diff --git a/src/vorta/__main__.py b/src/vorta/__main__.py
index 17941e31..78e9ba9f 100644
--- a/src/vorta/__main__.py
+++ b/src/vorta/__main__.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ def main():
     # We assume that a frozen binary is a fat single-file binary made with
     # PyInstaller. These are not compatible with forking into background here:
     if not (want_foreground or frozen_binary):
-        print('Forking to background (see system tray).')
         if os.fork():
             sys.exit()
 
diff --git a/src/vorta/application.py b/src/vorta/application.py
index a28ca469..c720cb4f 100644
--- a/src/vorta/application.py
+++ b/src/vorta/application.py
@@ -1,23 +1,22 @@
-import os
 import sys
-import fcntl
+
+import qdarkstyle
+from PyQt5 import QtCore
 import sip
 
-from PyQt5 import QtCore
-from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
-import qdarkstyle
-
-from .i18n import init_translations, translate
-from .tray_menu import TrayMenu
-from .scheduler import VortaScheduler
-from .models import BackupProfileModel, SettingsModel
 from .borg.create import BorgCreateThread
-from .views.main_window import MainWindow
+from .i18n import init_translations, translate
+from .models import BackupProfileModel, SettingsModel
+from .qt_single_application import QtSingleApplication
+from .scheduler import VortaScheduler
+from .tray_menu import TrayMenu
 from .utils import parse_args, set_tray_icon
-from vorta.config import SETTINGS_DIR
+from .views.main_window import MainWindow
+
+APP_ID = "vorta"
 
 
-class VortaApp(QApplication):
+class VortaApp(QtSingleApplication):
     """
     All windows and QWidgets are children of this app.
 
@@ -32,20 +31,12 @@ class VortaApp(QApplication):
 
     def __init__(self, args_raw, single_app=False):
 
-        # Ensure only one app instance is running.
-        # From https://stackoverflow.com/questions/220525/
-        #              ensure-a-single-instance-of-an-application-in-linux#221159
-        if single_app:
-            pid_file = os.path.join(SETTINGS_DIR, 'vorta.pid')
-            lockfile = open(pid_file, 'w+')
-            try:
-                fcntl.lockf(lockfile, fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
-                self.lockfile = lockfile
-            except OSError:
-                print('An instance of Vorta is already running.')
-                sys.exit(1)
+        super().__init__(APP_ID, args_raw)
+        if self.isRunning() and single_app:
+            self.sendMessage("open main window")
+            print('An instance of Vorta is already running. Opening main window.')
+            sys.exit()
 
-        super().__init__(args_raw)
         init_translations(self)
 
         self.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(False)
@@ -65,6 +56,7 @@ class VortaApp(QApplication):
         self.backup_started_event.connect(self.backup_started_event_response)
         self.backup_finished_event.connect(self.backup_finished_event_response)
         self.backup_cancelled_event.connect(self.backup_cancelled_event_response)
+        self.message_received_event.connect(self.message_received_event_response)
 
     def create_backup_action(self, profile_id=None):
         if not profile_id:
@@ -98,3 +90,7 @@ class VortaApp(QApplication):
 
     def backup_cancelled_event_response(self):
         set_tray_icon(self.tray)
+
+    def message_received_event_response(self, message):
+        if message == "open main window":
+            self.open_main_window_action()
diff --git a/src/vorta/qt_single_application.py b/src/vorta/qt_single_application.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c584770
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vorta/qt_single_application.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+from PyQt5.QtCore import QTextStream
+from PyQt5.QtNetwork import QLocalSocket, QLocalServer
+from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
+from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal
+
+
+class QtSingleApplication(QApplication):
+    """
+    Adapted from https://stackoverflow.com/a/12712362/11038610
+
+    Published by Johan Rade under 2-clause BSD license, opensource.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause
+    """
+    message_received_event = pyqtSignal(str)
+
+    def __init__(self, id, *argv):
+
+        super().__init__(*argv)
+        self._id = id
+
+        # Is there another instance running?
+        self._outSocket = QLocalSocket()
+        self._outSocket.connectToServer(self._id)
+        self._isRunning = self._outSocket.waitForConnected()
+
+        if self._isRunning:
+            # Yes, there is.
+            self._outStream = QTextStream(self._outSocket)
+            self._outStream.setCodec('UTF-8')
+        else:
+            # No, there isn't.
+            self._outSocket = None
+            self._outStream = None
+            self._inSocket = None
+            self._inStream = None
+            self._server = QLocalServer()
+            self._server.removeServer(self._id)
+            self._server.listen(self._id)
+            self._server.newConnection.connect(self._onNewConnection)
+
+    def isRunning(self):
+        return self._isRunning
+
+    def id(self):
+        return self._id
+
+    def sendMessage(self, msg):
+        if not self._outStream:
+            return False
+        self._outStream << msg << '\n'
+        self._outStream.flush()
+        return self._outSocket.waitForBytesWritten()
+
+    def _onNewConnection(self):
+        if self._inSocket:
+            self._inSocket.readyRead.disconnect(self._onReadyRead)
+        self._inSocket = self._server.nextPendingConnection()
+        if not self._inSocket:
+            return
+        self._inStream = QTextStream(self._inSocket)
+        self._inStream.setCodec('UTF-8')
+        self._inSocket.readyRead.connect(self._onReadyRead)
+
+    def _onReadyRead(self):
+        while True:
+            msg = self._inStream.readLine()
+            if not msg:
+                break
+            self.message_received_event.emit(msg)