From dfbf5103c23040957077a4c8b9ed87ae866bec51 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jackie Li <jackie.space@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:47:35 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] add focus_tab to restore tab focus by default

---
 docs/changelog.rst | 3 +++
 kitty/tabs.py      | 9 ++++++++-
 2 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 0cab22ad2..94772dbea 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ Detailed list of changes
 - Add ``state:focused_os_window`` match query to select all windows in the
   currently focused OS window (:ref:`search_syntax`)
 
+- Session saving now automatically preserves which tab is active in each OS
+  window by adding a ``focus_tab`` command to saved session files
+
 0.43.1 [2025-10-01]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index d2eafa2f3..bc89f4e96 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -1317,7 +1317,10 @@ class TabManager:  # {{{
             hmap[at.id] = len(self.active_tab_history) + 1
         def skey(tab: Tab) -> int:
             return hmap.get(tab.id, -1)
-        for tab in sorted(self, key=skey):
+        active_tab_index = -1
+        for i, tab in enumerate(sorted(self, key=skey)):
+            if tab is self.active_tab:
+                active_tab_index = i
             ans.extend(tab.serialize_state_as_session(session_path, matched_windows, ser_opts))
         if ans:
             prefix = [] if is_first else ['', '', 'new_os_window']
@@ -1326,6 +1329,10 @@ class TabManager:  # {{{
             if self.wm_name and self.wm_name != appname:
                 prefix.append(f'os_window_name {self.wm_name}')
             ans = prefix + ans
+            # Add focus_tab command to preserve the active tab
+            if active_tab_index >= 0:
+                ans.append('')
+                ans.append(f'focus_tab {active_tab_index}')
         return ans
 
     @property

From 23f49e38251a2a0dd21e2d4f4c1f68f8cb267dde Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jackie Li <jackie.space@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:56:34 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] serialised tabs as they appear visually

---
 kitty/tabs.py | 7 +------
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index bc89f4e96..a509a1099 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -1312,13 +1312,8 @@ class TabManager:  # {{{
         is_first: bool = False
     ) -> list[str]:
         ans = []
-        hmap = {tab_id: i for i, tab_id in enumerate(self.active_tab_history)}
-        if (at := self.active_tab) is not None:
-            hmap[at.id] = len(self.active_tab_history) + 1
-        def skey(tab: Tab) -> int:
-            return hmap.get(tab.id, -1)
         active_tab_index = -1
-        for i, tab in enumerate(sorted(self, key=skey)):
+        for i, tab in enumerate(self.tabs):
             if tab is self.active_tab:
                 active_tab_index = i
             ans.extend(tab.serialize_state_as_session(session_path, matched_windows, ser_opts))