diff --git a/kittens/runner.py b/kittens/runner.py
index 6fa5e9016..22752702c 100644
--- a/kittens/runner.py
+++ b/kittens/runner.py
@@ -95,22 +95,15 @@ def launch(args: List[str]) -> None:
     print(reset_mode(Mode.ALTERNATE_SCREEN) + clear_screen(), end='')
     if result is not None:
         import json
-        data = json.dumps(result)
-        print('OK:', len(data), data)
+        import base64
+        data = base64.b85encode(json.dumps(result).encode('utf-8'))
+        sys.stdout.buffer.write(b'\x1bP@kitty-kitten-result|')
+        sys.stdout.buffer.write(data)
+        sys.stdout.buffer.write(b'\x1b\\')
     sys.stderr.flush()
     sys.stdout.flush()
 
 
-def deserialize(output: str) -> Any:
-    import json
-    if output.startswith('OK: '):
-        try:
-            prefix, sz, rest = output.split(' ', 2)
-            return json.loads(rest[:int(sz)])
-        except Exception:
-            raise ValueError(f'Failed to parse kitten output: {output!r}')
-
-
 def run_kitten(kitten: str, run_name: str = '__main__') -> None:
     import runpy
     original_kitten_name = kitten
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 67aae6f43..7cfe0484f 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -1364,15 +1364,6 @@ class Boss:
         cmd = [kitty_exe(), '+runpy', 'import os, sys, time; time.sleep(0.05); os.execvp(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[1:])'] + get_editor(get_options()) + [confpath]
         self.new_os_window(*cmd)
 
-    def get_output(self, source_window: Window, num_lines: Optional[int] = 1) -> str:
-        output = ''
-        s = source_window.screen
-        if num_lines is None:
-            num_lines = s.lines
-        for i in range(min(num_lines, s.lines)):
-            output += str(s.linebuf.line(i))
-        return output
-
     def _run_kitten(
         self,
         kitten: str,
@@ -1462,9 +1453,7 @@ class Boss:
         source_window: Window,
         default_data: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
     ) -> None:
-        output = self.get_output(source_window, num_lines=None)
-        from kittens.runner import deserialize
-        data = deserialize(output)
+        data = getattr(source_window, 'kitten_result', None)
         if data is None:
             data = default_data
         if data is not None:
diff --git a/kitty/parser.c b/kitty/parser.c
index 1b7ea3993..1e488c58d 100644
--- a/kitty/parser.c
+++ b/kitty/parser.c
@@ -1082,6 +1082,7 @@ dispatch_dcs(Screen *screen, PyObject DUMP_UNUSED *dump_callback) {
             Py_DECREF(msg); \
         } else PyErr_Clear();
 
+            } else IF_SIMPLE_PREFIX("kitty-kitten-result|", screen_handle_kitten_result)
             } else IF_SIMPLE_PREFIX("kitty-print|", screen_handle_print)
             } else IF_SIMPLE_PREFIX("kitty-echo|", screen_handle_echo)
             } else IF_SIMPLE_PREFIX("kitty-ssh|", screen_handle_ssh)
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 8ab43e287..c8f761c79 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -2129,6 +2129,10 @@ screen_handle_askpass(Screen *self, PyObject *msg) {
     CALLBACK("handle_remote_askpass", "O", msg);
 }
 
+void
+screen_handle_kitten_result(Screen *self, PyObject *msg) {
+    CALLBACK("handle_kitten_result", "O", msg);
+}
 
 void
 screen_request_capabilities(Screen *self, char c, PyObject *q) {
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index c081b2518..8349ecad7 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ void screen_handle_print(Screen *, PyObject *cmd);
 void screen_handle_echo(Screen *, PyObject *cmd);
 void screen_handle_ssh(Screen *, PyObject *cmd);
 void screen_handle_askpass(Screen *, PyObject *cmd);
+void screen_handle_kitten_result(Screen *, PyObject *cmd);
 void screen_designate_charset(Screen *, uint32_t which, uint32_t as);
 void screen_use_latin1(Screen *, bool);
 void set_title(Screen *self, PyObject*);
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 7accc33d6..6ec01db6b 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -936,6 +936,10 @@ class Window:
         for line in get_ssh_data(msg, f'{os.getpid()}-{self.id}'):
             self.write_to_child(line)
 
+    def handle_kitten_result(self, msg: str) -> None:
+        import base64
+        self.kitten_result: Dict[str, Any] = json.loads(base64.b85decode(msg))
+
     def handle_remote_askpass(self, msg: str) -> None:
         from .shm import SharedMemory
         with SharedMemory(name=msg, readonly=True) as shm: