diff --git a/src/app/service_based_app.cpp b/src/app/service_based_app.cpp
index 31818b3..049f49d 100644
--- a/src/app/service_based_app.cpp
+++ b/src/app/service_based_app.cpp
@@ -39,11 +39,14 @@
 
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
-ServiceBasedApp::ServiceBasedApp(services::RuntimeConfig runtimeConfig)
+ServiceBasedApp::ServiceBasedApp(services::RuntimeConfig runtimeConfig, services::LogLevel logLevel)
     : runtimeConfig_(std::move(runtimeConfig)) {
     // Register logger service first
     registry_.RegisterService<services::ILogger, services::impl::LoggerService>();
     logger_ = registry_.GetService<services::ILogger>();
+    if (logger_) {
+        logger_->SetLevel(logLevel);
+    }
     
     logger_->Trace("ServiceBasedApp", "ServiceBasedApp", "scriptPath=" + runtimeConfig_.scriptPath.string(), "constructor starting");
 
diff --git a/src/app/service_based_app.hpp b/src/app/service_based_app.hpp
index fed6fbf..aee69b3 100644
--- a/src/app/service_based_app.hpp
+++ b/src/app/service_based_app.hpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ namespace sdl3cpp::app {
  */
 class ServiceBasedApp : public services::IApplicationService {
 public:
-    explicit ServiceBasedApp(services::RuntimeConfig runtimeConfig);
+    explicit ServiceBasedApp(services::RuntimeConfig runtimeConfig, services::LogLevel logLevel);
     ~ServiceBasedApp();
 
     ServiceBasedApp(const ServiceBasedApp&) = delete;
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4c490b2..240f8ae 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -46,11 +46,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         sdl3cpp::services::impl::CommandLineService commandLineService(startupLogger, platformService);
         sdl3cpp::services::CommandLineOptions options = commandLineService.Parse(argc, argv);
 
-        sdl3cpp::app::ServiceBasedApp app(options.runtimeConfig);
-
         sdl3cpp::services::LogLevel logLevel = options.traceEnabled
             ? sdl3cpp::services::LogLevel::TRACE
             : sdl3cpp::services::LogLevel::INFO;
+        sdl3cpp::app::ServiceBasedApp app(options.runtimeConfig, logLevel);
         app.ConfigureLogging(logLevel, true, "sdl3_app.log");
 
         auto logger = app.GetLogger();
diff --git a/src/services/impl/sdl_window_service.cpp b/src/services/impl/sdl_window_service.cpp
index 79515e5..b98a14e 100644
--- a/src/services/impl/sdl_window_service.cpp
+++ b/src/services/impl/sdl_window_service.cpp
@@ -116,23 +116,31 @@ void SdlWindowService::CreateWindow(const WindowConfig& config) {
         throw std::runtime_error("Window already created");
     }
 
-    // Initialize SDL here if not already initialized
-    if (SDL_WasInit(0) == 0) {
+    // Ensure SDL video is initialized even if another subsystem (like audio) was started first.
+    const uint32_t initialized = SDL_WasInit(0);
+    const bool videoInitialized = (initialized & SDL_INIT_VIDEO) != 0;
+    if (!videoInitialized) {
         try {
-            ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO | SDL_INIT_AUDIO), "SDL_Init failed", platformService_);
+            if (initialized == 0) {
+                ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO), "SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) failed", platformService_);
+            } else {
+                ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO),
+                                      "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) failed",
+                                      platformService_);
+            }
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
             ShowErrorDialog("SDL Initialization Failed",
-                std::string("Failed to initialize SDL subsystems.\n\nError: ") + e.what());
+                std::string("Failed to initialize SDL video subsystem.\n\nError: ") + e.what());
             throw;
         }
+    }
 
-        try {
-            ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary(nullptr), "SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary failed", platformService_);
-        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-            ShowErrorDialog("Vulkan Library Load Failed",
-                std::string("Failed to load Vulkan library. Make sure Vulkan drivers are installed.\n\nError: ") + e.what());
-            throw;
-        }
+    try {
+        ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary(nullptr), "SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary failed", platformService_);
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        ShowErrorDialog("Vulkan Library Load Failed",
+            std::string("Failed to load Vulkan library. Make sure Vulkan drivers are installed.\n\nError: ") + e.what());
+        throw;
     }
 
     uint32_t flags = SDL_WINDOW_VULKAN;