diff --git a/tools/themes/collection.go b/tools/themes/collection.go
index 1676ad80a..c0e63d576 100644
--- a/tools/themes/collection.go
+++ b/tools/themes/collection.go
@@ -829,7 +829,18 @@ func (self *Themes) add_from_dir(dirpath string) error {
 	}
 	for _, e := range entries {
 		if !e.IsDir() && strings.HasSuffix(e.Name(), ".conf") {
-			if _, err = self.AddFromFile(filepath.Join(dirpath, e.Name())); err != nil {
+			path := filepath.Join(dirpath, e.Name())
+			// ignore files if they are the current processes, stdout
+			// allows using kitten theme --dump-theme > ~/.config/kitty/themes/name.conf
+			if st, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
+				if st2, err := os.Stdout.Stat(); err == nil && os.SameFile(st, st2) {
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+			if path == os.Stdout.Name() {
+				continue
+			}
+			if _, err = self.AddFromFile(path); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}