diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index d96eeb62d..4f9a36863 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -78,19 +78,26 @@ class Boss:
         startup_session = create_session(opts, args)
         self.add_os_window(startup_session, os_window_id=os_window_id)
 
-    def add_os_window(self, startup_session, os_window_id=None, wclass=None, wname=None, size=None, visible=True):
+    def add_os_window(self, startup_session, os_window_id=None, wclass=None, wname=None, size=None, startup_id=None):
+        dpi_changed = False
         if os_window_id is None:
             w, h = initial_window_size(self.opts) if size is None else size
             cls = wclass or self.args.cls or appname
-            os_window_id = create_os_window(w, h, appname, wname or self.args.name or cls, cls, visible)
+            os_window_id = create_os_window(w, h, appname, wname or self.args.name or cls, cls)
+            if startup_id:
+                ctx = init_startup_notification(os_window_id, startup_id)
+            dpi_changed = show_window(os_window_id)
+            if startup_id:
+                end_startup_notification(ctx)
         tm = TabManager(os_window_id, self.opts, self.args, startup_session)
         self.os_window_map[os_window_id] = tm
-        return os_window_id
+        if dpi_changed:
+            self.on_dpi_change(os_window_id)
 
     def new_os_window(self, *args):
         sw = self.args_to_special_window(args) if args else None
         startup_session = create_session(self.opts, special_window=sw)
-        return self.add_os_window(startup_session)
+        self.add_os_window(startup_session)
 
     def add_child(self, window):
         self.child_monitor.add_child(window.id, window.child.pid, window.child.child_fd, window.screen)
@@ -106,12 +113,7 @@ class Boss:
                 args.args = rest
                 opts = create_opts(args)
                 session = create_session(opts, args)
-                os_window_id = self.add_os_window(session, wclass=args.cls, wname=args.name, size=initial_window_size(opts), visible=False)
-                if startup_id:
-                    ctx = init_startup_notification(os_window_id, startup_id)
-                show_window(os_window_id)
-                if startup_id:
-                    end_startup_notification(ctx)
+                self.add_os_window(session, wclass=args.cls, wname=args.name, size=initial_window_size(opts), visible=False, startup_id=startup_id)
             else:
                 safe_print('Unknown message received from peer, ignoring')
 
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index c7d935b3c..27f0b096c 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -267,13 +267,14 @@ set_dpi_from_os_window(OSWindow *w) {
 
 static PyObject*
 create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
-    int width, height, visible = 1, swap_interval = 0, x = -1, y = -1;
+    int width, height, swap_interval = 0, x = -1, y = -1;
     char *title, *wm_class_class, *wm_class_name;
     PyObject *load_programs = NULL;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "iisss|pOiii", &width, &height, &title, &wm_class_name, &wm_class_class, &visible, &load_programs, &swap_interval, &x, &y)) return NULL;
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "iisss|Oiii", &width, &height, &title, &wm_class_name, &wm_class_class, &load_programs, &swap_interval, &x, &y)) return NULL;
     bool is_first_window = standard_cursor == NULL;
 
     if (is_first_window) {
+        glfwWindowHint(GLFW_VISIBLE, GLFW_FALSE);
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MAJOR, OPENGL_REQUIRED_VERSION_MAJOR);
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_CONTEXT_VERSION_MINOR, OPENGL_REQUIRED_VERSION_MINOR);
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_OPENGL_PROFILE, GLFW_OPENGL_CORE_PROFILE);
@@ -303,7 +304,6 @@ create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Too many windows");
         return NULL;
     }
-    glfwWindowHint(GLFW_VISIBLE, visible ? GLFW_TRUE : GLFW_FALSE);
     bool want_semi_transparent = (1.0 - OPT(background_opacity) > 0.1) ? true : false;
     glfwWindowHint(GLFW_TRANSPARENT_FRAMEBUFFER, want_semi_transparent);
     GLFWwindow *glfw_window = glfwCreateWindow(width, height, title, NULL, global_state.num_os_windows ? global_state.os_windows[0].handle : NULL);
@@ -371,16 +371,19 @@ static PyObject*
 show_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     id_type os_window_id;
     int yes = 1;
+    bool dpi_changed = false;
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "K|p", &os_window_id, &yes)) return NULL;
     for (size_t i = 0; i < global_state.num_os_windows; i++) {
         OSWindow *w = global_state.os_windows + i;
-        set_dpi_from_os_window(w);
         if (w->id == os_window_id) {
             if (yes) {
                 bool first_show = !w->shown_once;
                 glfwShowWindow(w->handle);
                 w->shown_once = true;
                 if (first_show) {
+                    double before_x = global_state.logical_dpi_x, before_y = global_state.logical_dpi_y;
+                    set_dpi_from_os_window(w);
+                    dpi_changed = before_x != global_state.logical_dpi_x || before_y != global_state.logical_dpi_y;
                     w->has_pending_resizes = true;
                     global_state.has_pending_resizes = true;
                 }
@@ -388,7 +391,8 @@ show_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
             break;
         }
     }
-    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+    if (dpi_changed) Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+    Py_RETURN_FALSE;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 03a4c5cab..3e337cd88 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def run_app(opts, args):
     set_options(opts, is_wayland, args.debug_gl)
     load_cached_values()
     w, h = initial_window_size(opts)
-    window_id = create_os_window(w, h, appname, args.name or args.cls or appname, args.cls or appname, False, load_all_shaders)
+    window_id = create_os_window(w, h, appname, args.name or args.cls or appname, args.cls or appname, load_all_shaders)
     startup_ctx = init_startup_notification(window_id)
     show_window(window_id)
     if not is_wayland and not is_macos:  # no window icons on wayland