diff --git a/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.cpp b/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.cpp
index 10d6bc2876..5504a10d38 100644
--- a/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.cpp
+++ b/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 #include "GUI_ObjectList.hpp"
 #include "slic3r/GUI/UserManager.hpp"
 #include "slic3r/GUI/TaskManager.hpp"
+#include "slic3r/GUI/Automation/AutomationServer.hpp"
+#include "slic3r/GUI/Automation/WxUiBackend.hpp"
+#include "slic3r/GUI/Automation/JsonRpcDispatcher.hpp"
 #include "format.hpp"
 #include "libslic3r_version.h"
 #include "Downloader.hpp"
@@ -730,6 +733,12 @@ void GUI_App::post_init()
     if (! this->initialized())
         throw Slic3r::RuntimeError("Calling post_init() while not yet initialized");
 
+    // UI automation: start the localhost server only when --automation-server set a port.
+    if (this->init_params != nullptr && this->init_params->automation_port > 0) {
+        m_automation_port = this->init_params->automation_port;
+        start_automation_server();
+    }
+
     m_open_method = "double_click";
     bool switch_to_3d = false;
 
@@ -2464,6 +2473,7 @@ bool GUI_App::OnInit()
 int GUI_App::OnExit()
 {
     stop_http_server();
+    stop_automation_server();
     stop_sync_user_preset();
 
     if (m_device_manager) {
@@ -7082,6 +7092,33 @@ void GUI_App::stop_http_server()
     m_http_server.stop();
 }
 
+void GUI_App::start_automation_server()
+{
+    if (m_automation_port <= 0) return;            // disabled
+    if (m_automation_server)    return;            // already running
+    using namespace Slic3r::GUI::Automation;
+    m_automation_backend.reset(new WxUiBackend());
+    m_automation_dispatcher.reset(new JsonRpcDispatcher(*m_automation_backend));
+    m_automation_server.reset(new AutomationServer((unsigned short)m_automation_port));
+    JsonRpcDispatcher* disp = m_automation_dispatcher.get();
+    m_automation_server->set_handler(
+        [disp](const std::string& body) { return disp->handle_request(body); });
+    m_automation_server->set_health_text(
+        std::string("OrcaSlicer automation server v") + kAutomationVersion);
+    m_automation_server->start();
+    BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(warning)
+        << "UI automation server ENABLED on 127.0.0.1:" << m_automation_port
+        << " (input injection is active)";
+}
+
+void GUI_App::stop_automation_server()
+{
+    if (m_automation_server) m_automation_server->stop();
+    m_automation_server.reset();
+    m_automation_dispatcher.reset();
+    m_automation_backend.reset();
+}
+
 void GUI_App::switch_staff_pick(bool on)
 {
     mainframe->m_webview->SendDesignStaffpick(on);
diff --git a/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.hpp b/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.hpp
index ca2e93a8d7..8fc4d49249 100644
--- a/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.hpp
+++ b/src/slic3r/GUI/GUI_App.hpp
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ class ModelMallDialog;
 class PingCodeBindDialog;
 class NetworkErrorDialog;
 
+// UI automation (opt-in). Forward declarations so GUI_App can own the stack
+// by unique_ptr without pulling the Automation headers into this header.
+namespace Automation {
+    class AutomationServer;
+    class WxUiBackend;
+    class JsonRpcDispatcher;
+}
+
 
 enum FileType
 {
@@ -335,6 +343,11 @@ private:
     HttpServer       m_http_server;
     bool             m_show_gcode_window{true};
     boost::thread    m_check_network_thread;
+
+    // --- UI automation (opt-in; off unless --automation-server) ---
+    std::unique_ptr<Slic3r::GUI::Automation::AutomationServer>   m_automation_server;
+    std::unique_ptr<Slic3r::GUI::Automation::WxUiBackend>        m_automation_backend;
+    std::unique_ptr<Slic3r::GUI::Automation::JsonRpcDispatcher>  m_automation_dispatcher;
 public:
     //try again when subscription fails
     void            on_start_subscribe_again(std::string dev_id);
@@ -371,6 +384,10 @@ public:
     // NOTE: Task 17 extends the automation lifecycle (server/backend) around this
     // accessor; here we only add the minimal flag/accessor the hooks depend on.
     bool is_automation_enabled() const { return m_automation_port > 0; }
+    // UI automation lifecycle: wires WxUiBackend -> JsonRpcDispatcher -> AutomationServer
+    // and starts/stops the localhost server. Both no-op when automation is off.
+    void start_automation_server();
+    void stop_automation_server();
     bool is_recreating_gui() const { return m_is_recreating_gui; }
     std::string logo_name() const { return is_editor() ? "OrcaSlicer" : "OrcaSlicer-gcodeviewer"; }