
 
+    private var pendingOpenURLs: [URL] = []
+
     func application(_ application: NSApplication, open urls: [URL]) {
         guard let url = urls.first else { return }
-        appState.loadNoteFromFile(url)
+        if appState != nil {
+            appState.loadNoteFromFile(url)
+        } else {
+            pendingOpenURLs = [url]
+        }
     }
 
     func applicationShouldTerminateAfterLastWindowClosed(_ sender: NSApplication) -> Bool {