From 7b1647a5f70e4c6db2454169cfafec9dd607d1db Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:19:28 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] Fix #8903

---
 kitty/main.py | 13 ++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 557153d31..f5107070d 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import shutil
 import sys
 from collections.abc import Generator, Sequence
 from contextlib import contextmanager, suppress
+from gettext import gettext as _
 
 from .borders import load_borders_program
 from .boss import Boss
@@ -281,7 +282,14 @@ def _run_app(opts: Options, args: CLIOptions, bad_lines: Sequence[BadLine] = (),
                     pos_x, pos_y = cached_values.get('window-pos', (None, None))
             if args.position:
                 pos_x, pos_y = map(int, args.position.lower().partition('x')[::2])
-        startup_sessions = tuple(create_sessions(opts, args, default_session=opts.startup_session))
+        startup_session_error: tuple[Exception, str] | None = None
+        try:
+            startup_sessions = tuple(create_sessions(opts, args, default_session=opts.startup_session))
+        except Exception as e:
+            startup_session_error = (e, (getattr(args, 'session', '') or opts.startup_session or ''))
+            if getattr(args, 'session', ''):
+                args.session = ''
+            startup_sessions = tuple(create_sessions(opts, args))
         wincls = (startup_sessions[0].os_window_class if startup_sessions else '') or args.cls or appname
         winname = (startup_sessions[0].os_window_name if startup_sessions else '') or args.name or wincls or appname
         window_state = (args.start_as if args.start_as and args.start_as != 'normal' else None) or (
@@ -302,6 +310,9 @@ def _run_app(opts: Options, args: CLIOptions, bad_lines: Sequence[BadLine] = (),
         if bad_lines or boss.misc_config_errors:
             boss.show_bad_config_lines(bad_lines, boss.misc_config_errors)
             boss.misc_config_errors = []
+        if startup_session_error:
+            boss.show_error(_('The startup session was invalid'), _(
+                'Loading the start session file {0} failed, with error:\n{1}').format(startup_session_error[1], startup_session_error[0]))
         try:
             boss.child_monitor.main_loop()
         finally: