diff --git a/packages/cli/index.ts b/packages/cli/index.ts
index 5444fe1b74d..a0ac3a6084f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/index.ts
@@ -6,66 +6,108 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
-import { main } from './src/gemini.js';
-import { FatalError, writeToStderr } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
-import { runExitCleanup } from './src/utils/cleanup.js';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
 
 // --- Global Entry Point ---
+const VERSION_FLAGS = new Set(['-v', '--version']);
 
-// Suppress known race condition error in node-pty on Windows
-// Tracking bug: https://github.com/microsoft/node-pty/issues/827
-process.on('uncaughtException', (error) => {
-  if (
-    process.platform === 'win32' &&
-    error instanceof Error &&
-    error.message === 'Cannot resize a pty that has already exited'
-  ) {
-    // This error happens on Windows with node-pty when resizing a pty that has just exited.
-    // It is a race condition in node-pty that we cannot prevent, so we silence it.
-    return;
-  }
-
-  // For other errors, we rely on the default behavior, but since we attached a listener,
-  // we must manually replicate it.
-  if (error instanceof Error) {
-    writeToStderr(error.stack + '\n');
-  } else {
-    writeToStderr(String(error) + '\n');
-  }
-  process.exit(1);
-});
+function isVersionOnlyRequest(args: string[]): boolean {
+  return args.length === 1 && VERSION_FLAGS.has(args[0] ?? '');
+}
 
-main().catch(async (error) => {
-  // Set a timeout to force exit if cleanup hangs
-  const cleanupTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
-    writeToStderr('Cleanup timed out, forcing exit...\n');
-    process.exit(1);
-  }, 5000);
+function getCliVersionFromPackageJson(): string {
+  const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+  const packageJsonPath = join(__dirname, 'package.json');
+  const packageJson = JSON.parse(readFileSync(packageJsonPath, 'utf-8')) as {
+    version?: string;
+  };
+  return packageJson.version ?? 'unknown';
+}
 
+if (isVersionOnlyRequest(process.argv.slice(2))) {
   try {
-    await runExitCleanup();
-  } catch (cleanupError) {
-    writeToStderr(
-      `Error during final cleanup: ${cleanupError instanceof Error ? cleanupError.message : String(cleanupError)}\n`,
+    process.stdout.write(`${getCliVersionFromPackageJson()}\n`);
+    process.exit(0);
+  } catch (error) {
+    process.stderr.write(
+      `Failed to read CLI version: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}\n`,
     );
-  } finally {
-    clearTimeout(cleanupTimeout);
+    process.exit(1);
   }
+}
+
+async function run() {
+  const [{ main }, coreModule, { runExitCleanup }] = await Promise.all([
+    import('./src/gemini.js'),
+    import('@google/gemini-cli-core'),
+    import('./src/utils/cleanup.js'),
+  ]);
+  const { FatalError, writeToStderr } = coreModule;
 
-  if (error instanceof FatalError) {
-    let errorMessage = error.message;
-    if (!process.env['NO_COLOR']) {
-      errorMessage = `\x1b[31m${errorMessage}\x1b[0m`;
+  // Suppress known race condition error in node-pty on Windows
+  // Tracking bug: https://github.com/microsoft/node-pty/issues/827
+  process.on('uncaughtException', (error) => {
+    if (
+      process.platform === 'win32' &&
+      error instanceof Error &&
+      error.message === 'Cannot resize a pty that has already exited'
+    ) {
+      // This error happens on Windows with node-pty when resizing a pty that has just exited.
+      // It is a race condition in node-pty that we cannot prevent, so we silence it.
+      return;
     }
-    writeToStderr(errorMessage + '\n');
-    process.exit(error.exitCode);
-  }
 
-  writeToStderr('An unexpected critical error occurred:');
-  if (error instanceof Error) {
-    writeToStderr(error.stack + '\n');
-  } else {
-    writeToStderr(String(error) + '\n');
-  }
+    // For other errors, we rely on the default behavior, but since we attached a listener,
+    // we must manually replicate it.
+    if (error instanceof Error) {
+      writeToStderr(error.stack + '\n');
+    } else {
+      writeToStderr(String(error) + '\n');
+    }
+    process.exit(1);
+  });
+
+  await main().catch(async (error) => {
+    // Set a timeout to force exit if cleanup hangs
+    const cleanupTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+      writeToStderr('Cleanup timed out, forcing exit...\n');
+      process.exit(1);
+    }, 5000);
+
+    try {
+      await runExitCleanup();
+    } catch (cleanupError) {
+      writeToStderr(
+        `Error during final cleanup: ${cleanupError instanceof Error ? cleanupError.message : String(cleanupError)}\n`,
+      );
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(cleanupTimeout);
+    }
+
+    if (error instanceof FatalError) {
+      let errorMessage = error.message;
+      if (!process.env['NO_COLOR']) {
+        errorMessage = `\x1b[31m${errorMessage}\x1b[0m`;
+      }
+      writeToStderr(errorMessage + '\n');
+      process.exit(error.exitCode);
+    }
+
+    writeToStderr('An unexpected critical error occurred:');
+    if (error instanceof Error) {
+      writeToStderr(error.stack + '\n');
+    } else {
+      writeToStderr(String(error) + '\n');
+    }
+    process.exit(1);
+  });
+}
+
+void run().catch((error) => {
+  process.stderr.write(
+    `Failed to start Gemini CLI: ${error instanceof Error ? (error.stack ?? error.message) : String(error)}\n`,
+  );
   process.exit(1);
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.test.tsx
index 0630b398ff7..c892d1e6db0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.test.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ vi.mock('./extensions/validate.js', () => ({
 }));
 
 // Mock gemini.js
-vi.mock('../gemini.js', () => ({
+vi.mock('../utils/outputListeners.js', () => ({
   initializeOutputListenersAndFlush: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.tsx b/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.tsx
index ec646cfc829..41eb1d0545f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/extensions.tsx
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ import { linkCommand } from './extensions/link.js';
 import { newCommand } from './extensions/new.js';
 import { validateCommand } from './extensions/validate.js';
 import { configureCommand } from './extensions/configure.js';
-import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../gemini.js';
 import { defer } from '../deferred.js';
+import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../utils/outputListeners.js';
 
 export const extensionsCommand: CommandModule = {
   command: 'extensions <command>',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/hooks.tsx b/packages/cli/src/commands/hooks.tsx
index fdb4594d041..357e486fc3b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/hooks.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/hooks.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import type { CommandModule } from 'yargs';
 import { migrateCommand } from './hooks/migrate.js';
-import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../gemini.js';
+import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../utils/outputListeners.js';
 
 export const hooksCommand: CommandModule = {
   command: 'hooks <command>',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp.ts
index d2b7f85f034..1e19808ddb8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp.ts
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import { addCommand } from './mcp/add.js';
 import { removeCommand } from './mcp/remove.js';
 import { listCommand } from './mcp/list.js';
 import { enableCommand, disableCommand } from './mcp/enableDisable.js';
-import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../gemini.js';
 import { defer } from '../deferred.js';
+import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../utils/outputListeners.js';
 
 export const mcpCommand: CommandModule = {
   command: 'mcp',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.test.tsx
index e7b9a4eb9dd..a940bcbd187 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.test.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ vi.mock('./skills/disable.js', () => ({
   disableCommand: { command: 'disable <name>' },
 }));
 
-vi.mock('../gemini.js', () => ({
+vi.mock('../utils/outputListeners.js', () => ({
   initializeOutputListenersAndFlush: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.tsx b/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.tsx
index 8a51c4150e5..2e700401c2f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/skills.tsx
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import { disableCommand } from './skills/disable.js';
 import { installCommand } from './skills/install.js';
 import { linkCommand } from './skills/link.js';
 import { uninstallCommand } from './skills/uninstall.js';
-import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../gemini.js';
 import { defer } from '../deferred.js';
+import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from '../utils/outputListeners.js';
 
 export const skillsCommand: CommandModule = {
   command: 'skills <command>',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx b/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
index 2e238765e83..6aeb023d924 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 import React from 'react';
 import { render } from 'ink';
-import { AppContainer } from './ui/AppContainer.js';
 import { loadCliConfig, parseArguments } from './config/config.js';
 import * as cliConfig from './config/config.js';
 import { readStdin } from './utils/readStdin.js';
@@ -44,9 +43,6 @@ import {
   WarningPriority,
   type Config,
   type ResumedSessionData,
-  type OutputPayload,
-  type ConsoleLogPayload,
-  type UserFeedbackPayload,
   sessionId,
   logUserPrompt,
   AuthType,
@@ -55,7 +51,6 @@ import {
   debugLogger,
   recordSlowRender,
   coreEvents,
-  CoreEvent,
   createWorkingStdio,
   patchStdio,
   writeToStdout,
@@ -110,6 +105,7 @@ import { setupTerminalAndTheme } from './utils/terminalTheme.js';
 import { profiler } from './ui/components/DebugProfiler.js';
 import { runDeferredCommand } from './deferred.js';
 import { SlashCommandConflictHandler } from './services/SlashCommandConflictHandler.js';
+import { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } from './utils/outputListeners.js';
 
 const SLOW_RENDER_MS = 200;
 
@@ -207,7 +203,10 @@ export async function startInteractiveUI(
     });
   }
 
-  const version = await getVersion();
+  const [{ AppContainer }, version] = await Promise.all([
+    import('./ui/AppContainer.js'),
+    getVersion(),
+  ]);
   setWindowTitle(basename(workspaceRoot), settings);
 
   const consolePatcher = new ConsolePatcher({
@@ -555,9 +554,9 @@ export async function main() {
       );
       await runExitCleanup();
       process.exit(ExitCodes.SUCCESS);
-    } else {
+    } else if (partialConfig.isInteractive()) {
       // Relaunch app so we always have a child process that can be internally
-      // restarted if needed.
+      // restarted if needed in interactive mode.
       await relaunchAppInChildProcess(memoryArgs, [], remoteAdminSettings);
     }
   }
@@ -657,41 +656,7 @@ export async function main() {
       });
     }
 
-    await setupTerminalAndTheme(config, settings);
-
-    const initAppHandle = startupProfiler.start('initialize_app');
-    const initializationResult = await initializeApp(config, settings);
-    initAppHandle?.end();
-
-    if (
-      settings.merged.security.auth.selectedType ===
-        AuthType.LOGIN_WITH_GOOGLE &&
-      config.isBrowserLaunchSuppressed()
-    ) {
-      // Do oauth before app renders to make copying the link possible.
-      await getOauthClient(settings.merged.security.auth.selectedType, config);
-    }
-
-    if (config.getExperimentalZedIntegration()) {
-      return runZedIntegration(config, settings, argv);
-    }
-
     let input = config.getQuestion();
-    const useAlternateBuffer = shouldEnterAlternateScreen(
-      isAlternateBufferEnabled(config),
-      config.getScreenReader(),
-    );
-    const rawStartupWarnings = await getStartupWarnings();
-    const startupWarnings: StartupWarning[] = [
-      ...rawStartupWarnings.map((message) => ({
-        id: `startup-${createHash('sha256').update(message).digest('hex').substring(0, 16)}`,
-        message,
-        priority: WarningPriority.High,
-      })),
-      ...(await getUserStartupWarnings(settings.merged, undefined, {
-        isAlternateBuffer: useAlternateBuffer,
-      })),
-    ];
 
     // Handle --resume flag
     let resumedSessionData: ResumedSessionData | undefined = undefined;
@@ -715,9 +680,60 @@ export async function main() {
       }
     }
 
+    const isInteractiveMode = config.isInteractive();
+    const requiresUiInitialization =
+      isInteractiveMode || config.getExperimentalZedIntegration();
+    let initializationResult: InitializationResult | undefined;
+
+    await setupTerminalAndTheme(config, settings);
+
+    if (requiresUiInitialization) {
+      const initAppHandle = startupProfiler.start('initialize_app');
+      initializationResult = await initializeApp(config, settings);
+      initAppHandle?.end();
+
+      if (
+        settings.merged.security.auth.selectedType ===
+          AuthType.LOGIN_WITH_GOOGLE &&
+        config.isBrowserLaunchSuppressed()
+      ) {
+        // Do oauth before app renders to make copying the link possible.
+        await getOauthClient(
+          settings.merged.security.auth.selectedType,
+          config,
+        );
+      }
+
+      if (config.getExperimentalZedIntegration()) {
+        return runZedIntegration(config, settings, argv);
+      }
+    }
+
     cliStartupHandle?.end();
     // Render UI, passing necessary config values. Check that there is no command line question.
-    if (config.isInteractive()) {
+    if (isInteractiveMode) {
+      if (!initializationResult) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'Interactive initialization result missing during startup.',
+        );
+      }
+
+      const useAlternateBuffer = shouldEnterAlternateScreen(
+        isAlternateBufferEnabled(config),
+        config.getScreenReader(),
+      );
+      const rawStartupWarnings = await getStartupWarnings();
+      const startupWarnings: StartupWarning[] = [
+        ...rawStartupWarnings.map((message) => ({
+          id: `startup-${createHash('sha256').update(message).digest('hex').substring(0, 16)}`,
+          message,
+          priority: WarningPriority.High,
+        })),
+        ...(await getUserStartupWarnings(settings.merged, undefined, {
+          isAlternateBuffer: useAlternateBuffer,
+        })),
+      ];
+
       await startInteractiveUI(
         config,
         settings,
@@ -835,41 +851,7 @@ function setWindowTitle(title: string, settings: LoadedSettings) {
   }
 }
 
-export function initializeOutputListenersAndFlush() {
-  // If there are no listeners for output, make sure we flush so output is not
-  // lost.
-  if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.Output) === 0) {
-    // In non-interactive mode, ensure we drain any buffered output or logs to stderr
-    coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.Output, (payload: OutputPayload) => {
-      if (payload.isStderr) {
-        writeToStderr(payload.chunk, payload.encoding);
-      } else {
-        writeToStdout(payload.chunk, payload.encoding);
-      }
-    });
-
-    if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.ConsoleLog) === 0) {
-      coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.ConsoleLog, (payload: ConsoleLogPayload) => {
-        if (payload.type === 'error' || payload.type === 'warn') {
-          writeToStderr(payload.content);
-        } else {
-          writeToStdout(payload.content);
-        }
-      });
-    }
-
-    if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.UserFeedback) === 0) {
-      coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.UserFeedback, (payload: UserFeedbackPayload) => {
-        if (payload.severity === 'error' || payload.severity === 'warning') {
-          writeToStderr(payload.message);
-        } else {
-          writeToStdout(payload.message);
-        }
-      });
-    }
-  }
-  coreEvents.drainBacklogs();
-}
+export { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush };
 
 function setupAdminControlsListener() {
   let pendingSettings: AdminControlsSettings | undefined;
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47eb525f268
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+const mockHasValidEditorCommand = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => true));
+
+vi.mock('@google/gemini-cli-core', () => ({
+  allowEditorTypeInSandbox: vi.fn(() => true),
+  hasValidEditorCommand: mockHasValidEditorCommand,
+  EDITOR_DISPLAY_NAMES: {
+    code: 'VS Code',
+    vim: 'Vim',
+  },
+}));
+
+describe('editorSettingsManager', () => {
+  it('computes editor availability lazily', async () => {
+    const { editorSettingsManager } = await import(
+      './editorSettingsManager.js'
+    );
+
+    expect(mockHasValidEditorCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    const editors = editorSettingsManager.getAvailableEditorDisplays();
+    expect(editors.length).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+    expect(mockHasValidEditorCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.ts
index d8aab97a6e9..887a3799300 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/editors/editorSettingsManager.ts
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ export interface EditorDisplay {
 }
 
 class EditorSettingsManager {
-  private readonly availableEditors: EditorDisplay[];
+  private availableEditors: EditorDisplay[] | undefined;
 
-  constructor() {
+  private computeAvailableEditors(): EditorDisplay[] {
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-type-assertion
     const editorTypes = Object.keys(
       EDITOR_DISPLAY_NAMES,
     ).sort() as EditorType[];
-    this.availableEditors = [
+    return [
       {
         name: 'None',
         type: 'not_set',
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class EditorSettingsManager {
   }
 
   getAvailableEditorDisplays(): EditorDisplay[] {
+    if (!this.availableEditors) {
+      this.availableEditors = this.computeAvailableEditors();
+    }
     return this.availableEditors;
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..920c6df9156
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+const coreEventsMocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  listenerCount: vi.fn((event: string) => (event === 'output' ? 1 : 0)),
+  on: vi.fn(),
+  drainBacklogs: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('@google/gemini-cli-core', () => ({
+  CoreEvent: {
+    Output: 'output',
+    ConsoleLog: 'consoleLog',
+    UserFeedback: 'userFeedback',
+  },
+  coreEvents: coreEventsMocks,
+  writeToStderr: vi.fn(),
+  writeToStdout: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe('initializeOutputListenersAndFlush', () => {
+  it('registers console/user feedback fallbacks independently of output listeners', async () => {
+    const { initializeOutputListenersAndFlush } = await import(
+      './outputListeners.js'
+    );
+
+    initializeOutputListenersAndFlush();
+
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.listenerCount).toHaveBeenCalledWith('output');
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.listenerCount).toHaveBeenCalledWith('consoleLog');
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.listenerCount).toHaveBeenCalledWith('userFeedback');
+
+    // Even with existing output listeners, we still add missing fallback listeners.
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.on).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'output',
+      expect.any(Function),
+    );
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.on).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'consoleLog',
+      expect.any(Function),
+    );
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.on).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'userFeedback',
+      expect.any(Function),
+    );
+    expect(coreEventsMocks.drainBacklogs).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7dcf73846c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/outputListeners.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import {
+  CoreEvent,
+  type ConsoleLogPayload,
+  coreEvents,
+  type OutputPayload,
+  type UserFeedbackPayload,
+  writeToStderr,
+  writeToStdout,
+} from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+
+export function initializeOutputListenersAndFlush() {
+  // If there are no listeners for output, make sure we flush so output is not
+  // lost.
+  if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.Output) === 0) {
+    // In non-interactive mode, ensure we drain any buffered output or logs to stderr.
+    coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.Output, (payload: OutputPayload) => {
+      if (payload.isStderr) {
+        writeToStderr(payload.chunk, payload.encoding);
+      } else {
+        writeToStdout(payload.chunk, payload.encoding);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.ConsoleLog) === 0) {
+    coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.ConsoleLog, (payload: ConsoleLogPayload) => {
+      if (payload.type === 'error' || payload.type === 'warn') {
+        writeToStderr(payload.content);
+      } else {
+        writeToStdout(payload.content);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (coreEvents.listenerCount(CoreEvent.UserFeedback) === 0) {
+    coreEvents.on(CoreEvent.UserFeedback, (payload: UserFeedbackPayload) => {
+      if (payload.severity === 'error' || payload.severity === 'warning') {
+        writeToStderr(payload.message);
+      } else {
+        writeToStdout(payload.message);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  coreEvents.drainBacklogs();
+}