diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 7496f32eb..d50e54ba0 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -23,11 +23,24 @@ import { CoreDumpManager } from 'lib/coredump'
 import { UnitsMenu } from 'components/UnitsMenu'
 import { CameraProjectionToggle } from 'components/CameraProjectionToggle'
 import { useCreateFileLinkQuery } from 'hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher'
+import { useCommandsContext } from 'hooks/useCommandsContext'
 
 export function App() {
   const { project, file } = useLoaderData() as IndexLoaderData
+  const { commandBarSend } = useCommandsContext()
+
   // Keep a lookout for a URL query string that invokes the 'import file from URL' command
-  useCreateFileLinkQuery()
+  useCreateFileLinkQuery((argDefaultValues) => {
+    commandBarSend({
+      type: 'Find and select command',
+      data: {
+        groupId: 'projects',
+        name: 'Import file from URL',
+        argDefaultValues,
+      },
+    })
+  })
+
   useRefreshSettings(PATHS.FILE + 'SETTINGS')
   const navigate = useNavigate()
   const filePath = useAbsoluteFilePath()
diff --git a/src/Router.tsx b/src/Router.tsx
index 647d607f3..5c2dd9f8d 100644
--- a/src/Router.tsx
+++ b/src/Router.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import { useMemo } from 'react'
 import { AppStateProvider } from 'AppState'
 import { reportRejection } from 'lib/trap'
 import { ProjectsContextProvider } from 'components/ProjectsContextProvider'
+import { ProtocolHandler } from 'components/ProtocolHandler'
 
 const createRouter = isDesktop() ? createHashRouter : createBrowserRouter
 
@@ -53,19 +54,21 @@ const router = createRouter([
     /* Make sure auth is the outermost provider or else we will have
      * inefficient re-renders, use the react profiler to see. */
     element: (
-      <CommandBarProvider>
-        <SettingsAuthProvider>
-          <LspProvider>
-            <ProjectsContextProvider>
-              <KclContextProvider>
-                <AppStateProvider>
-                  <Outlet />
-                </AppStateProvider>
-              </KclContextProvider>
-            </ProjectsContextProvider>
-          </LspProvider>
-        </SettingsAuthProvider>
-      </CommandBarProvider>
+      <ProtocolHandler>
+        <CommandBarProvider>
+          <SettingsAuthProvider>
+            <LspProvider>
+              <ProjectsContextProvider>
+                <KclContextProvider>
+                  <AppStateProvider>
+                    <Outlet />
+                  </AppStateProvider>
+                </KclContextProvider>
+              </ProjectsContextProvider>
+            </LspProvider>
+          </SettingsAuthProvider>
+        </CommandBarProvider>
+      </ProtocolHandler>
     ),
     errorElement: <ErrorPage />,
     children: [
diff --git a/src/components/ProtocolHandler.tsx b/src/components/ProtocolHandler.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b5842e2f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ProtocolHandler.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { getSystemTheme } from 'lib/theme'
+import { ZOO_STUDIO_PROTOCOL } from 'lib/link'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { useCreateFileLinkQuery, CreateFileSchemaMethodOptional } from 'hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher'
+import { isDesktop } from 'lib/isDesktop'
+
+export const ProtocolHandler = (props: { children: ReactNode } ) => {
+  const [hasCustomProtocolScheme, setHasCustomProtocolScheme] = useState(false)
+  const [hasAsked, setHasAsked] = useState(false)
+  useCreateFileLinkQuery((args) => {
+    if (hasAsked) return
+    window.location.href = `zoo-studio:${JSON.stringify(args)}`
+    setHasAsked(true)
+    setHasCustomProtocolScheme(true)
+  })
+
+  const continueToWebApp = () => {
+    setHasCustomProtocolScheme(false)
+  }
+
+  const pathLogomarkSvg = `${isDesktop() ? '.' : ''}/zma-logomark.svg`
+
+  return hasCustomProtocolScheme ? <div className="flex items-center justify-center h-full">
+    <div style={{
+      background: `url(${pathLogomarkSvg})`,
+      backgroundRepeat: 'repeat',
+      backgroundSize: '100%',
+      transform: 'rotate(45deg)',
+      filter: `brightness(${getSystemTheme() === 'light' ? 97 : 0}%)`,
+      height: '100%',
+      width: '100%',
+      position: 'absolute',
+    }} className="flex items-center justify-center h-full"
+    ></div>
+    <div className="flex items-center justify-center h-full" style={{ zIndex: 10 }}>
+      <div className="p-4 mx-auto border rounded rounded-tl-none shadow-lg bg-chalkboard-10 dark:bg-chalkboard-100 dark:border-chalkboard-70">
+        <span>Loading model into Zoo Design Studio,&nbsp;</span><a className="cursor-pointer" onClick={continueToWebApp}>or continue to the web app</a>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div> : props.children
+}
diff --git a/src/hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher.ts b/src/hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher.ts
index b365ef962..505d3fdb2 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,30 @@
 import { base64ToString } from 'lib/base64'
 import { CREATE_FILE_URL_PARAM, DEFAULT_FILE_NAME } from 'lib/constants'
 import { useEffect } from 'react'
-import { useLocation, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom'
-import { useCommandsContext } from './useCommandsContext'
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { useSettingsAuthContext } from './useSettingsAuthContext'
 import { isDesktop } from 'lib/isDesktop'
 import { FileLinkParams } from 'lib/createFileLink'
 import { ProjectsCommandSchema } from 'lib/commandBarConfigs/projectsCommandConfig'
 import { baseUnitsUnion } from 'lib/settings/settingsTypes'
 
+// For initializing the command arguments, we actually want `method` to be undefined
+// so that we don't skip it in the command palette.
+export type CreateFileSchemaMethodOptional = Omit<
+  ProjectsCommandSchema['Import file from URL'],
+  'method'
+> & {
+  method?: 'newProject' | 'existingProject'
+}
+
 /**
  * companion to createFileLink. This hook runs an effect on mount that
  * checks the URL for the CREATE_FILE_URL_PARAM and triggers the "Create file"
  * command if it is present, loading the command's default values from the other
  * URL parameters.
  */
-export function useCreateFileLinkQuery() {
-  const location = useLocation()
+export function useCreateFileLinkQuery(callback: (args: CreateFileSchemaMethodOptional) => void) {
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams()
-  const { commandBarSend } = useCommandsContext()
   const { settings } = useSettingsAuthContext()
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -44,15 +50,6 @@ export function useCreateFileLinkQuery() {
       }
       console.log('createFileParam', { ...params, location })
 
-      // For initializing the command arguments, we actually want `method` to be undefined
-      // so that we don't skip it in the command palette.
-      type CreateFileSchemaMethodOptional = Omit<
-        ProjectsCommandSchema['Import file from URL'],
-        'method'
-      > & {
-        method?: 'newProject' | 'existingProject'
-      }
-
       const argDefaultValues: CreateFileSchemaMethodOptional = {
         name: params.name
           ? isDesktop()
@@ -66,14 +63,7 @@ export function useCreateFileLinkQuery() {
         method: isDesktop() ? undefined : 'existingProject',
       }
 
-      commandBarSend({
-        type: 'Find and select command',
-        data: {
-          groupId: 'projects',
-          name: 'Import file from URL',
-          argDefaultValues,
-        },
-      })
+      callback(argDefaultValues)
     }
   }, [searchParams])
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/createFileLink.ts b/src/lib/createFileLink.ts
index 2dc5b545e..ccde85eba 100644
--- a/src/lib/createFileLink.ts
+++ b/src/lib/createFileLink.ts
@@ -10,14 +10,32 @@ export interface FileLinkParams {
 
 /**
  * Given a file's code, name, and units, creates shareable link
- * TODO: make the app respect this link
  */
-export function createFileLink({ code, name, units }: FileLinkParams) {
+export async function createFileLink({ code, name, units }: FileLinkParams) {
+  const token = await getAndSyncStoredToken(input)
+  const urlUserShortlinks = withBaseURL('/user/shortlinks')
+
   const origin = globalThis.window.location.origin
-  return new URL(
+
+  if (!token && isDesktop()) return Promise.reject(new Error('No token found'))
+
+  let headers = {
+    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+  }
+  if (token) headers['Authorization'] = `Bearer ${token}`
+
+  const urlFileToShare = new URL(
     `/?${CREATE_FILE_URL_PARAM}&name=${encodeURIComponent(
       name
     )}&units=${units}&code=${encodeURIComponent(stringToBase64(code))}`,
     origin
-  ).href
+  ).toString()
+
+  const resp = await fetch(urlUserShortlinks, {
+    headers,
+    body: JSON.stringify({ url: urlFileToShare }),
+  })
+  const shortlink = await resp.json()
+
+  return shortlink.url
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/link.ts b/src/lib/link.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c61e060d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/link.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export const ZOO_STUDIO_PROTOCOL = 'zoo-studio'
+
+
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index eb5c6691a..65760af0c 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import minimist from 'minimist'
 import getCurrentProjectFile from 'lib/getCurrentProjectFile'
 import os from 'node:os'
 import { reportRejection } from 'lib/trap'
+import { ZOO_STUDIO_PROTOCOL } from 'lib/link'
 
 let mainWindow: BrowserWindow | null = null
 
@@ -52,9 +53,8 @@ if (require('electron-squirrel-startup')) {
   app.quit()
 }
 
-const ZOO_STUDIO_PROTOCOL = 'zoo-studio'
 
-/// Register our application to handle all "zoo-studio://" protocols.
+/// Register our application to handle all "zoo-studio:" protocols.
 if (process.defaultApp) {
   if (process.argv.length >= 2) {
     app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient(ZOO_STUDIO_PROTOCOL, process.execPath, [
diff --git a/src/routes/Home.tsx b/src/routes/Home.tsx
index 8f51a3875..6883c00f9 100644
--- a/src/routes/Home.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/Home.tsx
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ import { useCreateFileLinkQuery } from 'hooks/useCreateFileLinkQueryWatcher'
 // This route only opens in the desktop context for now,
 // as defined in Router.tsx, so we can use the desktop APIs and types.
 const Home = () => {
-  // Keep a lookout for a URL query string that invokes the 'import file from URL' command
-  useCreateFileLinkQuery()
   const { state, send } = useProjectsContext()
   const { commandBarSend } = useCommandsContext()
   const [projectsLoaderTrigger, setProjectsLoaderTrigger] = useState(0)