diff --git a/kitty/child.py b/kitty/child.py
index 75dafa7d4..4c16837b4 100644
--- a/kitty/child.py
+++ b/kitty/child.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import kitty.fast_data_types as fast_data_types
 
 from .constants import handled_signals, is_freebsd, is_macos, kitten_exe, kitty_base_dir, shell_path, terminfo_dir
 from .types import run_once
-from .utils import log_error, which
+from .utils import cmdline_for_hold, log_error, which
 
 try:
     from typing import TypedDict
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ class Child:
         cwd_from: Optional['CwdRequest'] = None,
         is_clone_launch: str = '',
         add_listen_on_env_var: bool = True,
+        hold: bool = False,
     ):
         self.is_clone_launch = is_clone_launch
         self.add_listen_on_env_var = add_listen_on_env_var
@@ -217,6 +218,7 @@ class Child:
         self.final_env:Dict[str, str] = {}
         self.is_default_shell = bool(self.argv and self.argv[0] == shell_path)
         self.should_run_via_run_shell_kitten = is_macos and self.is_default_shell
+        self.hold = hold
 
     def get_final_env(self) -> Dict[str, str]:
         from kitty.options.utils import DELETE_ENV_VAR
@@ -309,11 +311,14 @@ class Child:
                     argv.append('--cwd=' + cwd)
                     cwd = os.path.expanduser('~')
                 argv = ['/usr/bin/login', '-f', '-l', '-p', user] + argv
-        self.final_exe = which(argv[0]) or argv[0]
+        self.final_exe = final_exe = which(argv[0]) or argv[0]
         self.final_argv0 = argv[0]
+        if self.hold:
+            argv = cmdline_for_hold(argv)
+            final_exe = argv[0]
         env = tuple(f'{k}={v}' for k, v in self.final_env.items())
         pid = fast_data_types.spawn(
-            self.final_exe, cwd, tuple(argv), env, master, slave, stdin_read_fd, stdin_write_fd,
+            final_exe, cwd, tuple(argv), env, master, slave, stdin_read_fd, stdin_write_fd,
             ready_read_fd, ready_write_fd, tuple(handled_signals), kitten_exe(), opts.forward_stdio)
         os.close(slave)
         self.pid = pid
diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index 95cc15af8..613f2cc0f 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from .fast_data_types import add_timer, get_boss, get_options, get_os_window_tit
 from .options.utils import env as parse_env
 from .tabs import Tab, TabManager
 from .types import OverlayType, run_once
-from .utils import cmdline_for_hold, get_editor, log_error, resolve_custom_file, resolved_shell, which
+from .utils import get_editor, log_error, resolve_custom_file, which
 from .window import CwdRequest, CwdRequestType, Watchers, Window
 
 try:
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ class LaunchKwds(TypedDict):
     cmd: Optional[List[str]]
     overlay_for: Optional[int]
     stdin: Optional[bytes]
+    hold: bool
 
 
 def apply_colors(window: Window, spec: Sequence[str]) -> None:
@@ -504,7 +505,8 @@ def _launch(
         'marker': opts.marker or None,
         'cmd': None,
         'overlay_for': None,
-        'stdin': None
+        'stdin': None,
+        'hold': False,
     }
     spacing = {}
     if opts.spacing:
@@ -607,11 +609,7 @@ def _launch(
             else:
                 set_primary_selection(stdin)
     else:
-        if opts.hold:
-            cmd = kw['cmd'] or resolved_shell()
-            if not os.path.isabs(cmd[0]):
-                cmd[0] = which(cmd[0]) or cmd[0]
-            kw['cmd'] = cmdline_for_hold(cmd)
+        kw['hold'] = opts.hold
         if force_target_tab:
             tab = target_tab
         else:
diff --git a/kitty/session.py b/kitty/session.py
index 9123c4f4c..bf1d9efbf 100644
--- a/kitty/session.py
+++ b/kitty/session.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from .options.types import Options
 from .options.utils import resize_window, to_layout_names, window_size
 from .os_window_size import WindowSize, WindowSizeData, WindowSizes
 from .typing import SpecialWindowInstance
-from .utils import cmdline_for_hold, expandvars, log_error, resolve_custom_file, resolved_shell, shlex_split, which
+from .utils import expandvars, log_error, resolve_custom_file, resolved_shell, shlex_split
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .launch import LaunchSpec
@@ -237,11 +237,8 @@ def create_sessions(
     ans.tabs[-1].layout = current_layout
     if special_window is None:
         cmd = args.args if args and args.args else resolved_shell(opts)
-        if args and args.hold:
-            cmd[0] = which(cmd[0]) or cmd[0]
-            cmd = cmdline_for_hold(cmd)
         from kitty.tabs import SpecialWindow
         cwd: Optional[str] = args.directory if respect_cwd and args else None
-        special_window = SpecialWindow(cmd, cwd_from=cwd_from, cwd=cwd)
+        special_window = SpecialWindow(cmd, cwd_from=cwd_from, cwd=cwd, hold=bool(args and args.hold))
     ans.add_special_window(special_window)
     yield ans
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 32971230c..e5eafc402 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class SpecialWindowInstance(NamedTuple):
     env: Optional[Dict[str, str]]
     watchers: Optional[Watchers]
     overlay_behind: bool
+    hold: bool
 
 
 def SpecialWindow(
@@ -106,9 +107,10 @@ def SpecialWindow(
     overlay_for: Optional[int] = None,
     env: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
     watchers: Optional[Watchers] = None,
-    overlay_behind: bool = False
+    overlay_behind: bool = False,
+    hold: bool = False,
 ) -> SpecialWindowInstance:
-    return SpecialWindowInstance(cmd, stdin, override_title, cwd_from, cwd, overlay_for, env, watchers, overlay_behind)
+    return SpecialWindowInstance(cmd, stdin, override_title, cwd_from, cwd, overlay_for, env, watchers, overlay_behind, hold)
 
 
 def add_active_id_to_history(items: Deque[int], item_id: int, maxlen: int = 64) -> None:
@@ -440,6 +442,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         env: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
         is_clone_launch: str = '',
         add_listen_on_env_var: bool = True,
+        hold: bool = False,
     ) -> Child:
         check_for_suitability = True
         if cmd is None:
@@ -487,7 +490,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         pwid = platform_window_id(self.os_window_id)
         if pwid is not None:
             fenv['WINDOWID'] = str(pwid)
-        ans = Child(cmd, cwd or self.cwd, stdin, fenv, cwd_from, is_clone_launch=is_clone_launch, add_listen_on_env_var=add_listen_on_env_var)
+        ans = Child(cmd, cwd or self.cwd, stdin, fenv, cwd_from, is_clone_launch=is_clone_launch, add_listen_on_env_var=add_listen_on_env_var, hold=hold)
         ans.fork()
         return ans
 
@@ -514,10 +517,12 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         overlay_behind: bool = False,
         is_clone_launch: str = '',
         remote_control_passwords: Optional[Dict[str, Sequence[str]]] = None,
+        hold: bool = False,
     ) -> Window:
         child = self.launch_child(
             use_shell=use_shell, cmd=cmd, stdin=stdin, cwd_from=cwd_from, cwd=cwd, env=env,
-            is_clone_launch=is_clone_launch, add_listen_on_env_var=False if allow_remote_control and remote_control_passwords else True
+            is_clone_launch=is_clone_launch, add_listen_on_env_var=False if allow_remote_control and remote_control_passwords else True,
+            hold=hold,
         )
         window = Window(
             self, child, self.args, override_title=override_title,
@@ -547,7 +552,8 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
             override_title=special_window.override_title,
             cwd_from=special_window.cwd_from, cwd=special_window.cwd, overlay_for=special_window.overlay_for,
             env=special_window.env, location=location, copy_colors_from=copy_colors_from,
-            allow_remote_control=allow_remote_control, watchers=special_window.watchers, overlay_behind=special_window.overlay_behind
+            allow_remote_control=allow_remote_control, watchers=special_window.watchers, overlay_behind=special_window.overlay_behind,
+            hold=special_window.hold,
         )
 
     @ac('win', 'Close all windows in the tab other than the currently active window')