diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index cc4ab21cf..2ba0088ff 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -520,14 +520,14 @@ class CloneCmd:
             if k == 'a':
                 self.args.append(v)
             elif k == 'env':
-                env = {}
+                self.env = {}
                 for line in v.split('\0'):
                     if line:
                         try:
                             k, v = line.split('=', 1)
                         except ValueError:
                             continue
-                        env[k] = v
+                        self.env[k] = v
             elif k == 'cwd':
                 self.cwd = v
             elif k == 'argv':
diff --git a/kitty_tests/__init__.py b/kitty_tests/__init__.py
index 39f8aa9a3..c4270162e 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/__init__.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/__init__.py
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ class Callbacks:
         self.open_urls = []
         self.cc_buf = []
         self.bell_count = 0
+        self.clone_cmds = []
+        self.current_clone_data = ''
 
     def on_bell(self) -> None:
         self.bell_count += 1
@@ -94,6 +96,19 @@ class Callbacks:
         text = process_remote_print(msg)
         print(text, file=sys.__stderr__)
 
+    def handle_remote_clone(self, msg):
+        if not msg:
+            if self.current_clone_data:
+                cdata, self.current_clone_data = self.current_clone_data, ''
+                from kitty.launch import CloneCmd
+                self.clone_cmds.append(CloneCmd(cdata))
+            self.current_clone_data = ''
+            return
+        num, rest = msg.split(':', 1)
+        if num == '0' or len(self.current_clone_data) > 1024 * 1024:
+            self.current_clone_data = ''
+        self.current_clone_data += rest
+
     def handle_remote_ssh(self, msg):
         from kittens.ssh.main import get_ssh_data
         if self.pty:
diff --git a/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py b/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
index 54fcb85f8..d5fe1a8d9 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ RPS1="{rps1}"
             os.mkdir(q)
             pty.send_cmd_to_child(f'cd {q}')
             pty.wait_till(lambda: pty.screen.last_reported_cwd.endswith(q))
+        with self.run_shell(rc=f'''PS1="{ps1}"\nexport ES="a\n b c\nd"''') as pty:
+            pty.callbacks.clear()
+            pty.send_cmd_to_child('clone-in-kitty')
+            pty.wait_till(lambda: len(pty.callbacks.clone_cmds) == 1)
+            env = pty.callbacks.clone_cmds[0].env
+            self.ae(env.get('ES'), 'a\n b c\nd')
 
     @unittest.skipUnless(shutil.which('fish'), 'fish not installed')
     def test_fish_integration(self):