diff --git a/kittens/panel/main.py b/kittens/panel/main.py
index 32b771a6d..7312fa699 100644
--- a/kittens/panel/main.py
+++ b/kittens/panel/main.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from kitty.fast_data_types import (
     toggle_os_window_visibility,
 )
 from kitty.os_window_size import WindowSizeData, edge_spacing
-from kitty.simple_cli_definitions import panel_kitten_options_spec
+from kitty.simple_cli_definitions import build_panel_cli_spec
 from kitty.types import LayerShellConfig
 from kitty.typing_compat import BossType, EdgeLiteral
 from kitty.utils import log_error
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ help_text = 'Use a command line program to draw a GPU accelerated panel on your
 usage = '[cmdline-to-run ...]'
 
 
+def panel_kitten_options_spec() -> str:
+    if not hasattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans'):
+           setattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans', build_panel_cli_spec({}))
+    ans: str = getattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans')
+    return ans
+
 def parse_panel_args(args: list[str]) -> tuple[PanelCLIOptions, list[str]]:
     return parse_args(args, panel_kitten_options_spec, usage, help_text, 'kitty +kitten panel', result_class=PanelCLIOptions)
 
diff --git a/kitty/cli_stub.py b/kitty/cli_stub.py
index 2edb40533..5944b8555 100644
--- a/kitty/cli_stub.py
+++ b/kitty/cli_stub.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ ThemesCLIOptions = TransferCLIOptions = LoadConfigRCOptions = ActionRCOptions =
 def generate_stub() -> None:
     from .cli import as_type_stub
     from .conf.utils import save_type_stub
-    from .simple_cli_definitions import panel_kitten_options_spec, parse_option_spec
+    from .simple_cli_definitions import parse_option_spec
     text = 'import typing\n\n\n'
 
     def do(otext: str | None = None, cls: str = 'CLIOptions', extra_fields: Sequence[str] = ()) -> None:
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ def generate_stub() -> None:
     from kittens.icat.main import OPTIONS as OS
     do(OS, 'IcatCLIOptions')
 
+    from kittens.panel.main import panel_kitten_options_spec
     do(panel_kitten_options_spec(), 'PanelCLIOptions')
 
     from kittens.resize_window.main import OPTIONS
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 4b86ca41d..86e015b11 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -471,7 +471,6 @@ def kitty_main(called_from_panel: bool = False) -> None:
             'Run kitty and open the specified files or URLs in it, using launch-actions.conf. For details'
             ' see https://sw.kovidgoyal.net/kitty/open_actions/#scripting-the-opening-of-files-with-kitty-on-macos'
             '\n\nAll the normal kitty options can be used.')
-        cli_flags = None
     else:
         if not called_from_panel:
             cli_flags = getattr(sys, 'kitty_run_data', {}).get('cli_flags', None)
diff --git a/kitty/simple_cli_definitions.py b/kitty/simple_cli_definitions.py
index 195bb560d..834ad877b 100644
--- a/kitty/simple_cli_definitions.py
+++ b/kitty/simple_cli_definitions.py
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def generate_c_parsers() -> Iterator[str]:
     yield from generate_c_parser_for('kitty', kitty_options_spec())
     yield ''
     yield ''
-    yield from generate_c_parser_for('panel_kitten', panel_kitten_options_spec())
+    yield from generate_c_parser_for('panel_kitten', build_panel_cli_spec({}))
     yield ''
 
 
@@ -524,9 +524,8 @@ type=bool-set
 
 
 # panel CLI spec {{{
-def panel_kitten_options_spec() -> str:
-    if not hasattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans'):
-        OPTIONS = r'''
+def build_panel_cli_spec(defaults: dict[str, str]) -> str:
+    return r'''
 --lines
 default=1
 The number of lines shown in the panel. Ignored for background, centered, and vertical panels.
@@ -689,10 +688,7 @@ Path to a log file to store STDOUT/STDERR when using :option:`--detach`
 --debug-rendering
 type=bool-set
 For internal debugging use.
-'''
-        setattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans', OPTIONS.format(
-            appname=appname, listen_on_defn=listen_on_defn,
-        ))
-    ans: str = getattr(panel_kitten_options_spec, 'ans')
-    return ans
+'''.format(appname=appname, listen_on_defn=listen_on_defn, **defaults)
+
+
 # }}}