diff --git a/packages/core/src/http/server/internal.rs b/packages/core/src/http/server/internal.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4e34de78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/http/server/internal.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+use crate::http::server::common::error::AppError;
+use crate::http::server::common::query::parse_query;
+use crate::http::server::common::response::{empty_body, BoxedBody};
+use crate::http::server::AppState;
+use http_body_util::BodyExt;
+use hyper::body::Incoming;
+use hyper::{Request, Response, StatusCode};
+use serde::Deserialize;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc;
+
+/// Configuration for application-internal endpoints.
+pub struct InternalConfig {
+    /// Token required by the show route.
+    pub show_token: String,
+
+    /// Channel on which the server emits internal events to the application.
+    pub event_tx: mpsc::Sender<InternalEvent>,
+}
+
+/// Events emitted by application-internal endpoints.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum InternalEvent {
+    /// Another application instance requested the running application to show itself.
+    Show {
+        /// Command-line arguments forwarded by the other application instance.
+        args: Vec<String>,
+    },
+}
+
+pub(crate) struct InternalState {
+    show_token: String,
+    event_tx: mpsc::Sender<InternalEvent>,
+}
+
+impl InternalState {
+    pub(crate) fn new(config: InternalConfig) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            show_token: config.show_token,
+            event_tx: config.event_tx,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Default, Deserialize)]
+struct ShowRequest {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    args: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+pub(crate) async fn show(
+    req: Request<Incoming>,
+    state: AppState,
+) -> Result<Response<BoxedBody>, AppError> {
+    let Some(internal) = &state.internal else {
+        return Err(AppError::Status(StatusCode::NOT_FOUND));
+    };
+
+    let query = parse_query(req.uri().query());
+    if query.get("token") != Some(&internal.show_token) {
+        return Err(AppError::Message(
+            StatusCode::FORBIDDEN,
+            "Invalid token".to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    let body = req.into_body().collect().await?.to_bytes();
+    let payload = if body.is_empty() {
+        ShowRequest::default()
+    } else {
+        serde_json::from_slice::<ShowRequest>(&body).map_err(|err| {
+            tracing::warn!("Failed to parse show request body: {err:#}");
+            AppError::BadRequest("Invalid JSON body".to_string())
+        })?
+    };
+
+    let _ = internal
+        .event_tx
+        .send(InternalEvent::Show { args: payload.args })
+        .await;
+
+    let mut response = Response::new(empty_body());
+    *response.status_mut() = StatusCode::OK;
+    Ok(response)
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/http/server/mod.rs b/packages/core/src/http/server/mod.rs
index 68a4236a..856d49b8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/http/server/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/core/src/http/server/mod.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 pub mod common;
+pub mod internal;
 pub mod v2;
 pub mod v3;
 pub mod web;
 
 use crate::crypto::cert::public_key_from_cert_der;
+use crate::http::server::internal::{InternalConfig, InternalState};
 use crate::http::server::v2::ServerEventV2;
 use crate::http::server::web::WebSendConfig;
 use crate::http::state::ClientInfo;
@@ -59,6 +61,9 @@ pub struct AppState {
     /// State for serving web pages.
     web: Option<Arc<WebPageState>>,
 
+    /// State for application-internal endpoints.
+    internal: Option<Arc<InternalState>>,
+
     /// Maps client identifiers to nonces that have been received from remote.
     received_nonce_map: Arc<Mutex<LruCache<String, Vec<u8>>>>,
 
@@ -72,6 +77,7 @@ pub struct AppState {
 impl AppState {
     fn new(
         info: Arc<Mutex<ClientInfo>>,
+        internal_config: Option<InternalConfig>,
         v2_config: Option<ServerConfigV2>,
         web_send_config: Option<WebSendConfig>,
     ) -> Self {
@@ -85,10 +91,12 @@ impl AppState {
         });
 
         let web = web_send_config.map(|config| Arc::new(WebPageState::new(config)));
+        let internal = internal_config.map(|config| Arc::new(InternalState::new(config)));
 
         Self {
             info,
             web,
+            internal,
             received_nonce_map: Arc::new(Mutex::new(LruCache::new(
                 NonZeroUsize::new(200).unwrap(),
             ))),
@@ -105,6 +113,7 @@ pub async fn start_with_port(
     port: u16,
     tls_config: Option<TlsConfig>,
     info: ClientInfo,
+    internal_config: Option<InternalConfig>,
     v2_config: Option<ServerConfigV2>,
     web_send_config: Option<WebSendConfig>,
     stop_rx: oneshot::Receiver<()>,
@@ -112,7 +121,7 @@ pub async fn start_with_port(
     let ipv4_socket_addr = SocketAddr::new(Ipv4Addr::UNSPECIFIED.into(), port);
     let ipv6_socket_addr = SocketAddr::new(Ipv6Addr::UNSPECIFIED.into(), port);
     let info = Arc::new(Mutex::new(info));
-    let state = AppState::new(info.clone(), v2_config, web_send_config);
+    let state = AppState::new(info.clone(), internal_config, v2_config, web_send_config);
 
     let ipv4_listener = tokio::net::TcpListener::bind(ipv4_socket_addr).await?;
     let ipv6_listener = match bind_ipv6_only(ipv6_socket_addr) {
@@ -365,6 +374,8 @@ async fn handle_request_inner(mut req: Request<Incoming>) -> Result<Response<Box
 
             v2::cancel(req, state).await
         }
+        // The versioned path is retained for compatibility, but this endpoint is internal.
+        (&Method::POST, "/api/localsend/v2/show") => internal::show(req, state).await,
         (&Method::POST, "/api/localsend/v3/nonce") => {
             Ok(v3::nonce_exchange(req.into_body(), state, client_info)
                 .await?
diff --git a/packages/core/src/main.rs b/packages/core/src/main.rs
index 036edb6c..12e5e80e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/main.rs
+++ b/packages/core/src/main.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::crypto::token;
 use crate::http::client::LsHttpClientV3;
 use crate::http::dto::{PrepareUploadRequestDto, ProtocolType, RegisterDto};
 use crate::http::server::common::save::FileUploadTarget;
+use crate::http::server::internal::{InternalConfig, InternalEvent};
 use crate::http::server::v2::{PrepareUploadDecisionV2, ServerEventV2};
 use crate::http::server::{ServerConfigV2, TlsConfig};
 use crate::model::discovery::DeviceType;
@@ -140,8 +141,19 @@ async fn server_test() -> Result<()> {
     };
 
     let (stop_tx, stop_rx) = oneshot::channel::<()>();
+    let (internal_event_tx, mut internal_event_rx) = mpsc::channel::<InternalEvent>(16);
     let (event_tx, mut event_rx) = mpsc::channel::<ServerEventV2>(16);
 
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        while let Some(event) = internal_event_rx.recv().await {
+            match event {
+                InternalEvent::Show { args } => {
+                    tracing::info!("Show application with args: {args:?}");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
     tokio::spawn(async move {
         while let Some(event) = event_rx.recv().await {
             match event {
@@ -202,6 +214,10 @@ async fn server_test() -> Result<()> {
             private_key: PRIVATE_KEY.to_string(),
         }),
         client_info,
+        Some(InternalConfig {
+            show_token: "show-token".to_string(),
+            event_tx: internal_event_tx,
+        }),
         Some(ServerConfigV2 {
             pin: None,
             event_tx,
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/internal_server.rs b/packages/core/tests/internal_server.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a27cf214
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/tests/internal_server.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+#![cfg(feature = "http")]
+
+use localsend::http::server::internal::{InternalConfig, InternalEvent};
+use localsend::http::server::start_with_port;
+use localsend::http::state::ClientInfo;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU16, Ordering};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::time::Duration;
+use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot, Mutex};
+
+struct TestServer {
+    port: u16,
+    show_args: Arc<Mutex<Vec<Vec<String>>>>,
+    _stop_tx: oneshot::Sender<()>,
+}
+
+async fn start_test_server(internal_enabled: bool) -> TestServer {
+    let _ = tracing_subscriber::fmt().with_test_writer().try_init();
+    let port = free_port();
+    let show_args = Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new()));
+    let (event_tx, mut event_rx) = mpsc::channel::<InternalEvent>(16);
+
+    tokio::spawn({
+        let show_args = show_args.clone();
+        async move {
+            while let Some(event) = event_rx.recv().await {
+                match event {
+                    InternalEvent::Show { args } => show_args.lock().await.push(args),
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
+    let internal_config = internal_enabled.then_some(InternalConfig {
+        show_token: "show-token".to_string(),
+        event_tx,
+    });
+    let (stop_tx, stop_rx) = oneshot::channel::<()>();
+
+    start_with_port(
+        port,
+        None,
+        ClientInfo {
+            alias: "Test Server".to_string(),
+            version: "2.1".to_string(),
+            device_model: Some("Rust".to_string()),
+            device_type: None,
+            token: "server-fingerprint".to_string(),
+        },
+        internal_config,
+        None,
+        None,
+        stop_rx,
+    )
+    .await
+    .expect("Failed to start server");
+
+    wait_until_reachable(port).await;
+
+    TestServer {
+        port,
+        show_args,
+        _stop_tx: stop_tx,
+    }
+}
+
+fn free_port() -> u16 {
+    static PORT_COUNTER: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(42551);
+
+    loop {
+        let port = PORT_COUNTER.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        if std::net::TcpListener::bind(("127.0.0.1", port)).is_ok() {
+            return port;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async fn wait_until_reachable(port: u16) {
+    for _ in 0..100 {
+        if tokio::net::TcpStream::connect(("127.0.0.1", port))
+            .await
+            .is_ok()
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(20)).await;
+    }
+    panic!("Server did not become reachable on port {port}");
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_show() {
+    let server = start_test_server(true).await;
+
+    let response = localsend::reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!(
+            "http://127.0.0.1:{}/api/localsend/v2/show?token=show-token",
+            server.port
+        ))
+        .json(&serde_json::json!({"args": ["file-a", "file-b"]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(response.status().as_u16(), 200);
+    assert_eq!(
+        *server.show_args.lock().await,
+        vec![vec!["file-a".to_string(), "file-b".to_string()]]
+    );
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_show_with_empty_body() {
+    let server = start_test_server(true).await;
+
+    let response = localsend::reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!(
+            "http://127.0.0.1:{}/api/localsend/v2/show?token=show-token",
+            server.port
+        ))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(response.status().as_u16(), 200);
+    assert_eq!(*server.show_args.lock().await, vec![Vec::<String>::new()]);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_show_with_invalid_token() {
+    let server = start_test_server(true).await;
+
+    let response = localsend::reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!(
+            "http://127.0.0.1:{}/api/localsend/v2/show?token=wrong-token",
+            server.port
+        ))
+        .json(&serde_json::json!({"args": ["file-a"]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(response.status().as_u16(), 403);
+    assert!(server.show_args.lock().await.is_empty());
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_show_disabled() {
+    let server = start_test_server(false).await;
+
+    let response = localsend::reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!(
+            "http://127.0.0.1:{}/api/localsend/v2/show?token=show-token",
+            server.port
+        ))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(response.status().as_u16(), 404);
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/v2_server.rs b/packages/core/tests/v2_server.rs
index 5fb249df..32593599 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/v2_server.rs
+++ b/packages/core/tests/v2_server.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ async fn start_test_server(
             device_type: None,
             token: "server-fingerprint".to_string(),
         },
+        None,
         Some(ServerConfigV2 { pin, event_tx }),
         None,
         stop_rx,
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/v2_web_send.rs b/packages/core/tests/v2_web_send.rs
index e2b05f90..a564db67 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/v2_web_send.rs
+++ b/packages/core/tests/v2_web_send.rs
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ async fn start_test_server(
             device_type: None,
             token: "server-fingerprint".to_string(),
         },
+        None,
         Some(ServerConfigV2 {
             pin: None,
             event_tx: v2_event_tx,