diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.cpp
index ec6ebf50fc..445ad6a423 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.cpp
@@ -1472,6 +1472,11 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         return _root != nullptr ? _root->ShouldUsePersistedLayout(_settings) : false;
     }
 
+    bool AppLogic::ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts()
+    {
+        return _root != nullptr ? _root->ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts() : false;
+    }
+
     void AppLogic::SaveWindowLayoutJsons(const Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<hstring>& layouts)
     {
         std::vector<WindowLayout> converted;
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.h
index 19e891843b..8132153065 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         bool AlwaysOnTop() const;
 
         bool ShouldUsePersistedLayout();
+        bool ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts();
         hstring GetWindowLayoutJson(Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::LaunchPosition position);
         void SaveWindowLayoutJsons(const Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<hstring>& layouts);
         void IdentifyWindow();
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.idl b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.idl
index 9121c3ccf9..7e234e3ca2 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.idl
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/AppLogic.idl
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ namespace TerminalApp
         TaskbarState TaskbarState{ get; };
 
         Boolean ShouldUsePersistedLayout();
+        Boolean ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts();
         String GetWindowLayoutJson(Microsoft.Terminal.Settings.Model.LaunchPosition position);
         void SaveWindowLayoutJsons(Windows.Foundation.Collections.IVector<String> layouts);
 
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
index 4d0e458405..2684a348b6 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.cpp
@@ -302,6 +302,31 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
                settings.GlobalSettings().FirstWindowPreference() == FirstWindowPreference::PersistedWindowLayout;
     }
 
+    bool TerminalPage::ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts() const
+    {
+        if (!_startupActions || IsElevated())
+        {
+            // there arent startup actions, or we're elevated. In that case, go for it.
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // Check that there's at least one action that's not just an elevated newTab action.
+        for (const auto& action : _startupActions)
+        {
+            if (action.Action() == ShortcutAction::NewTab)
+            {
+                const auto& args{ action.Args().try_as<NewTabArgs>() };
+                if (args && args.TerminalArgs().Elevate())
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     // Method Description;
     // - Checks if the current window is configured to load a particular layout
     // Arguments:
diff --git a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
index bbe9e4f2ec..f3178e7bc0 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
+++ b/src/cascadia/TerminalApp/TerminalPage.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ namespace winrt::TerminalApp::implementation
         void Create();
 
         bool ShouldUsePersistedLayout(Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::CascadiaSettings& settings) const;
+        bool ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts() const;
         std::optional<uint32_t> LoadPersistedLayoutIdx(Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::CascadiaSettings& settings) const;
         winrt::Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::WindowLayout LoadPersistedLayout(Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::CascadiaSettings& settings) const;
         Microsoft::Terminal::Settings::Model::WindowLayout GetWindowLayout();
diff --git a/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/AppHost.cpp b/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/AppHost.cpp
index c8ffa8320e..5d192a696b 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/AppHost.cpp
+++ b/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/AppHost.cpp
@@ -231,7 +231,10 @@ void AppHost::_HandleCommandlineArgs()
         {
             const auto numPeasants = _windowManager.GetNumberOfPeasants();
             const auto layouts = ApplicationState::SharedInstance().PersistedWindowLayouts();
-            if (_logic.ShouldUsePersistedLayout() && layouts && layouts.Size() > 0)
+            if (_logic.ShouldUsePersistedLayout() &&
+                layouts &&
+                layouts.Size() > 0 &&
+                _logic.ShouldActuallySpawnPersistedLayouts())
             {
                 uint32_t startIdx = 0;
                 // We want to create a window for every saved layout.