diff -r f75ffcc82acb libgui/src/main-window.cc
--- a/libgui/src/main-window.cc	Sun Jan 27 12:29:00 2013 +0100
+++ b/libgui/src/main-window.cc	Mon Jan 28 22:32:26 2013 +0100
@@ -577,6 +577,22 @@
       _current_directory_combo_box->addItem (curr_dirs.at (i));
     }
   emit settings_changed ();
+
+  show ();
+  connect (_terminal_dock_widget,       SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_window_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_workspace_view,             SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_workspace_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_history_dock_widget,        SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_history_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_files_dock_widget,          SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_current_directory_visible (bool)));
+#ifdef HAVE_QSCINTILLA
+  connect (_file_editor,                SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_editor_visible (bool)));
+#endif
+  connect (_documentation_dock_widget,  SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_documentation_visible (bool)));
 }
 
 void
@@ -992,20 +1008,6 @@
            this,                        SLOT (focus_editor ()));
   connect (documentation_action,        SIGNAL (triggered ()),
            this,                        SLOT (focus_documentation ()));
-  connect (_terminal_dock_widget,       SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_window_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_workspace_view,             SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_workspace_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_history_dock_widget,        SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_history_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_files_dock_widget,          SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_current_directory_visible (bool)));
-#ifdef HAVE_QSCINTILLA
-  connect (_file_editor,                SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_editor_visible (bool)));
-#endif
-  connect (_documentation_dock_widget,  SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_documentation_visible (bool)));
 
   connect (reset_windows_action,        SIGNAL (triggered ()),
            this,                        SLOT   (reset_windows ()));
diff -r f75ffcc82acb libgui/src/octave-gui.cc
--- a/libgui/src/octave-gui.cc	Sun Jan 27 12:29:00 2013 +0100
+++ b/libgui/src/octave-gui.cc	Mon Jan 28 22:32:26 2013 +0100
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
           main_window w;
           w.read_settings ();  // get widget settings after construction
                                // but before showing
-          w.show ();
+//          w.show ();
           w.focus_command_window ();
 
           return application.exec ();