diff --git a/src/zen/common/modules/ZenStartup.mjs b/src/zen/common/modules/ZenStartup.mjs
index 1de5d9027..db45653bd 100644
--- a/src/zen/common/modules/ZenStartup.mjs
+++ b/src/zen/common/modules/ZenStartup.mjs
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ class ZenStartup {
     this.#zenInitBrowserLayout();
   }
 
+  get #shouldUseWatermark() {
+    return (
+      Services.prefs.getBoolPref("zen.watermark.enabled", false) &&
+      gZenWorkspaces.shouldHaveWorkspaces
+    );
+  }
+
   #initBrowserBackground() {
     const background = document.createXULElement("box");
     background.id = "zen-browser-background";
@@ -102,7 +109,7 @@ class ZenStartup {
   }
 
   openWatermark() {
-    if (!Services.prefs.getBoolPref("zen.watermark.enabled", false)) {
+    if (!this.#shouldUseWatermark) {
       document.documentElement.removeAttribute("zen-before-loaded");
       return;
     }
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ class ZenStartup {
 
   closeWatermark() {
     document.documentElement.removeAttribute("zen-before-loaded");
-    if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref("zen.watermark.enabled", false)) {
+    if (this.#shouldUseWatermark) {
       let elementsToIgnore = this.#watermarkIgnoreElements.map((id) => "#" + id).join(", ");
       gZenUIManager.motion
         .animate(
diff --git a/src/zen/sessionstore/ZenWindowSync.sys.mjs b/src/zen/sessionstore/ZenWindowSync.sys.mjs
index 38130661b..f22d96505 100644
--- a/src/zen/sessionstore/ZenWindowSync.sys.mjs
+++ b/src/zen/sessionstore/ZenWindowSync.sys.mjs
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ class nsZenWindowSync {
     if (
       !forcedSync &&
       (hasUnsyncedArg ||
-        (typeof aWindow.arguments[0] === "string" &&
+        !aWindow.gZenWorkspaces.shouldHaveWorkspaces ||
+        (typeof aWindow.arguments?.[0] === "string" &&
           aWindow.arguments.length > 1 &&
           !!this.#browserWindowsList.length))
     ) {
diff --git a/src/zen/workspaces/ZenWorkspaces.mjs b/src/zen/workspaces/ZenWorkspaces.mjs
index 69a2d2ea9..60db687f9 100644
--- a/src/zen/workspaces/ZenWorkspaces.mjs
+++ b/src/zen/workspaces/ZenWorkspaces.mjs
@@ -778,7 +778,6 @@ class nsZenWorkspaces {
       this._shouldHaveWorkspaces =
         chromeFlags & Ci.nsIWebBrowserChrome.CHROME_TOOLBAR ||
         chromeFlags & Ci.nsIWebBrowserChrome.CHROME_MENUBAR;
-      return this._shouldHaveWorkspaces;
     }
     return this._shouldHaveWorkspaces && !document.documentElement.hasAttribute("taskbartab");
   }