diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index ef5a4201d..367862cab 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ Detailed list of changes
 - Allow dragging window borders to resize kitty windows in all the different
   layouts, controlled by :opt:`window_drag_tolerance` (:pull:`9447`)
 
+- Allow showing :opt:`configurable window titles <window_title_bar>` for individual kitty
+  windows via a window title bar (:pull:`9450`)
+
 - A command palette to browse and trigger all mapped and unmapped actions
   (:pull:`9545`)
 
diff --git a/kitty/child-monitor.c b/kitty/child-monitor.c
index bb85e9576..fbf655ab9 100644
--- a/kitty/child-monitor.c
+++ b/kitty/child-monitor.c
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ prepare_to_render_os_window(OSWindow *os_window, monotonic_t now, unsigned int *
             if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at != 0) needs_render = true;
             // Prepare window title bar screen data for GPU
             WindowRenderData *trd = &w->window_title_render_data;
-            if (trd->screen) {
+            if (trd->screen && trd->geometry.bottom > trd->geometry.top && trd->geometry.right > trd->geometry.left) {
                 trd->screen->cursor_render_info.is_visible = false;
                 if (send_cell_data_to_gpu(trd->vao_idx, trd->screen, os_window)) needs_render = true;
             }
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ render_prepared_os_window(OSWindow *os_window, unsigned int active_window_id, co
             draw_cells(&WD, os_window, is_active_window, false, num_of_visible_windows == 1, w);
             if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at != 0) set_maximum_wait(ANIMATION_SAMPLE_WAIT);
             WindowRenderData *trd = &w->window_title_render_data;
-            if (trd->screen && num_visible_windows > 1 && trd->geometry.right > trd->geometry.left && trd->geometry.bottom > trd->geometry.top)
+            if (trd->screen && trd->geometry.right > trd->geometry.left && trd->geometry.bottom > trd->geometry.top)
                 draw_cells(trd, os_window, i == tab->active_window, true, false, NULL);
         }
     }
diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index 13fec807c..a7908e2bc 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -1389,6 +1389,9 @@ class Screen:
     def insert_characters(self, num: int) -> None:
         pass
 
+    def delete_characters(self, num: int) -> None: ...
+    def erase_characters(self, num: int) -> None: ...
+
     def line_edge_colors(self) -> Tuple[int, int]:
         pass
 
diff --git a/kitty/layout/base.py b/kitty/layout/base.py
index a42b6652d..3e5d0b946 100644
--- a/kitty/layout/base.py
+++ b/kitty/layout/base.py
@@ -369,13 +369,12 @@ class Layout:
         self.update_visibility(all_windows)
         self.blank_rects = []
         # Set show_title_bar flag on each visible window before layout
-        opts = get_options()
-        min_windows = opts.window_title_bar_min_windows
-        visible_groups = list(all_windows.iter_all_layoutable_groups(only_visible=True))
-        num_visible = len(visible_groups)
+        min_windows = get_options().window_title_bar_min_windows
+        visible_groups = tuple(all_windows.iter_all_layoutable_groups(only_visible=True))
+        show_title_bar = min_windows > 0 and len(visible_groups) >= min_windows
         for wg in visible_groups:
             for w in wg.windows:
-                w.show_title_bar = min_windows > 0 and num_visible >= min_windows
+                w.show_title_bar = show_title_bar
         self.do_layout(all_windows)
 
     def layout_single_window_group(self, wg: WindowGroup, add_blank_rects: bool = True) -> None:
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index 61423ce74..39b1fdb2b 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -1472,6 +1472,7 @@ opt('window_title_bar', 'top',
     long_text='''
 Control the position of the window title bar relative to the window content.
 Use :opt:`window_title_bar_min_windows` to control when title bars are shown.
+Use :opt:`window_title_template` to format the displayed window title.
 '''
     )
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/parse.py b/kitty/options/parse.py
index 37c1c7572..2c541a988 100644
--- a/kitty/options/parse.py
+++ b/kitty/options/parse.py
@@ -1515,9 +1515,6 @@ class Parser:
 
     choices_for_window_title_bar = frozenset(('top', 'bottom'))
 
-    def window_title_bar_min_windows(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
-        ans['window_title_bar_min_windows'] = positive_int(val)
-
     def window_title_bar_active_background(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['window_title_bar_active_background'] = to_color_or_none(val)
 
@@ -1538,6 +1535,9 @@ class Parser:
     def window_title_bar_inactive_foreground(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['window_title_bar_inactive_foreground'] = to_color_or_none(val)
 
+    def window_title_bar_min_windows(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
+        ans['window_title_bar_min_windows'] = positive_int(val)
+
     def window_title_template(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['window_title_template'] = tab_title_template(val)
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index 5d8216cee..429a643ed 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -501,12 +501,12 @@ option_names = (
     'window_resize_step_cells',
     'window_resize_step_lines',
     'window_title_bar',
-    'window_title_bar_min_windows',
     'window_title_bar_active_background',
     'window_title_bar_active_foreground',
     'window_title_bar_align',
     'window_title_bar_inactive_background',
     'window_title_bar_inactive_foreground',
+    'window_title_bar_min_windows',
     'window_title_template',
 )
 
@@ -702,12 +702,12 @@ class Options:
     window_resize_step_cells: int = 2
     window_resize_step_lines: int = 2
     window_title_bar: choices_for_window_title_bar = 'top'
-    window_title_bar_min_windows: int = 0
     window_title_bar_active_background: kitty.fast_data_types.Color | None = None
     window_title_bar_active_foreground: kitty.fast_data_types.Color | None = None
     window_title_bar_align: choices_for_window_title_bar_align = 'center'
     window_title_bar_inactive_background: kitty.fast_data_types.Color | None = None
     window_title_bar_inactive_foreground: kitty.fast_data_types.Color | None = None
+    window_title_bar_min_windows: int = 0
     window_title_template: str = '{fmt.fg.red}{bell_symbol}{activity_symbol}{fmt.fg.window}{progress_percent}{title}'
     action_alias: dict[str, str] = {}
     env: dict[str, str] = {}
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 0f8d1dc70..a5b47c4b3 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ from .typing_compat import EdgeLiteral, SessionTab, SessionType, TypedDict
 from .utils import cmdline_for_hold, color_as_int, log_error, platform_window_id, resolved_shell, shlex_split, which
 from .window import CwdRequest, Watchers, Window, WindowCreationSpec, WindowDict, global_watchers
 from .window_list import WindowList
-from .window_title_bar import WindowTitleBarManager
 
 P = ParamSpec('P')
 T = TypeVar('T')
@@ -171,7 +170,6 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         self.name = getattr(session_tab, 'name', '')
         self.enabled_layouts = [x.lower() for x in getattr(session_tab, 'enabled_layouts', None) or get_options().enabled_layouts]
         self.borders = Borders(self.os_window_id, self.id)
-        self.window_title_bar_manager = WindowTitleBarManager(self.os_window_id, self.id)
         self.windows: WindowList = WindowList(self)
         self._last_used_layout: str | None = None
         self._current_layout_name: str | None = None
@@ -441,8 +439,15 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         self.name = title or ''
         self.mark_tab_bar_dirty()
 
+    def update_window_title_bars(self) -> None:
+        active_group = self.windows.active_group
+        for wg in self.windows.iter_all_layoutable_groups(only_visible=True):
+            is_active = wg is active_group
+            for w in wg.windows:
+                w.update_title_bar(is_active=is_active)
+
     def title_changed(self, window: Window) -> None:
-        self.window_title_bar_manager.update(self.windows)
+        self.update_window_title_bars()
         if window is self.active_window:
             tm = self.tab_manager_ref()
             if tm is not None:
@@ -471,7 +476,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
                 current_layout=ly, tab_bar_rects=tm.tab_bar_rects,
                 draw_window_borders=draw_borders
             )
-            self.window_title_bar_manager.update(self.windows)
+            self.update_window_title_bars()
 
     def create_layout_object(self, name: str) -> Layout:
         return create_layout_object_for(name, self.os_window_id, self.id)
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 818d94de8..6efb8e510 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -659,6 +659,7 @@ class Window:
     creation_spec: WindowCreationSpec | None = None
     created_in_session_name: str = ''
     serialized_id: int = 0
+    show_title_bar: bool = False  # must be set before calling set_geometry
 
     @classmethod
     @contextmanager
@@ -733,7 +734,6 @@ class Window:
         self.tabref: Callable[[], TabType | None] = weakref.ref(tab)
         self.destroyed = False
         self.geometry: WindowGeometry = WindowGeometry(0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0)
-        self.show_title_bar: bool = False
         self._title_bar_screen: Any = None
         self.needs_layout = True
         self.is_visible_in_layout: bool = True
@@ -1029,8 +1029,8 @@ class Window:
 
         # Handle title bar screen
         if show_tb:
-            from .window_title_bar import WindowTitleBarScreen
             if self._title_bar_screen is None:
+                from .window_title_bar import WindowTitleBarScreen
                 self._title_bar_screen = WindowTitleBarScreen(self.os_window_id, cell_width, cell_height)
             tb_geom = WindowGeometry(
                 left=g.left, top=tb_top, right=g.right, bottom=tb_bottom,
@@ -1053,8 +1053,7 @@ class Window:
             update_ime_position_for_window(self.id, True)
 
     def update_title_bar(self, is_active: bool = False) -> None:
-        pts = self._title_bar_screen
-        if pts is None:
+        if (pts := self._title_bar_screen) is None:
             return
         from .progress import ProgressState
         from .window_title_bar import WindowTitleData
@@ -1076,20 +1075,18 @@ class Window:
             needs_attention=self.needs_attention,
             has_activity_since_last_focus=has_activity,
         )
-        rendered_title = pts.render(data, progress_percent)
-
         # If template evaluates to empty string, zero title bar geometry to hide it
-        if not rendered_title:
-            set_window_title_bar_render_data(
-                self.os_window_id, self.tab_id, self.id, pts.screen,
-                0, 0, 0, 0,
-            )
-        else:
+        if pts.render(data, progress_percent):
             g = pts.geometry
             set_window_title_bar_render_data(
                 self.os_window_id, self.tab_id, self.id, pts.screen,
                 g.left, g.top, g.right, g.bottom,
             )
+        else:
+            set_window_title_bar_render_data(
+                self.os_window_id, self.tab_id, self.id, pts.screen,
+                0, 0, 0, 0,
+            )
 
     def close(self) -> None:
         get_boss().mark_window_for_close(self)
diff --git a/kitty/window_title_bar.py b/kitty/window_title_bar.py
index 921e7a35a..7b40ebdbf 100644
--- a/kitty/window_title_bar.py
+++ b/kitty/window_title_bar.py
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     get_options,
 )
 from .rgb import color_as_sgr, color_from_int, to_color
+from .tab_bar import draw_attributed_string, safe_builtins
 from .types import WindowGeometry, run_once
-from .utils import color_as_int, log_error, sgr_sanitizer_pat
-from .window_list import WindowList
+from .utils import color_as_int, log_error
 
 
 @lru_cache
@@ -30,12 +30,6 @@ def _compile_template(template: str) -> Any:
         _report_template_failure(template, str(e))
 
 
-safe_builtins = {
-    'max': max, 'min': min, 'str': str, 'repr': repr, 'abs': abs,
-    'len': len, 'chr': chr, 'ord': ord,
-}
-
-
 def _resolve_color(opt_val: Any, fallback_val: Any) -> Any:
     if opt_val is None:
         return fallback_val
@@ -85,17 +79,6 @@ class WindowTitleFormatter:
     noitalic = '\x1b[23m'
 
 
-def _draw_attributed_string(title: str, screen: Screen) -> None:
-    if '\x1b' in title:
-        for x in sgr_sanitizer_pat(for_splitting=True).split(title):
-            if x.startswith('\x1b') and x.endswith('m'):
-                screen.apply_sgr(x[2:-1])
-            else:
-                screen.draw(x)
-    else:
-        screen.draw(title)
-
-
 class WindowTitleData(NamedTuple):
     title: str
     is_active: bool
@@ -199,45 +182,19 @@ class WindowTitleBarScreen:
         align = opts.window_title_bar_align
 
         if align == 'left':
-            _draw_attributed_string(title_str, s)
+            draw_attributed_string(title_str, s)
         else:
             # Measure the title length by drawing to cursor position 0
             # and checking where the cursor ends up
-            _draw_attributed_string(title_str, s)
+            draw_attributed_string(title_str, s)
             title_len = s.cursor.x
-            s.cursor.x = 0
-            s.erase_in_line(2, False)
-            s.cursor.fg = fg
-            s.cursor.bg = bg
-
             if align == 'center':
                 pad = max(0, (s.columns - title_len) // 2)
             else:  # right
                 pad = max(0, s.columns - title_len)
-
-            for _ in range(pad):
-                s.draw(' ')
-            _draw_attributed_string(title_str, s)
-
-        # Fill remaining cells with background
-        while s.cursor.x < s.columns:
-            s.draw(' ')
-
+            if pad:
+                s.cursor.x = 0
+                s.insert_characters(pad)
+                s.cursor.x = 0
+                s.erase_characters(pad)
         return title_str
-
-
-class WindowTitleBarManager:
-
-    def __init__(self, os_window_id: int, tab_id: int):
-        self.os_window_id = os_window_id
-        self.tab_id = tab_id
-
-    def update(self, all_windows: WindowList) -> None:
-        active_group = all_windows.active_group
-        for wg in all_windows.iter_all_layoutable_groups(only_visible=True):
-            is_active = wg is active_group
-            for w in wg.windows:
-                w.update_title_bar(is_active=is_active)
-
-    def destroy(self) -> None:
-        pass