diff --git a/src/bin/layers_shell.rs b/src/bin/layers_shell.rs
index 8c04c63..15c4184 100644
--- a/src/bin/layers_shell.rs
+++ b/src/bin/layers_shell.rs
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ const DEFAULT_LOGICAL_SIZE: (u32, u32) = (480, 640);
 const MIN_LOGICAL_SIZE: (u32, u32) = (380, 220);
 
 fn main() {
-    init_logging();
     let plugin_root = discover_plugin_root();
-    if let Some(root) = plugin_root.as_deref() {
-        layers::ui::colors::init(Some(root));
-    } else {
-        layers::ui::colors::init(None);
+    if let Err(e) = layers::ffi::init_native_shell(plugin_root.as_deref()) {
+        eprintln!("layers: init_native_shell failed: {e}");
+        std::process::exit(2);
     }
+    tracing::info!(
+        plugin_root = ?plugin_root,
+        "layers shell: starting native event loop",
+    );
 
     if let Err(e) = std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(run)) {
         tracing::error!("layers shell panicked: {e:?}");
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ impl ApplicationHandler for ShellApp {
         if self.window.is_some() {
             return;
         }
+        tracing::info!("resumed: creating window");
         let colors = layers::ui::colors::get();
         let attrs = WindowAttributes::default()
             .with_title("Layers")
@@ -83,14 +86,27 @@ impl ApplicationHandler for ShellApp {
             .expect("winit: display handle")
             .as_raw();
 
-        let handle = ViewportHandle::new_from_raw(
+        tracing::info!(
+            "creating viewport handle: {}x{} @ {}",
+            inner.width,
+            inner.height,
+            scale
+        );
+        let handle = match ViewportHandle::new_from_raw(
             raw_window,
             raw_display,
             (inner.width as f32 / scale).max(1.0),
             (inner.height as f32 / scale).max(1.0),
             scale,
-        )
-        .expect("layers: create viewport handle");
+        ) {
+            Some(h) => h,
+            None => {
+                tracing::error!("new_from_raw returned None — wgpu surface failed");
+                event_loop.exit();
+                return;
+            }
+        };
+        tracing::info!("viewport handle ready");
 
         self.window = Some(window);
         self.handle = Some(handle);
@@ -239,15 +255,6 @@ fn encode_modifiers(mods: ModifiersState) -> u32 {
     bits
 }
 
-fn init_logging() {
-    use tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter;
-    let _ = tracing_subscriber::fmt()
-        .with_env_filter(
-            EnvFilter::try_from_default_env().unwrap_or_else(|_| EnvFilter::new("info,layers=info")),
-        )
-        .try_init();
-}
-
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 fn apply_win11_chrome(raw_window: &raw_window_handle::RawWindowHandle) {
     use raw_window_handle::RawWindowHandle;
diff --git a/src/ffi.rs b/src/ffi.rs
index ae8ab31..6da16fc 100644
--- a/src/ffi.rs
+++ b/src/ffi.rs
@@ -663,6 +663,16 @@ fn dump_invocation_context() {
     }
 }
 
+/// Native-shell setup used by non-FFI entry points (winit binary on Windows / Linux).
+/// Creates log + state dirs, initialises file-based tracing, preloads colours.
+pub fn init_native_shell(plugin_root: Option<&std::path::Path>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    paths::create_dirs_if_missing()?;
+    let _ = init_logging();
+    dump_invocation_context();
+    crate::ui::colors::init(plugin_root);
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "debug")]
 fn init_logging() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     use tracing_subscriber::{fmt, prelude::*, EnvFilter};