diff --git a/static/js/background.js b/static/js/background.js
index ed880e1..027af33 100644
--- a/static/js/background.js
+++ b/static/js/background.js
@@ -1,8 +1,25 @@
-var windowState = 'normal';
+function createWindow(state) {
+    chrome.app.window.create('index.html', {
+        state: state,
+        bounds: {
+            width: 960,
+            height: 540
+        }
+    }, function(window) {
+        // workaround:
+        // state = 'normal' in some cases not work (e.g. starting app from 'chrome://extensions' always open window in fullscreen mode)
+        // it requires manually restoring window state to 'normal'
+        if (state == 'normal') {
+            setTimeout(function() { window.restore(); }, 1000);
+        }
+    });
+}
 
 chrome.app.runtime.onLaunched.addListener(function() {
+    var windowState = 'normal';
+
     if (chrome.storage) {
-        // load stored window settings
+        // load stored window state
         chrome.storage.sync.get('windowState', function(item) {
             windowState = (item && item.windowState)
                 ? item.windowState
@@ -13,33 +30,3 @@ chrome.app.runtime.onLaunched.addListener(function() {
         createWindow(windowState);
     }
 });
-
-function createWindow(state) {
-    chrome.app.window.create('index.html', {
-        state: state,
-        bounds: {
-            width: 960,
-            height: 540
-        }
-    }, function(window) {
-        window.onFullscreened.addListener(onFullscreened);
-        window.onBoundsChanged.addListener(onBoundsChanged);
-    });
-}
-
-
-function onFullscreened() {
-    // save windowState: 'fullscreen'
-    windowState != 'fullscreen' && saveItem('windowState', 'fullscreen', null);
-}
-
-function onBoundsChanged() {
-    // save windowState: 'normal'
-    windowState != 'normal' && saveItem('windowState', 'normal', null);
-}
-
-function saveItem(key, value, callback) {
-    var item = { };
-    item[key] = value;
-    chrome.storage && chrome.storage.sync.set(item, callback);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/static/js/index.js b/static/js/index.js
index 64f73df..d478925 100644
--- a/static/js/index.js
+++ b/static/js/index.js
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ var activePolls = {};  // hosts currently being polled.  An associated array of
 var pairingCert;
 var myUniqueid;
 var api;  // `api` should only be set if we're in a host-specific screen. on the initial screen it should always be null.
+var isInGame = false; // flag indicating whether the game stream started
+var windowState = 'normal'; // chrome's windowState, possible values: 'normal' or 'fullscreen'
+
 
 // Called by the common.js module.
 function attachListeners() {
@@ -31,6 +34,35 @@ function fullscreenChromeWindow() {
     chrome.app.window.current().fullscreen();
 }
 
+function loadWindowState() {
+    if (!chrome.storage) { return; }
+
+    chrome.storage.sync.get('windowState', function(item) {
+        // load stored window state
+        windowState = (item && item.windowState)
+            ? item.windowState
+            : windowState;
+
+        // subscribe to chrome's windowState events
+        chrome.app.window.current().onFullscreened.addListener(onFullscreened);
+        chrome.app.window.current().onBoundsChanged.addListener(onBoundsChanged);
+    });
+}
+
+function onFullscreened() {
+    if (!isInGame && windowState == 'normal') {
+        storeData('windowState', 'fullscreen', null);
+        windowState = 'fullscreen';
+    }
+}
+
+function onBoundsChanged() {
+    if (!isInGame && windowState == 'fullscreen') {
+        storeData('windowState', 'normal', null);
+        windowState = 'normal';
+    }
+}
+
 function changeUiModeForNaClLoad() {
     $('.mdl-layout__header').children().hide();
     $("#main-content").children().not("#listener, #naclSpinner").hide();
@@ -529,6 +561,8 @@ function startGame(host, appID) {
 
 function playGameMode() {
     console.log("entering play game mode");
+    isInGame = true;
+
     $(".mdl-layout__header").hide();
     $("#main-content").children().not("#listener, #loadingSpinner").hide();
     $("#main-content").addClass("fullscreen");
@@ -585,6 +619,8 @@ function stopGameWithConfirmation() {
 }
 
 function stopGame(host, callbackFunction) {
+    isInGame = false;
+
     if (!host.paired) {
         return;
     }
@@ -695,6 +731,8 @@ function onWindowLoad(){
     // don't show the game selection div
     $('#gameSelection').css('display', 'none');
 
+    loadWindowState();
+
     if(chrome.storage) {
         // load stored resolution prefs
         chrome.storage.sync.get('resolution', function(previousValue) {
diff --git a/static/js/messages.js b/static/js/messages.js
index d524a62..e2ab954 100644
--- a/static/js/messages.js
+++ b/static/js/messages.js
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ function handleMessage(msg) {
                     });
                 });
                 showApps(api);
+
+                isInGame = false;
+
+                // restore main window from 'fullscreen' to 'normal' mode (if required)
+                (windowState == 'normal') && chrome.app.window.current().restore();
             });
 
         } else if(msg.data === 'Connection Established') {