diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 734fc52..a61dcc7 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ add_executable (PlayerLink ${SOURCES})
 set_property(TARGET PlayerLink PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD 20)
 add_subdirectory("vendor")
 set(LIBRARIES discord-rpc libcurl_static mbedcrypto mbedx509 mbedtls wxmono)
-set(INCLUDES vendor vendor/libdbus vendor/wxWidgets/include)
+set(INCLUDES vendor vendor/wxWidgets/include)
 
 #use windows subsystem to disable console window and link winrt
 if(WIN32)
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ elseif(APPLE)
     endif()
 elseif(UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
     list(APPEND LIBRARIES dbus)
-    list(APPEND INCLUDES "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/vendor/dbus")
+    list(APPEND INCLUDES "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/vendor/dbus" vendor/libdbus)
 endif()
 
 #search directories for the autogenerated wxwidgets setup.h file for all plattforms
diff --git a/src/backend.hpp b/src/backend.hpp
index b770593..870772b 100644
--- a/src/backend.hpp
+++ b/src/backend.hpp
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ struct MediaInfo {
 };
 
 namespace backend {
+    bool init();
     bool toggleAutostart(bool enabled);
     std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> getMediaInformation();
-}
+}  // namespace backend
 
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/backends/darwin.mm b/src/backends/darwin.mm
index f9fa0f3..835a547 100644
--- a/src/backends/darwin.mm
+++ b/src/backends/darwin.mm
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 #include <AppKit/AppKit.h>
+#include <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
 #include <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 #include <dispatch/dispatch.h>
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -27,6 +28,13 @@
   </dict>
 </plist>)"
 
+void hideDockIcon(bool shouldHide) {
+    if (shouldHide)
+        [NSApp setActivationPolicy:NSApplicationActivationPolicyAccessory];
+    else
+        [NSApp setActivationPolicy:NSApplicationActivationPolicyRegular];
+}
+
 std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> backend::getMediaInformation() {
     __block NSString *appName = nil;
     __block NSDictionary *playingInfo = nil;
@@ -87,6 +95,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> backend::getMediaInformation() {
     return std::make_shared<MediaInfo>(paused, songTitle, songArtist, songAlbum, appNameString, thumbnailData,
                                        durationMs, elapsedTimeMs);
 }
+
 bool backend::toggleAutostart(bool enabled) {
     std::filesystem::path launchAgentPath = std::getenv("HOME");
     launchAgentPath = launchAgentPath / "Library" / "LaunchAgents" / "PlayerLink.plist";
@@ -101,5 +110,11 @@ bool backend::toggleAutostart(bool enabled) {
     o.close();
     return true;
 }
+
+bool backend::init() {
+    hideDockIcon(true);
+    return true;
+}
+
 #undef LAUNCH_AGENT_TEMPLATE
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/backends/linux.cpp b/src/backends/linux.cpp
index 518bf0f..e54f60d 100644
--- a/src/backends/linux.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/linux.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 
 #include "../backend.hpp"
-bool initialized = false;
+
 DBusConnection* conn = nullptr;
 
 std::string getActivePlayer(DBusConnection* conn) {
@@ -202,18 +202,19 @@ void getNowPlaying(DBusConnection* conn, const std::string& player) {
     dbus_message_unref(reply);
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> backend::getMediaInformation() {
-    if (!initialized) {
-        DBusError err;
-        dbus_error_init(&err);
+bool backend::init() {
+    DBusError err;
+    dbus_error_init(&err);
 
-        conn = dbus_bus_get(DBUS_BUS_SESSION, &err);
-        if (!conn) {
-            dbus_error_free(&err);
-            return nullptr;
-        }
-        initialized = true;
+    conn = dbus_bus_get(DBUS_BUS_SESSION, &err);
+    if (!conn) {
+        dbus_error_free(&err);
+        return false;
     }
+    return true;
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> backend::getMediaInformation() {
     std::string player = getActivePlayer(conn);
     if (player == "")
         return nullptr;
diff --git a/src/backends/windows.cpp b/src/backends/windows.cpp
index 3a5db22..8b8e3f5 100644
--- a/src/backends/windows.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/windows.cpp
@@ -116,5 +116,8 @@ std::shared_ptr<MediaInfo> backend::getMediaInformation() {
         toStdString(mediaProperties.Title()), artist, albumName, toStdString(currentSession.SourceAppUserModelId()),
         thumbnailData, endTime, elapsedTime);
 }
+
+bool backend::init() { return true; }
+
 #undef EM_DASH
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index e632ae5..53794de 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ private:
 wxIMPLEMENT_APP_NO_MAIN(PlayerLink);
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+    if (!backend::init()) {
+        wxMessageBox(_("Error initializing platform backend!"), _("PlayerLink"), wxOK | wxICON_ERROR);
+        return -1;
+    }
     std::thread rpcThread(handleRPCTasks);
     rpcThread.detach();
     std::thread mediaThread(handleMediaTasks);