diff --git a/kittens/dnd/drop.go b/kittens/dnd/drop.go
index ce99b365a..ee75c9603 100644
--- a/kittens/dnd/drop.go
+++ b/kittens/dnd/drop.go
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ func (dnd *dnd) all_mime_data_dropped() (err error) {
 			var c *remote_dir_entry
 			if x == "" {
 				c = &remote_dir_entry{}
+				drop_status.root_remote_dir.num_children_finished++
 			} else {
 				name := filepath.Base(x)
 				if !dnd.is_case_sensitive_filesystem {
@@ -696,7 +697,9 @@ func (dnd *dnd) on_remote_drop_data(cmd DC) (err error) {
 		dnd.data_request_completed()
 		if parent.num_children_finished >= len(parent.children) { // parent is finished
 			drop_status.open_remote_dir = nil
-			parent.base_dir = parent.base_dir.unref()
+			if parent.base_dir != nil {
+				parent.base_dir = parent.base_dir.unref()
+			}
 			if parent.item_type != 0 {
 				dnd.lp.QueueDnDData(DC{Type: 'r', Yp: parent.item_type}) // close directory in terminal
 			}
@@ -709,7 +712,9 @@ func (dnd *dnd) on_remote_drop_data(cmd DC) (err error) {
 					}
 				}
 				if !is_pending {
-					c.base_dir = c.base_dir.unref()
+					if c.base_dir != nil {
+						c.base_dir = c.base_dir.unref()
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			if len(drop_status.pending_remote_dirs) > 0 {
diff --git a/kitty/dnd.c b/kitty/dnd.c
index 65f63cc32..d184a0f99 100644
--- a/kitty/dnd.c
+++ b/kitty/dnd.c
@@ -518,8 +518,11 @@ drop_operation_to_enum(uint32_t op) {
     }
 }
 
+static GLFWDragOperationType last_drop_finish_operation = GLFW_DRAG_OPERATION_NONE;
+
 void
 drop_set_status(Window *w, int operation, const char *payload, size_t payload_sz, bool more) {
+    last_drop_finish_operation = GLFW_DRAG_OPERATION_NONE;
     if (!w->drop.accept_in_progress) {
         drop_free_accepted_mimes(w); w->drop.accept_in_progress = true;
         w->drop.accepted_operation = drop_operation_to_enum(operation);
@@ -1148,8 +1151,6 @@ drop_process_queue(Window *w) {
     }
 }
 
-static GLFWDragOperationType last_drop_finish_operation = GLFW_DRAG_OPERATION_NONE;
-
 void
 drop_enqueue_request(Window *w, int32_t cell_x, int32_t cell_y, int32_t pixel_y, uint32_t operation) {
     if (cell_x == 0 && cell_y == 0 && pixel_y == 0) {  // drop finished
diff --git a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
index cbd1c6e48..49e564dfe 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ def create_fs(base):
             f.write(b'x' * sz)
     os.makedirs(join('d1', 'sd', 'ssd'))
     os.mkdir(join('d2'))
-    os.symlink('/' + str(uuid.uuid4()), join('s1'))
+    os.symlink('/' + str(uuid.uuid4()), join('s1'))  # non-existent
     os.symlink('d1', join('sd'))
-    os.symlink('/', join('sr'))
+    os.symlink('/', join('d1', 'sa'))  # absolute symlink in sub dir
     os.symlink('../d1', join('d1', 'sr'))
     w(4096 * 3 + 113, 'some-image.png')
     w(0, 'd1', 'f1')
@@ -190,9 +190,11 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
     def test_dnd_kitten_drop(self):
         img_drop_path = 'images/image.png'
         self.finish_setup(cli_args=(f'--drop=image/png:{img_drop_path}',))
-        self.dnd_kitten_drop(False, img_drop_path)
+        with self.subTest(remote=False):
+            self.dnd_kitten_drop(False, img_drop_path)
         self.reset_kitten(True)
-        self.dnd_kitten_drop(True, img_drop_path)
+        with self.subTest(remote=True):
+            self.dnd_kitten_drop(True, img_drop_path)
         self.exit_kitten()
 
     def dnd_kitten_drop(self, remote_client, img_drop_path):
@@ -262,14 +264,9 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
         jn = os.path.join
         self.assert_files_have_same_content(jn(self.src_data_dir, 'some-image.png'), jn(self.kitten_wd, img_drop_path))
         shutil.rmtree(os.path.dirname(jn(self.kitten_wd, img_drop_path)))
-        if remote_client:
-            # TODO: need to send data for the items in the uri list based on
-            # current data requests using wait_for_state() to handle data
-            # requests as they arrive.
-            pass
-        else:
-            self.wait_for_state('last_drop_action', GLFW_DRAG_OPERATION_COPY)
-            self.wait_for_state('drop_action', 0)
+        self.wait_for_state('last_drop_action', GLFW_DRAG_OPERATION_COPY)
+        self.wait_for_state('drop_action', 0)
+        # self.assert_trees_equal(self.src_data_dir, self.kitten_wd)
 
     def assert_files_have_same_content(self, a, b):
         with open(a, 'rb') as fa, open(b, 'rb') as fb: