diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index aba8894..143c6e1 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -260,6 +260,15 @@ if (isPrimaryInstance) {
   // link it carried and hand it to the window we already have.
   app.on('second-instance', (_e, argv) => {
     if (!mainWindow) return
+    // A scheduled `--sync` relaunch (Task Scheduler) hit the already-running instance:
+    // run the watched-source sync in this window instead of no-opping. Without this the
+    // daily auto-download never fires while AeroFetch is open — e.g. minimize-to-tray
+    // users. Deliberately does NOT focus the window, so the daily sync stays unobtrusive
+    // (mirrors the fresh-launch `--sync` showInactive path in createWindow).
+    if (isSyncLaunch(argv)) {
+      mainWindow.webContents.send(IpcChannels.runWatchedSync)
+      return
+    }
     focusWindow(mainWindow)
     const incomingUrl = extractIncomingUrl(argv)
     if (incomingUrl) mainWindow.webContents.send(IpcChannels.externalUrl, incomingUrl)
diff --git a/src/preload/index.ts b/src/preload/index.ts
index 51b978e..216ef99 100644
--- a/src/preload/index.ts
+++ b/src/preload/index.ts
@@ -279,6 +279,14 @@ const api = {
     return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener(IpcChannels.indexProgress, listener)
   },
 
+  /** Subscribe to the "run watched-source sync now" nudge a scheduled `--sync` relaunch
+   *  sends when it hits the already-running instance. Returns an unsubscribe function. */
+  onRunWatchedSync: (cb: () => void): (() => void) => {
+    const listener = (): void => cb()
+    ipcRenderer.on(IpcChannels.runWatchedSync, listener)
+    return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener(IpcChannels.runWatchedSync, listener)
+  },
+
   // --- Built-in yt-dlp terminal (Phase N) ---
 
   /** Run the bundled yt-dlp with raw args; output streams via onTerminalOutput. */
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/mockApi.ts b/src/renderer/src/mockApi.ts
index 7a4407f..8d5ae21 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/mockApi.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/mockApi.ts
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ export const mockApi: Api = {
   onSystemThemeUpdate: () => () => {},
   openHighContrastSettings: async () => {},
   onExternalUrl: () => () => {},
+  onRunWatchedSync: () => () => {},
   // Media-manager sources — a seeded channel so the (Phase H) Library view has
   // demo data in this browser-only preview.
   listSources: async () => [
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/sources.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/sources.ts
index cd7d16c..6096825 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/sources.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/sources.ts
@@ -485,13 +485,16 @@ if (!PREVIEW) {
     .listSources()
     .then((sources) => {
       useSources.setState({ sources })
-      // If any source is watched, kick off a sync shortly after launch (covers the
-      // scheduled `--sync` launch and a normal launch alike).
+      // If any source is watched, kick off a sync shortly after launch (covers a fresh
+      // `--sync` launch and a normal launch alike).
       if (sources.some((s) => s.watched)) {
         setTimeout(() => useSources.getState().syncWatched(), 1500)
       }
     })
     .catch(logError('startup listSources'))
+  // A scheduled `--sync` relaunch that hit the already-running instance nudges us here,
+  // so the daily sync fires even when AeroFetch was already open (e.g. tray mode).
+  window.api.onRunWatchedSync?.(() => useSources.getState().syncWatched())
   window.api.onIndexProgress((p: IndexProgress) => {
     useSources.setState({
       indexing: {
diff --git a/src/shared/ipc.ts b/src/shared/ipc.ts
index 39f7a0c..24870e8 100644
--- a/src/shared/ipc.ts
+++ b/src/shared/ipc.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ export const IpcChannels = {
   scheduledSyncSet: 'sources:scheduled-sync-set',
   /** main → renderer push channel for live indexing progress */
   indexProgress: 'sources:index-progress',
+  /** main → renderer: a scheduled `--sync` relaunch hit the running instance — run the
+   *  watched-source sync here instead of no-opping (Phase J) */
+  runWatchedSync: 'sources:run-sync',
   // --- Built-in yt-dlp terminal (Phase N) ---
   terminalRun: 'terminal:run',
   terminalCancel: 'terminal:cancel',