diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 5e808bd2f..be2b6a892 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - A new :ref:`protocol extension <mouse_leave_window>` to notify terminal programs that have turned on SGR Pixel mouse reporting when the mouse leaves the window (:disc:`8808`)
 
+- A new :option:`launch --hold-after-ssh` to not close a launched window
+  that connects directly to a remote host because of
+  :option:`launch --cwd`:code:`=current` when the connection ends (:pull:`8807`)
+
 - Fix :opt:`remember_window_position` not working because of a stupid typo (:iss:`8646`)
 
 - A new :option:`kitty --grab-keyboard` that can be used to grab the keyboard so that global shortcuts are sent to kitty instead
diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index 1889f74cd..de7a12a35 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -140,8 +140,10 @@ def options_spec() -> str:
 oldest foreground process associated with the currently active window rather
 than the newest foreground process. Finally, the special value :code:`root`
 refers to the process that was originally started when the window was created.
-When running :code:`kitten ssh`, using :option:`--hold-after-ssh` will cause a shell
-in the working directory that started the :code:`kitten ssh` to be opened after disconnecting.
+
+When opening in the same working directory as the current window causes the new
+window to connect to a remote host, you can use the :option:`--hold-after-ssh`
+flag to prevent the new window from closing when the connection is terminated.
 
 
 --env
@@ -399,7 +401,9 @@ def options_spec() -> str:
 
 --hold-after-ssh
 type=bool-set
-When using :option:`--cwd=current` from a kitten ssh session, after disconnecting from the session on the new window, a shell will spawn.
+When using :option:`--cwd`:code:`=current` or similar from a window that is running the ssh kitten,
+the new window will run a local shell after disconnecting from the remote host, when this option
+is specified.
 """
 
 
@@ -668,8 +672,8 @@ def _launch(
         else:
             kw['cwd'] = opts.cwd
     if opts.hold_after_ssh:
-        if opts.cwd != 'current':
-            raise ValueError("--hold_after_ssh can only be supplied if --cwd=current is also supplied")
+        if opts.cwd not in ('current', 'last_reported', 'oldest'):
+            raise ValueError("--hold-after-ssh can only be supplied if --cwd=current or similar is also supplied")
         kw['hold_after_ssh'] = True
 
     if opts.location != 'default':
diff --git a/kitty/rc/launch.py b/kitty/rc/launch.py
index 2b962e80a..cf1c802d4 100644
--- a/kitty/rc/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/rc/launch.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class Launch(RemoteCommand):
     watcher/list.str: list of paths to watcher files
     bias/float: The bias with which to create the new window in the current layout
     wait_for_child_to_exit/bool: Boolean indicating whether to wait and return child exit code
-    hold_after_ssh/bool: Boolean indicating whether to spawn a shell after exiting a kitten ssh opened by this launch, requires --cwd=current to also be supplied
+    hold_after_ssh/bool: Boolean indicating whether to run a local shell after exiting the ssh session cloned via cwd=current or similar
     '''
 
     short_desc = 'Run an arbitrary process in a new window/tab'
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 69fa46507..778cbb57c 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -167,14 +167,12 @@ def modify_argv_for_launch_with_cwd(self, argv: list[str], env: dict[str, str] |
                 server_args = [] if run_shell else list(argv)
                 from kittens.ssh.utils import set_cwd_in_cmdline, set_env_in_cmdline, set_server_args_in_cmdline
                 if ssh_kitten_cmdline and ssh_kitten_cmdline[0] == 'kitten':
-                    if hold_after_ssh:
-                        argv[:] = [kitten_exe(), "run-shell", kitten_exe()] +ssh_kitten_cmdline[1:]
-                    else:
-                        argv[:] = [kitten_exe()]+ssh_kitten_cmdline[1:]
-                else:
-                    argv[:] = ssh_kitten_cmdline
+                    ssh_kitten_cmdline[0] = kitten_exe()
+                argv[:] = ssh_kitten_cmdline
                 set_cwd_in_cmdline(reported_cwd, argv)
                 set_server_args_in_cmdline(server_args, argv, allocate_tty=not run_shell)
+                if hold_after_ssh:
+                    argv[:0] = [kitten_exe(), "run-shell"]
                 if env is not None:
                     # Assume env is coming from a local process so drop env
                     # vars that can cause issues when set on the remote host
@@ -1784,6 +1782,8 @@ def ssh_kitten_cmdline(self) -> list[str]:
         from kittens.ssh.utils import is_kitten_cmdline
         for p in self.child.foreground_processes:
             q = list(p['cmdline'] or ())
+            if len(q) > 3 and os.path.basename(q[0]) == 'kitten' and q[1] == 'run-shell':
+                q = q[2:]  # --hold-after-ssh causes kitten run-shell wrapper to be added
             if is_kitten_cmdline(q):
                 return q
         return []