diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index c4675ec03..9c49801ae 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - macOS: Add menu items to the Edit menu to clear the screen and scrollback
 
+- Fix the :ac:`clear_terminal` scrollback action also clearing screen, not just scrollback
+
 0.38.1 [2024-12-26]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index e66ce94ac..f46def879 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -1264,7 +1264,7 @@ class Boss:
                 w.clear_screen(reset=True, scrollback=True)
         elif action == 'scrollback':
             for w in windows:
-                w.clear_screen(scrollback=True)
+                w.screen.clear_scrollback()
         elif action == 'clear':
             for w in windows:
                 w.clear_screen()