diff --git a/src/gui/src/UI/UIWindow.js b/src/gui/src/UI/UIWindow.js
index 99bce7db0c..fca7581f62 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/UI/UIWindow.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/UI/UIWindow.js
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ async function UIWindow(options) {
     options.window_class = (options.window_class !== undefined ? ' ' + options.window_class : '');
 
     options.is_visible = options.is_visible ?? true;
+    options.background = options.background ?? false;
 
     // if only one instance is allowed, bring focus to the window that is already open
     if(options.single_instance && options.app !== ''){
@@ -579,7 +580,8 @@ async function UIWindow(options) {
         $(el_window_head_icon).attr('src', window.icons['shared.svg']);
     }
     // focus on this window and deactivate other windows
-    if ( options.is_visible ) {
+    // BUT: Don't focus if this is a background app - background apps should not steal focus
+    if ( options.is_visible && !options.background ) {
         $(el_window).focusWindow();
     }
 
@@ -1410,7 +1412,10 @@ async function UIWindow(options) {
                 el_window_app_iframe.contentWindow.postMessage({msg: "drop", x: (window.mouseX - rect.left), y: (window.mouseY - rect.top), items: items}, '*');
 
                 // bring focus to this window
+                // BUT: Don't focus if this is a background app - background apps should not steal focus
+                if ( !options.background ) {
                 $(el_window).focusWindow();
+                }
             }
 
             // if this window is not a directory, cancel drop.
@@ -1552,10 +1557,13 @@ async function UIWindow(options) {
             // make sure to cancel any previous timeouts otherwise the window will be brought to front multiple times
             clearTimeout(drag_enter_timeout);
             // If items are dragged over this window long enough, bring it to front
+            // BUT: Don't focus if this is a background app - background apps should not steal focus
+            if ( !options.background ) {
             drag_enter_timeout = setTimeout(function(){
                 // focus window
                 $(el_window).focusWindow();
             }, 1400);
+            }
         },
         leave: function (dragsterEvent, event) {
             // cancel the timeout for 'bringing window to front'
diff --git a/src/gui/src/helpers/launch_app.js b/src/gui/src/helpers/launch_app.js
index c878cf703d..88b4bb9d8d 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/helpers/launch_app.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/helpers/launch_app.js
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ const launch_app = async (options)=>{
     app_info.uuid = app_info.uuid ?? app_info.uid;
     app_info.uid = app_info.uid ?? app_info.uuid;
 
+    // Allow callers to override background setting (e.g., when launched from terminal with & operator)
+    if (options.background !== undefined) {
+        app_info.background = options.background;
+    }
+
     // If no `options.name` is provided, use the app name from the app_info
     options.name = options.name ?? app_info.name;
 
@@ -346,6 +351,7 @@ const launch_app = async (options)=>{
             is_visible: ! app_info.background,
             is_maximized: options.maximized,
             is_fullpage: options.is_fullpage,
+            background: app_info.background, // Pass background flag to UIWindow
             ...(options.pseudonym ? {pseudonym: options.pseudonym} : {}),
             ...window_options,
             is_resizable: window_resizable,
@@ -400,7 +406,8 @@ const launch_app = async (options)=>{
 
             // If `window-active` is set (meanign the window is focused), focus the window one more time
             // this is to ensure that the iframe is `definitely` focused and can receive keyboard events (e.g. keydown)
-            if($(process.references.el_win).hasClass('window-active')){
+            // BUT: Don't focus if this is a background app - background apps should not steal focus
+            if($(process.references.el_win).hasClass('window-active') && !app_info.background){
                 $(process.references.el_win).focusWindow();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
index 22982cc782..8ee230f2c2 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export class ExecService extends Service {
     }
     
     // This method is exposed to apps via IPCService.
-    async launchApp ({ app_name, args, pseudonym }, { ipc_context, msg_id } = {}) {
+    async launchApp ({ app_name, args, pseudonym, background }, { ipc_context, msg_id } = {}) {
         const app = ipc_context?.caller?.app;
         const process = ipc_context?.caller?.process;
 
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ export class ExecService extends Service {
 
         this.log.info('launchApp connection', connection);
 
+        // Fetch app info to check if it's a background app
+        let app_info;
+        if (app_name !== 'explorer') {
+            app_info = await puter.apps.get(app_name);
+        } else {
+            app_info = [];
+        }
+
         const params = {};
         for ( const provider of this.param_providers ) {
             Object.assign(params, provider());
@@ -55,6 +63,7 @@ export class ExecService extends Service {
             name: app_name,
             pseudonym,
             args: args ?? {},
+            background: background,
             parent_instance_id: app?.appInstanceID,
             uuid: child_instance_id,
             params,
@@ -87,7 +96,8 @@ export class ExecService extends Service {
 
             // If `window-active` is set (meanign the window is focused), focus the window one more time
             // this is to ensure that the iframe is `definitely` focused and can receive keyboard events (e.g. keydown)
-            if($(child_process.references.el_win).hasClass('window-active')){
+            // BUT: Don't focus if this is a background app - background apps should not steal focus
+            if($(child_process.references.el_win).hasClass('window-active') && !app_info.background){
                 $(child_process.references.el_win).focusWindow();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserFirstHalf.js b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserFirstHalf.js
index 12b64a0665..340ef0f3eb 100644
--- a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserFirstHalf.js
+++ b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserFirstHalf.js
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ export const buildParserFirstHalf = (sp, profile) => {
                     parserBuilder.def(a => a.literal('|').assign({ $: 'op.pipe' })),
                     parserBuilder.def(a => a.literal('>').assign({ $: 'op.redirect', direction: 'out' })),
                     parserBuilder.def(a => a.literal('<').assign({ $: 'op.redirect', direction: 'in' })),
+                    parserBuilder.def(a => a.literal('&').assign({ $: 'op.background' })),
                     {
                         parser: parserBuilder.def(a => a.literal(')').assign({ $: 'op.close' })),
                         transition: {
diff --git a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserSecondHalf.js b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserSecondHalf.js
index a89ce3166f..cc533f862d 100644
--- a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserSecondHalf.js
+++ b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/parsing/buildParserSecondHalf.js
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ class ShellConstructsPStratumImpl {
                 node.tokens = [];
                 node.inputRedirects = [];
                 node.outputRedirects = [];
+                node.background = false;
             },
             next ({ value, lexer }) {
                 if ( value.$ === 'op.line-terminator' ) {
@@ -137,6 +138,12 @@ class ShellConstructsPStratumImpl {
                     this.pop();
                     return;
                 }
+                if ( value.$ === 'op.background' ) {
+                    // Mark this command as background and consume the operator
+                    this.stack_top.node.background = true;
+                    lexer.next();
+                    return;
+                }
                 if ( value.$ === 'op.redirect' ) {
                     this.push('redirect', { direction: value.direction });
                     lexer.next();
diff --git a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/pipeline/Pipeline.js b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/pipeline/Pipeline.js
index 3bb58426ae..5ff54de9d1 100644
--- a/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/pipeline/Pipeline.js
+++ b/src/phoenix/src/ansi-shell/pipeline/Pipeline.js
@@ -135,14 +135,16 @@ export class PreparedCommand {
             // args: ast.args.map(node => node.text),
             inputRedirect,
             outputRedirects,
+            background: ast.background || false,
         });
     }
 
-    constructor ({ command, args, inputRedirect, outputRedirects }) {
+    constructor ({ command, args, inputRedirect, outputRedirects, background }) {
         this.command = command;
         this.args = args;
         this.inputRedirect = inputRedirect;
         this.outputRedirects = outputRedirects;
+        this.background = background || false;
     }
 
     setContext (ctx) {
@@ -234,6 +236,12 @@ export class PreparedCommand {
                 command,
                 args,
                 outputIsRedirected: this.outputRedirects.length > 0,
+                background: this.background,
+            },
+            env: {
+                ...this.ctx.env,
+                // Set BACKGROUND environment variable if command is run in background
+                ...(this.background ? { BACKGROUND: '1' } : {}),
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/src/phoenix/src/puter-shell/providers/PuterAppCommandProvider.js b/src/phoenix/src/puter-shell/providers/PuterAppCommandProvider.js
index 7d78dcc7e9..fd1b13d641 100644
--- a/src/phoenix/src/puter-shell/providers/PuterAppCommandProvider.js
+++ b/src/phoenix/src/puter-shell/providers/PuterAppCommandProvider.js
@@ -58,7 +58,10 @@ export class PuterAppCommandProvider {
                     },
                     env: {...ctx.env},
                 };
-                const child = await puter.ui.launchApp(id, args);
+                // Check if app should be launched in background
+                // The & operator sets BACKGROUND=1 in the environment, or we can check ctx.locals.background
+                const shouldRunInBackground = ctx.env.BACKGROUND === '1' || ctx.env.BACKGROUND === 'true' || ctx.locals.background === true;
+                const child = await puter.ui.launchApp(id, args, undefined, { background: shouldRunInBackground });
 
                 const resize_listener = evt => {
                     child.postMessage({
diff --git a/src/puter-js/src/modules/UI.js b/src/puter-js/src/modules/UI.js
index f42111efeb..19635d39d2 100644
--- a/src/puter-js/src/modules/UI.js
+++ b/src/puter-js/src/modules/UI.js
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ class UI extends EventListener {
     }
 
     // Returns a Promise<AppConnection>
-    launchApp = async function launchApp(app_name, args, callback) {
+    launchApp = async function launchApp(app_name, args, callback, options) {
         let pseudonym = undefined;
         if ( app_name.includes('#(as)') ) {
             [app_name, pseudonym] = app_name.split('#(as)');
@@ -1021,6 +1021,7 @@ class UI extends EventListener {
                 app_name,
                 pseudonym,
                 args,
+                background: options?.background,
             },
         });