diff --git a/src/bar.c b/src/bar.c
index 12745ee..bda6dda 100644
--- a/src/bar.c
+++ b/src/bar.c
@@ -313,6 +313,8 @@ void bar_create_window(struct bar* bar) {
   window_set_level(&bar->window, g_bar_manager.window_level);
   SLSOrderWindow(g_connection, bar->window.id, 1, 0);
   context_set_font_smoothing(bar->window.context, g_bar_manager.font_smoothing);
+  CGContextClearRect(bar->window.context, bar->window.frame);
+  CGContextFlush(bar->window.context);
 }
 
 struct bar *bar_create(uint32_t did) {
diff --git a/src/sketchybar.m b/src/sketchybar.m
index ab477fe..4c3b75e 100644
--- a/src/sketchybar.m
+++ b/src/sketchybar.m
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   mouse_begin();
   display_begin();
   workspace_event_handler_begin(&g_workspace_context);
+
+  windows_freeze();
   bar_manager_begin(&g_bar_manager);
+  windows_unfreeze();
 
   if (!mach_server_begin(&g_mach_server, mach_message_handler))
     error("sketchybar: could not initialize daemon! abort..\n");