diff --git a/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/__init__.py b/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/__init__.py
index 2490122358..2e179f0620 100644
--- a/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/__init__.py
+++ b/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from .lib import (
     get_tray_state,
     is_tray_running,
     get_tray_server_url,
+    make_sure_tray_is_running,
     main,
 )
 
@@ -15,5 +16,6 @@ __all__ = (
     "get_tray_state",
     "is_tray_running",
     "get_tray_server_url",
+    "make_sure_tray_is_running",
     "main",
 )
diff --git a/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/lib.py b/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/lib.py
index 76cf20d3b4..5018dc6620 100644
--- a/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/lib.py
+++ b/client/ayon_core/tools/tray/lib.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from typing import Optional, Dict, Tuple, Any
 import ayon_api
 import requests
 
-from ayon_core.lib import Logger
+from ayon_core.lib import Logger, get_ayon_launcher_args, run_detached_process
 from ayon_core.lib.local_settings import get_ayon_appdirs
 
 
@@ -356,6 +356,44 @@ def is_tray_running(
     return state != TrayState.NOT_RUNNING
 
 
+def make_sure_tray_is_running(
+    ayon_url: Optional[str] = None,
+    variant: Optional[str] = None,
+    env: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None
+):
+    """Make sure that tray for AYON url and variant is running.
+
+    Args:
+        ayon_url (Optional[str]): AYON server url.
+        variant (Optional[str]): Settings variant.
+        env (Optional[Dict[str, str]]): Environment variables for the process.
+
+    """
+    state = get_tray_state(ayon_url, variant)
+    if state == TrayState.RUNNING:
+        return
+
+    if state == TrayState.STARTING:
+        _wait_for_starting_tray(ayon_url, variant)
+        state = get_tray_state(ayon_url, variant)
+        if state == TrayState.RUNNING:
+            return
+
+    args = get_ayon_launcher_args("tray", "--force")
+    if env is None:
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+
+    if ayon_url:
+        env["AYON_SERVER_URL"] = ayon_url
+
+    # TODO maybe handle variant in a better way
+    if variant:
+        if variant == "staging":
+            args.append("--use-staging")
+
+    run_detached_process(args, env=env)
+
+
 def main(force=False):
     from ayon_core.tools.tray.ui import main