diff --git a/kittens/ssh/main.py b/kittens/ssh/main.py
index 99376c261..d10b69dcb 100644
--- a/kittens/ssh/main.py
+++ b/kittens/ssh/main.py
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ def make_tarfile(ssh_opts: SSHOptions, base_env: Dict[str, str]) -> bytes:
     env.update(ssh_opts.env)
     env['KITTY_SHELL_INTEGRATION'] = ksi or DELETE_ENV_VAR
     env['KITTY_SSH_KITTEN_DATA_DIR'] = ssh_opts.remote_dir
+    if ssh_opts.login_shell:
+        env['KITTY_LOGIN_SHELL'] = ssh_opts.login_shell
     env_script = serialize_env(env, base_env)
     buf = io.BytesIO()
     with tarfile.open(mode='w:bz2', fileobj=buf, encoding='utf-8') as tf:
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ def prepare_script(ans: str, replacements: Dict[str, str]) -> str:
     atexit.register(safe_remove, tf.name)
     replacements['DATA_PASSWORD'] = pw
     replacements['PASSWORD_FILENAME'] = os.path.basename(tf.name)
-    for k in ('EXEC_CMD', 'OVERRIDE_LOGIN_SHELL'):
+    for k in ('EXEC_CMD',):
         replacements[k] = replacements.get(k, '')
 
     def sub(m: 're.Match[str]') -> str:
diff --git a/kittens/ssh/options/definition.py b/kittens/ssh/options/definition.py
index d86298684..9efb5e94b 100644
--- a/kittens/ssh/options/definition.py
+++ b/kittens/ssh/options/definition.py
@@ -91,5 +91,8 @@ for details on how this setting works. The special value :code:`inherit` means
 use the setting from kitty.conf. This setting is useful for overriding
 integration on a per-host basis.''')
 
+opt('login_shell', '', long_text='''
+The login shell to execute on the remote host. By default, the remote user account's
+login shell is used.''')
 
 egr()  # }}}
diff --git a/kittens/ssh/options/parse.py b/kittens/ssh/options/parse.py
index c6a79ac86..507698dde 100644
--- a/kittens/ssh/options/parse.py
+++ b/kittens/ssh/options/parse.py
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ class Parser:
     def interpreter(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['interpreter'] = str(val)
 
+    def login_shell(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
+        ans['login_shell'] = str(val)
+
     def remote_dir(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['remote_dir'] = relative_dir(val)
 
diff --git a/kittens/ssh/options/types.py b/kittens/ssh/options/types.py
index 94efcde36..5c9dd6998 100644
--- a/kittens/ssh/options/types.py
+++ b/kittens/ssh/options/types.py
@@ -5,12 +5,19 @@ import kittens.ssh.copy
 
 
 option_names = (  # {{{
- 'copy', 'env', 'hostname', 'interpreter', 'remote_dir', 'shell_integration')  # }}}
+ 'copy',
+ 'env',
+ 'hostname',
+ 'interpreter',
+ 'login_shell',
+ 'remote_dir',
+ 'shell_integration')  # }}}
 
 
 class Options:
     hostname: str = '*'
     interpreter: str = 'sh'
+    login_shell: str = ''
     remote_dir: str = '.local/share/kitty-ssh-kitten'
     shell_integration: str = 'inherit'
     copy: typing.Dict[str, kittens.ssh.copy.CopyInstruction] = {}
diff --git a/kitty_tests/ssh.py b/kitty_tests/ssh.py
index 250d60b01..688ed9550 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/ssh.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/ssh.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ print(' '.join(map(str, buf)))'''), lines=13, cols=77)
     @property
     @lru_cache()
     def all_possible_sh(self):
-        return tuple(sh for sh in ('dash', 'zsh', 'bash', 'posh', 'sh') if shutil.which(sh))
+        return tuple(filter(shutil.which, ('dash', 'zsh', 'bash', 'posh', 'sh')))
 
     def test_ssh_copy(self):
         simple_data = 'rkjlhfwf9whoaa'
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ copy --exclude */w.* d1
                     if login_shell == 'bash':
                         pty.send_cmd_to_child('echo $HISTFILE')
                         pty.wait_till(lambda: '/.bash_history' in pty.screen_contents())
+                    elif login_shell == 'zsh':
+                        pty.send_cmd_to_child('echo "login_shell=$ZSH_NAME"')
+                        pty.wait_till(lambda: 'login_shell=zsh' in pty.screen_contents())
         # check that turning off shell integration works
         if ok_login_shell in ('bash', 'zsh'):
             for val in ('', 'no-rc', 'enabled no-rc'):
@@ -197,7 +200,6 @@ copy --exclude */w.* d1
     def check_bootstrap(self, sh, home_dir, login_shell='', SHELL_INTEGRATION_VALUE='enabled', extra_exec='', pre_data='', ssh_opts=None):
         script = bootstrap_script(
             EXEC_CMD=f'echo "UNTAR_DONE"; {extra_exec}',
-            OVERRIDE_LOGIN_SHELL=login_shell,
         )
         env = basic_shell_env(home_dir)
         # Avoid generating unneeded completion scripts
@@ -205,6 +207,9 @@ copy --exclude */w.* d1
         # prevent newuser-install from running
         open(os.path.join(home_dir, '.zshrc'), 'w').close()
         options = {'shell_integration': shell_integration(SHELL_INTEGRATION_VALUE or 'disabled')}
+        if login_shell:
+            ssh_opts = ssh_opts or {}
+            ssh_opts['login_shell'] = login_shell
         pty = self.create_pty(f'{sh} -c {shlex.quote(script)}', cwd=home_dir, env=env, options=options, ssh_opts=ssh_opts)
         if pre_data:
             pty.write_buf = pre_data.encode('utf-8')
diff --git a/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.sh b/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.sh
index d137bf084..1761cec47 100644
--- a/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.sh
@@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ execute_with_python() {
     return 1;
 }
 
-LOGIN_SHELL="OVERRIDE_LOGIN_SHELL"
-if [ -n "$LOGIN_SHELL" ]; then
-    login_shell="$LOGIN_SHELL"
+if [ -n "$KITTY_LOGIN_SHELL" ]; then
+    login_shell="$KITTY_LOGIN_SHELL"
+    unset KITTY_LOGIN_SHELL
 else
     using_getent || using_id || using_python || using_passwd || die "Could not detect login shell";
 fi