diff --git a/apps/file_manager.ini b/apps/file_manager.ini
index 05b4b25..2364a50 100644
--- a/apps/file_manager.ini
+++ b/apps/file_manager.ini
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ name=File Manager
 icon=icon_system_file_manager
 permission_all_files=1
 permission_view_file_types=1
+permission_start_application=1
 use_single_process=1
 is_file_manager=1
+background_service=1
 
 [build]
 source=apps/file_manager/main.cpp
diff --git a/apps/file_manager/main.cpp b/apps/file_manager/main.cpp
index e021bb9..0bda57e 100644
--- a/apps/file_manager/main.cpp
+++ b/apps/file_manager/main.cpp
@@ -495,8 +495,15 @@ void _start() {
 
 		if (message->type == ES_MSG_INSTANCE_CREATE) {
 			Instance *instance = EsInstanceCreate(message, INTERFACE_STRING(FileManagerTitle));
-			instances.Add(instance);
-			InstanceCreateUI(instance);
+
+			EsApplicationStartupRequest request = EsInstanceGetStartupRequest(instance);
+			
+			if (request.flags & ES_APPLICATION_STARTUP_BACKGROUND_SERVICE) {
+				// Keep the instance alive so that we always receive PATH_MOVED messages and such.
+			} else {
+				instances.Add(instance);
+				InstanceCreateUI(instance);
+			}
 		} else if (message->type == ES_MSG_INSTANCE_DESTROY) {
 			// TODO Cleanup/cancel any unfinished non-blocking tasks before we get here!
 			Instance *instance = message->instanceDestroy.instance;
diff --git a/desktop/desktop.cpp b/desktop/desktop.cpp
index 186a30b..412e3a3 100644
--- a/desktop/desktop.cpp
+++ b/desktop/desktop.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #define APPLICATION_PERMISSION_SHUTDOWN                  (1 << 4)
 #define APPLICATION_PERMISSION_VIEW_FILE_TYPES           (1 << 5)
 #define APPLICATION_PERMISSION_ALL_DEVICES               (1 << 6)
+#define APPLICATION_PERMISSION_START_APPLICATION         (1 << 7)
 
 #define APPLICATION_ID_DESKTOP_BLANK_TAB (-0x70000000)
 #define APPLICATION_ID_DESKTOP_SETTINGS  (-0x70000001)
@@ -2196,6 +2197,7 @@ void ConfigurationLoadApplications() {
 		READ_PERMISSION("permission_run_temporary_application", APPLICATION_PERMISSION_RUN_TEMPORARY_APPLICATION);
 		READ_PERMISSION("permission_shutdown", APPLICATION_PERMISSION_SHUTDOWN);
 		READ_PERMISSION("permission_view_file_types", APPLICATION_PERMISSION_VIEW_FILE_TYPES);
+		READ_PERMISSION("permission_start_application", APPLICATION_PERMISSION_START_APPLICATION);
 
 		desktop.installedApplications.Add(application);
 
@@ -2204,6 +2206,12 @@ void ConfigurationLoadApplications() {
 		} else if (EsSystemConfigurationGroupReadInteger(group, EsLiteral("is_installer"))) {
 			desktop.installer = application;
 		}
+
+		if (EsSystemConfigurationGroupReadInteger(group, EsLiteral("background_service"))) {
+			_EsApplicationStartupInformation startupInformation = {};
+			startupInformation.flags = ES_APPLICATION_STARTUP_BACKGROUND_SERVICE;
+			ApplicationInstanceCreate(application->id, &startupInformation, nullptr, true /* hidden */);
+		}
 	}
 
 	EsMutexRelease(&api.systemConfigurationMutex);
@@ -2481,11 +2489,16 @@ void DesktopSyscall(EsMessage *message, uint8_t *buffer, EsBuffer *pipe) {
 	ApplicationInstance *instance = ApplicationInstanceFindByWindowID(message->desktop.windowID);
 
 	if (buffer[0] == DESKTOP_MSG_START_APPLICATION) {
-		EsBuffer b = { .in = buffer + 1, .bytes = message->desktop.bytes - 1 };
-		EsApplicationStartupRequest request = {};
-		EsBufferReadInto(&b, &request, sizeof(EsApplicationStartupRequest));
-		request.filePath = (const char *) EsBufferRead(&b, request.filePathBytes);
-		if (!b.error) OpenDocumentWithApplication(&request);
+		InstalledApplication *application = ApplicationFindByPID(message->desktop.processID);
+
+		if (application && (application->permissions & APPLICATION_PERMISSION_START_APPLICATION)) {
+			// TODO Restricting what flags can be requested?
+			EsBuffer b = { .in = buffer + 1, .bytes = message->desktop.bytes - 1 };
+			EsApplicationStartupRequest request = {};
+			EsBufferReadInto(&b, &request, sizeof(EsApplicationStartupRequest));
+			request.filePath = (const char *) EsBufferRead(&b, request.filePathBytes);
+			if (!b.error) OpenDocumentWithApplication(&request);
+		}
 	} else if (buffer[0] == DESKTOP_MSG_CREATE_CLIPBOARD_FILE && pipe) {
 		EsHandle processHandle = EsProcessOpen(message->desktop.processID);
 
diff --git a/desktop/os.header b/desktop/os.header
index 0b2d849..ac1fa36 100644
--- a/desktop/os.header
+++ b/desktop/os.header
@@ -698,7 +698,8 @@ define ES_DRIVE_TYPE_USB_MASS_STORAGE (4)
 define ES_ELEMENT_FOCUS_ENSURE_VISIBLE (1 << 0)
 define ES_ELEMENT_FOCUS_FROM_KEYBOARD  (1 << 1)
 
-define ES_APPLICATION_STARTUP_MANUAL_PATH                (1 << 0)
+define ES_APPLICATION_STARTUP_MANUAL_PATH        (1 << 0)
+define ES_APPLICATION_STARTUP_BACKGROUND_SERVICE (1 << 1)
 
 define ES_LIST_VIEW_INLINE_TEXTBOX_COPY_EXISTING_TEXT        (1 << 0)
 define ES_LIST_VIEW_INLINE_TEXTBOX_REJECT_EDIT_IF_FOCUS_LOST (1 << 1)