diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 730c7e4ce18fb32f28a5ec823077700012b74ce0..870f951370586ea93b915ea9852a313e588ca207 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ tags
 Thumbs.db
 .idea
 pubspec.lock
+.vscode/
diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Headers/FlutterEngine.h b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Headers/FlutterEngine.h
index 52e8017a299af461f4f46f1927a692d4d21778fc..0254139847e3a15681d58def68c5424bbbe32137 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Headers/FlutterEngine.h
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Headers/FlutterEngine.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ FLUTTER_EXPORT
  *   tree-shaken by the Dart compiler.
  * @return YES if the call succeeds in creating and running a Flutter Engine instance; NO otherwise.
  */
-- (bool)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint;
+- (BOOL)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint;
 
 /**
  * Runs a Dart program on an Isolate using the specified entrypoint and Dart library,
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ FLUTTER_EXPORT
  *   this will default to the same library as the `main()` function in the Dart program.
  * @return YES if the call succeeds in creating and running a Flutter Engine instance; NO otherwise.
  */
-- (bool)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)uri;
+- (BOOL)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)uri;
 
 /**
  * Sets the `FlutterViewController` for this instance.  The FlutterEngine must be
diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine.mm b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine.mm
index 33ca6477bd06aae7a2adcac526218092953b46fa..e25f2db853bc95fac9958a12550cd83980aad33e 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine.mm
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine.mm
@@ -264,10 +264,10 @@
       }));
 }
 
-- (bool)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)libraryURI {
+- (BOOL)createShell:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)libraryURI {
   if (_shell != nullptr) {
     FML_LOG(WARNING) << "This FlutterEngine was already invoked.";
-    return false;
+    return NO;
   }
 
   static size_t shellCount = 1;
@@ -351,13 +351,20 @@
                    << entrypoint.UTF8String;
   } else {
     [self maybeSetupPlatformViewChannels];
+  }
+
+  return _shell != nullptr;
+}
+
+- (BOOL)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)libraryURI {
+  if ([self createShell:entrypoint libraryURI:libraryURI]) {
     [self launchEngine:entrypoint libraryURI:libraryURI];
   }
 
   return _shell != nullptr;
 }
 
-- (bool)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint {
+- (BOOL)runWithEntrypoint:(NSString*)entrypoint {
   return [self runWithEntrypoint:entrypoint libraryURI:nil];
 }
 
diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine_Internal.h b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine_Internal.h
index 86d1fc736eb32aaf7050d3737721dce4ca1fdd25..196516be4f0201919804ff4137d4815e7a997044 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine_Internal.h
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterEngine_Internal.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 - (shell::FlutterPlatformViewsController*)platformViewsController;
 - (FlutterTextInputPlugin*)textInputPlugin;
 - (void)launchEngine:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)libraryOrNil;
+- (BOOL)createShell:(NSString*)entrypoint libraryURI:(NSString*)libraryOrNil;
 
 @end
 
diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterViewController.mm b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterViewController.mm
index 9c160cef2903414f7e4d4e1877c4e1afc5f32c2f..f557d3433aef24178fce8fc0c55df70ec99236b0 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterViewController.mm
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Source/FlutterViewController.mm
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
   blink::ViewportMetrics _viewportMetrics;
   BOOL _initialized;
   BOOL _viewOpaque;
+  BOOL _engineNeedsLaunch;
 }
 
 #pragma mark - Manage and override all designated initializers
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
   if (self) {
     _viewOpaque = YES;
     _engine.reset([engine retain]);
+    _engineNeedsLaunch = NO;
     _flutterView.reset([[FlutterView alloc] initWithDelegate:_engine opaque:self.isViewOpaque]);
     _weakFactory = std::make_unique<fml::WeakPtrFactory<FlutterViewController>>(self);
 
@@ -68,8 +70,8 @@
     _weakFactory = std::make_unique<fml::WeakPtrFactory<FlutterViewController>>(self);
     _engine.reset([[FlutterEngine alloc] initWithName:@"io.flutter" project:projectOrNil]);
     _flutterView.reset([[FlutterView alloc] initWithDelegate:_engine opaque:self.isViewOpaque]);
-    [_engine.get() runWithEntrypoint:nil];
-    [_engine.get() setViewController:self];
+    [_engine.get() createShell:nil libraryURI:nil];
+    _engineNeedsLaunch = YES;
 
     [self performCommonViewControllerInitialization];
   }
@@ -371,6 +373,12 @@
 - (void)viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated {
   TRACE_EVENT0("flutter", "viewWillAppear");
 
+  if (_engineNeedsLaunch) {
+    [_engine.get() launchEngine:nil libraryURI:nil];
+    [_engine.get() setViewController:self];
+    _engineNeedsLaunch = NO;
+  }
+
   // Only recreate surface on subsequent appearances when viewport metrics are known.
   // First time surface creation is done on viewDidLayoutSubviews.
   if (_viewportMetrics.physical_width)