diff --git a/kitty/cocoa_window.m b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
index 713d228bb..bfefdbfd1 100644
--- a/kitty/cocoa_window.m
+++ b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ typedef void* rusage_info_t;  // needed for libproc.h
 #endif
 
 static NSMenuItem* title_menu = NULL;
-static bool change_titlebar_color = false;
-static color_type titlebar_color = 0;
 
 
 static NSString*
@@ -207,37 +205,14 @@ cwd_of_process(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *pid_) {
     return PyUnicode_FromString(vpi.pvi_cdir.vip_path);
 }
 
-static inline color_type
-color_as_int(PyObject *color) {
-#define I(n, s) ((PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(color, n)) & 0xff) << s)
-    return (I(0, 16) | I(1, 8) | I(2, 0)) & 0xffffff;
-#undef I
-}
-
-static PyObject*
-macos_change_titlebar_color(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *val) {
-    if (val == Py_None) change_titlebar_color = false;
-    else if (val == Py_True) {
-        change_titlebar_color = true;
-        titlebar_color = OPT(background);
-    } else {
-        if (!PyTuple_Check(val)) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "Not a color tuple"); return NULL; }
-        change_titlebar_color = true;
-        titlebar_color = color_as_int(val);
-    }
-    Py_RETURN_NONE;
-}
-
 void
 cocoa_set_hide_from_tasks(void) {
     [NSApp setActivationPolicy:NSApplicationActivationPolicyAccessory];
 }
 
 void
-cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w)
+cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w, color_type titlebar_color)
 {
-    if (!change_titlebar_color) return;
-
     NSWindow *window = (NSWindow *)w;
 
     double red = ((titlebar_color >> 16) & 0xFF) / 255.0;
@@ -264,7 +239,6 @@ cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w)
 static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     {"cocoa_get_lang", (PyCFunction)cocoa_get_lang, METH_NOARGS, ""},
     {"cwd_of_process", (PyCFunction)cwd_of_process, METH_O, ""},
-    {"macos_change_titlebar_color", (PyCFunction)macos_change_titlebar_color, METH_O, ""},
     {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}        /* Sentinel */
 };
 
diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 7e6178eeb..d78a47e52 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from .config_utils import (
 from .constants import cache_dir, defconf
 from .fast_data_types import CURSOR_BEAM, CURSOR_BLOCK, CURSOR_UNDERLINE
 from .layout import all_layouts
-from .rgb import color_from_int
+from .rgb import color_as_int, color_from_int
 from .utils import log_error
 
 MINIMUM_FONT_SIZE = 4
@@ -265,10 +265,10 @@ def adjust_line_height(x):
 def macos_titlebar_color(x):
     x = x.strip('"')
     if x == 'system':
-        return
+        return 0
     if x == 'background':
-        return True
-    return to_color(x)
+        return 1
+    return (color_as_int(to_color(x)) << 8) | 2
 
 
 def box_drawing_scale(x):
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 1bae1dbd9..f1b4a59d5 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 extern bool cocoa_make_window_resizable(void *w);
 extern void cocoa_create_global_menu(void);
 extern void cocoa_set_hide_from_tasks(void);
-extern void cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w);
+extern void cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w, color_type color);
 
 #if GLFW_KEY_LAST >= MAX_KEY_COUNT
 #error "glfw has too many keys, you should increase MAX_KEY_COUNT"
@@ -317,6 +317,16 @@ filter_option(int key UNUSED, int mods, unsigned int scancode UNUSED) {
 }
 #endif
 
+void
+set_titlebar_color(OSWindow *w, color_type color) {
+    if (w->handle && (!w->last_titlebar_color || (w->last_titlebar_color & 0xffffff) != (color & 0xffffff))) {
+        w->last_titlebar_color = (1 << 24) | (color & 0xffffff);
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+        cocoa_set_titlebar_color(glfwGetCocoaWindow(w->handle), color);
+#endif
+    }
+}
+
 static PyObject*
 create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     int width, height, x = -1, y = -1;
@@ -406,7 +416,6 @@ create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
         if (glfwGetCocoaWindow) { if (!cocoa_make_window_resizable(glfwGetCocoaWindow(glfw_window))) { PyErr_Print(); } }
         else log_error("Failed to load glfwGetCocoaWindow");
     }
-    cocoa_set_titlebar_color(glfwGetCocoaWindow(glfw_window));
 #endif
     double now = monotonic();
     w->is_focused = true;
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 85128b55b..a810f6d5c 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ def init_graphics():
 def run_app(opts, args):
     set_scale(opts.box_drawing_scale)
     set_options(opts, is_wayland, args.debug_gl, args.debug_font_fallback)
-    if is_macos:
-        from .fast_data_types import macos_change_titlebar_color
-        macos_change_titlebar_color(opts.macos_titlebar_color)
     with cached_values_for('main') as cached_values:
         w, h = initial_window_size(opts, cached_values)
         window_id = create_os_window(w, h, appname, args.name or args.cls or appname, args.cls or appname, load_all_shaders)
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index 93a5e7f00..8fedbcd53 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -478,6 +478,17 @@ PYWRAP1(mark_os_window_for_close) {
     Py_RETURN_FALSE;
 }
 
+PYWRAP1(set_titlebar_color) {
+    id_type os_window_id;
+    unsigned int color;
+    PA("KI", &os_window_id, &color);
+    WITH_OS_WINDOW(os_window_id)
+        set_titlebar_color(os_window, color);
+        Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+    END_WITH_OS_WINDOW
+    Py_RETURN_FALSE;
+}
+
 static inline bool
 fix_window_idx(Tab *tab, id_type window_id, unsigned int *window_idx) {
     for (id_type fix = 0; fix < tab->num_windows; fix++) {
@@ -602,6 +613,7 @@ static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     MW(set_window_render_data, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(viewport_for_window, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(mark_os_window_for_close, METH_VARARGS),
+    MW(set_titlebar_color, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(update_window_visibility, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(set_boss, METH_O),
     MW(set_display_state, METH_VARARGS),
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 2914bf6cf..a8ebc323d 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ typedef struct {
     bool has_pending_resizes, is_semi_transparent, shown_once, is_damaged;
     uint32_t offscreen_texture_id;
     unsigned int clear_count;
+    color_type last_titlebar_color;
 } OSWindow;
 
 
@@ -180,3 +181,4 @@ void update_surface_size(int, int, uint32_t);
 void free_texture(uint32_t*);
 void send_image_to_gpu(uint32_t*, const void*, int32_t, int32_t, bool, bool);
 void send_sprite_to_gpu(unsigned int, unsigned int, unsigned int, pixel*);
+void set_titlebar_color(OSWindow *w, color_type color);
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 7f1a6fb10..e1e51fe1b 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -100,8 +100,11 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         tm = self.tab_manager_ref()
         if tm is not None:
             visible_windows = [w for w in self.windows if w.is_visible_in_layout]
-            self.borders(visible_windows, self.active_window, self.current_layout,
+            w = self.active_window
+            self.borders(visible_windows, w, self.current_layout,
                          tm.blank_rects, self.current_layout.needs_window_borders and len(visible_windows) > 1)
+            if w is not None:
+                w.change_titlebar_color()
 
     def create_layout_object(self, idx):
         return all_layouts[idx](self.os_window_id, self.id, self.opts, self.borders.border_width)
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 55d65c307..5537ab311 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     CELL_SPECIAL_PROGRAM, CSI, CURSOR_PROGRAM, DCS, GRAPHICS_PREMULT_PROGRAM,
     GRAPHICS_PROGRAM, OSC, SCROLL_FULL, SCROLL_LINE, SCROLL_PAGE, Screen,
     add_window, compile_program, glfw_post_empty_event, init_cell_program,
-    init_cursor_program, set_clipboard_string, set_window_render_data,
-    update_window_title, update_window_visibility, viewport_for_window
+    init_cursor_program, set_clipboard_string, set_titlebar_color,
+    set_window_render_data, update_window_title, update_window_visibility,
+    viewport_for_window
 )
 from .keys import keyboard_mode_name
 from .rgb import to_color
@@ -227,6 +228,15 @@ class Window:
     def icon_changed(self, new_icon):
         pass  # TODO: Implement this
 
+    def change_titlebar_color(self):
+        val = self.opts.macos_titlebar_color
+        if val:
+            if (val & 0xff) == 1:
+                val = self.screen.color_profile.default_bg
+            else:
+                val = val >> 8
+            set_titlebar_color(self.os_window_id, val)
+
     def change_colors(self, changes):
         dirtied = default_bg_changed = False