diff --git a/lib/components/clock_display.dart b/lib/components/clock_display.dart
index fc0ad2f..85c9a35 100644
--- a/lib/components/clock_display.dart
+++ b/lib/components/clock_display.dart
@@ -22,31 +22,6 @@ class ClockDisplay extends StatelessWidget {
           child: Stack(
             alignment: Alignment.center,
             children: [
-              // Background quota track ring
-              const CustomPaint(
-                size: Size(200, 200),
-                painter: _ArcPainter(
-                  progress: 1.0,
-                  color: Color.fromRGBO(74, 85, 104, 0.2),
-                  strokeWidth: 4,
-                ),
-              ),
-
-              // Live quota progress ring
-              TweenAnimationBuilder<double>(
-                tween: Tween(begin: 0, end: timer.progress),
-                duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 400),
-                builder: (context, value, _) => CustomPaint(
-                  size: const Size(200, 200),
-                  painter: _ArcPainter(
-                    progress: value,
-                    color: _cyanGlow,
-                    strokeWidth: 4,
-                    glow: true,
-                  ),
-                ),
-              ),
-
               // Center content: countdown + speed
               Column(
                 mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
@@ -94,45 +69,3 @@ class ClockDisplay extends StatelessWidget {
     );
   }
 }
-
-class _ArcPainter extends CustomPainter {
-  final double progress;
-  final Color color;
-  final double strokeWidth;
-  final bool glow;
-
-  const _ArcPainter({
-    required this.progress,
-    required this.color,
-    this.strokeWidth = 4,
-    this.glow = false,
-  });
-
-  @override
-  void paint(Canvas canvas, Size size) {
-    final rect = Rect.fromLTWH(0, 0, size.width, size.height)
-        .deflate(strokeWidth / 2);
-
-    if (glow) {
-      final glowPaint = Paint()
-        ..color = const Color.fromRGBO(0, 229, 255, 0.15)
-        ..style = PaintingStyle.stroke
-        ..strokeWidth = strokeWidth + 8
-        ..strokeCap = StrokeCap.round
-        ..maskFilter = const MaskFilter.blur(BlurStyle.normal, 8);
-      canvas.drawArc(rect, -pi / 2, 2 * pi * progress, false, glowPaint);
-    }
-
-    final paint = Paint()
-      ..color = color
-      ..style = PaintingStyle.stroke
-      ..strokeWidth = strokeWidth
-      ..strokeCap = StrokeCap.round;
-
-    canvas.drawArc(rect, -pi / 2, 2 * pi * progress, false, paint);
-  }
-
-  @override
-  bool shouldRepaint(covariant _ArcPainter old) =>
-      old.progress != progress || old.color != color;
-}
diff --git a/lib/logic/session_timer.dart b/lib/logic/session_timer.dart
index 6694945..5d11a37 100644
--- a/lib/logic/session_timer.dart
+++ b/lib/logic/session_timer.dart
@@ -27,7 +27,19 @@ class SessionTimer extends ChangeNotifier {
   int _lastUsedBytes = 0;
   double _currentSpeedKbps = 0.0; // Total speed (RX+TX)
 
-  SessionTimer({required this.vpnConnection});
+  SessionTimer({required this.vpnConnection}) {
+    vpnConnection.addListener(_onVpnConnectionChanged);
+  }
+
+  /// Fires whenever VpnConnection state changes.
+  /// Only acts during startup restoration — normal connects go through ConnectButton.
+  void _onVpnConnectionChanged() {
+    if (vpnConnection.status == VpnStatus.connected &&
+        !isRunning &&
+        vpnConnection.isStartupRestoration) {
+      start('resume');
+    }
+  }
 
   int get remaining => _remainingSeconds;
   bool get isRunning => _timer != null && _timer!.isActive;
@@ -181,6 +193,7 @@ class SessionTimer extends ChangeNotifier {
 
   @override
   void dispose() {
+    vpnConnection.removeListener(_onVpnConnectionChanged);
     _timer?.cancel();
     VpnNotificationManager.cancel();
     super.dispose();
diff --git a/lib/logic/vpn_connection.dart b/lib/logic/vpn_connection.dart
index d312ef8..1206685 100644
--- a/lib/logic/vpn_connection.dart
+++ b/lib/logic/vpn_connection.dart
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ class VpnConnection extends ChangeNotifier {
   VpnStatus _status = VpnStatus.disconnected;
   VpnStatus get status => _status;
 
+  // True only during the brief window after startup where we detected an
+  // already-running tunnel — lets SessionTimer know to auto-resume.
+  bool _isStartupRestoration = false;
+  bool get isStartupRestoration => _isStartupRestoration;
+
   // Short message shown to the user under the connect button
   String _statusMessage = 'Tap to connect';
   String get statusMessage => _statusMessage;
@@ -84,6 +89,20 @@ class VpnConnection extends ChangeNotifier {
     try {
       _stageSub = _wireguard.vpnStageSnapshot.listen(_mapStage);
     } catch (_) {}
+
+    // Check if the VPN was already running before the app started.
+    // This handles the case where the user swiped the app away and reopened it.
+    try {
+      final currentStage = await _wireguard.stage();
+      if (currentStage == VpnStage.connected) {
+        _isStartupRestoration = true;
+        _mapStage(currentStage);
+        // Clear the flag after a few seconds — only needed during app startup
+        Future.delayed(const Duration(seconds: 5), () {
+          _isStartupRestoration = false;
+        });
+      }
+    } catch (_) {}
   }
 
   // ── Native State Mapping ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 91642f0..b43792b 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ publish_to: "none" # Remove this line if you wish to publish to pub.dev
 # In iOS, build-name is used as CFBundleShortVersionString while build-number used as CFBundleVersion.
 # Read more about iOS versioning at
 # https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/CoreFoundationKeys.html
-version: 1.0.1+3
+version: 1.0.2+4
 
 environment:
   sdk: ">=3.0.0 <4.0.0"