diff --git a/kitty/child.py b/kitty/child.py
index e64cf4eeb..7f5de3fc0 100644
--- a/kitty/child.py
+++ b/kitty/child.py
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ class Child:
             # xterm, urxvt, konsole and gnome-terminal do not do it in my
             # testing.
             argv[0] = (f'-{exe.split("/")[-1]}')
-        exe = which(exe) or exe
-        pid = fast_data_types.spawn(exe, self.cwd, tuple(argv), env, master, slave, stdin_read_fd, stdin_write_fd, ready_read_fd, ready_write_fd)
+        self.final_exe = which(exe) or exe
+        pid = fast_data_types.spawn(self.final_exe, self.cwd, tuple(argv), env, master, slave, stdin_read_fd, stdin_write_fd, ready_read_fd, ready_write_fd)
         os.close(slave)
         self.pid = pid
         self.child_fd = master
diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index 2ba0088ff..ed48b0012 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -547,6 +547,8 @@ def clone_and_launch(msg: str, window: Window) -> None:
             cmdline = []
         if not cmdline:
             cmdline = list(window.child.argv)
+        if cmdline and cmdline[0] == window.child.argv[0]:
+            cmdline[0] = window.child.final_exe
     ssh_kitten_cmdline = window.ssh_kitten_cmdline()
     if ssh_kitten_cmdline:
         from kittens.ssh.main import set_cwd_in_cmdline, set_env_in_cmdline