diff --git a/kittens/dnd/main.go b/kittens/dnd/main.go
index 49dc80984..612e4858a 100644
--- a/kittens/dnd/main.go
+++ b/kittens/dnd/main.go
@@ -61,12 +61,13 @@ func run_loop(opts *Options, drop_dests map[string]drop_dest, drag_sources map[s
 		return err
 	}
 	send_test_response := func(payload string) {
-		in_test_mode = true
 		lp.DebugPrintln(payload)
 	}
 	render_screen := func() error {
-		lp.StartAtomicUpdate()
-		defer lp.EndAtomicUpdate()
+		if !in_test_mode {
+			lp.StartAtomicUpdate()
+			defer lp.EndAtomicUpdate()
+		}
 		lp.ClearScreen()
 		if allow_drags {
 			if drag_started {
@@ -157,6 +158,9 @@ func run_loop(opts *Options, drop_dests map[string]drop_dest, drag_sources map[s
 			switch string(cmd.Payload) {
 			case "PING":
 				send_test_response("PONG")
+			case "SETUP":
+				in_test_mode = true
+				lp.NoRoundtripToTerminalOnExit()
 			default:
 				send_test_response("UNKNOWN TEST COMMAND: " + string(cmd.Payload))
 			}
diff --git a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
index 2be0f4bd5..b874648a5 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@ import tempfile
 from base64 import standard_b64encode
 
 from kitty.constants import kitten_exe
-from kitty.fast_data_types import DND_CODE, dnd_set_test_write_func, dnd_test_cleanup_fake_window, dnd_test_create_fake_window, dnd_test_probe_state
+from kitty.fast_data_types import (
+    DND_CODE,
+    dnd_set_test_write_func,
+    dnd_test_cleanup_fake_window,
+    dnd_test_create_fake_window,
+    dnd_test_probe_state,
+)
 
 from . import PTY, BaseTest
 from .dnd import WriteCapture
@@ -28,6 +34,7 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
         self.capture = capture
         self.test_dir = self.enterContext(tempfile.TemporaryDirectory())
         self.messages_from_kitten = ''
+        self.set_options({'tab_bar_style': 'hidden'})
 
     def send_dnd_command_to_kitten(self, payload=b'', as_base64=False, flush=False, **metadata):
         header = f'\x1b]{DND_CODE};'
@@ -63,6 +70,7 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
         self.assertEqual(remote_client, self.probe_state('drop_is_remote_client'))
         if self.probe_state('drag_can_offer'):
             self.assertEqual(remote_client, self.probe_state('drag_is_remote_client'))
+        self.send_dnd_command_to_kitten('SETUP', t='T')
 
     def append(self, text):
         self.messages_from_kitten += text