diff --git a/App/AppLauncher.swift b/App/AppLauncher.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78bc748
--- /dev/null
+++ b/App/AppLauncher.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import SwiftUI
+
+/// Entry point: unit tests get an empty host app, so launch work (database, sync, menu bar) never runs under XCTest.
+@main
+enum AppLauncher {
+    static func main() {
+        if isRunningUnitTests {
+            UnitTestHostApp.main()
+        } else {
+            StudyAppApp.main()
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static var isRunningUnitTests: Bool {
+        let environment = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment
+        return environment["XCTestConfigurationFilePath"] != nil
+            || environment["XCTestBundlePath"] != nil
+            || environment["XCTestSessionIdentifier"] != nil
+    }
+}
+
+/// Host app for the unit tests; the tests build what they need themselves.
+private struct UnitTestHostApp: App {
+    var body: some Scene {
+        WindowGroup { EmptyView() }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/App/StudyAppApp.swift b/App/StudyAppApp.swift
index 3667acf..4416918 100644
--- a/App/StudyAppApp.swift
+++ b/App/StudyAppApp.swift
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import AppIntents
 import CoreSpotlight
 import SwiftUI
 
-@main
 struct StudyAppApp: App {
     private let container: AppContainer
     private let autopilot: LectureAutopilot
diff --git a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
index 85029e8..0ce1b73 100644
--- a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ StudyApp follows a pragmatic Clean Architecture (ports and adapters). The goal i
 
 ```text
 ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
-│ App            StudyAppApp (@main) · AppContainer · AppUpdater │  wires everything together
+│ App            AppLauncher (@main) · StudyAppApp · AppContainer │  wires everything together
 ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
 │ Presentation   SwiftUI views · @Observable view models         │
 ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Dependencies point **inward**: Presentation and Data both depend on Domain, Doma
 | Presentation | `Presentation/` | Domain, SwiftUI, AppKit, WebKit | One folder per feature with views and view models; `DesignSystem/` for shared components and `Theme` |
 | Shared | `Shared/` | Foundation | Data contract between app and widget extension (`WidgetSnapshot`, `StudyAppLink`) |
 | Widgets | `Widgets/` | Shared, WidgetKit, SwiftUI | Widget extension; reads the snapshot only |
-| App | `App/` | everything | `AppContainer` (composition root), `StudyAppApp`, `AppUpdater` |
+| App | `App/` | everything | `AppContainer` (composition root), `AppLauncher`, `StudyAppApp`, `AppUpdater` |
 
 ## Composition root
 
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ Dependencies point **inward**: Presentation and Data both depend on Domain, Doma
 
 `AppContainer(inMemory: true)` swaps in in-memory persistence and preferences for previews and tests.
 
+`AppLauncher` is the entry point: under XCTest it starts an empty host app instead of `StudyAppApp`, so launch work (database, sync, menu bar item) never runs during unit tests. On CI runners the menu bar scene kept the test host from finishing its launch.
+
 ## Data flow example: calendar subscription → module
 
 1. `StudyCalendarViewModel.subscribe(to:)` normalises the address (`CalendarFeedURL`) and calls `SyncCalendarSubscriptionUseCase`.