diff --git a/kittens/clipboard/main.py b/kittens/clipboard/main.py
index 491dead72..8b70486f1 100644
--- a/kittens/clipboard/main.py
+++ b/kittens/clipboard/main.py
@@ -72,9 +72,5 @@ to output the current clipboard contents to stdout. Note that you must enable re
     raise SystemExit(loop.return_code)
 
 
-def handle_result(args, data, target_window_id, boss):
-    pass
-
-
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main(sys.argv)
diff --git a/kittens/diff/main.py b/kittens/diff/main.py
index acd456518..c315f5ddd 100644
--- a/kittens/diff/main.py
+++ b/kittens/diff/main.py
@@ -409,9 +409,5 @@ def main(args):
         raise SystemExit(loop.return_code)
 
 
-def handle_result(args, current_char, target_window_id, boss):
-    pass
-
-
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main(sys.argv)
diff --git a/kittens/icat/main.py b/kittens/icat/main.py
index 1c826a29a..6d936a039 100755
--- a/kittens/icat/main.py
+++ b/kittens/icat/main.py
@@ -304,9 +304,5 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
     raise SystemExit(1)
 
 
-def handle_result(args, current_char, target_window_id, boss):
-    pass
-
-
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/kittens/resize_window/main.py b/kittens/resize_window/main.py
index 880e62f7e..9c7bf0bb8 100644
--- a/kittens/resize_window/main.py
+++ b/kittens/resize_window/main.py
@@ -129,7 +129,3 @@ def main(args):
         print(handler.print_on_fail, file=sys.stderr)
         input('Press Enter to quit')
     raise SystemExit(loop.return_code)
-
-
-def handle_result(args, data, target_window_id, boss):
-    pass
diff --git a/kittens/runner.py b/kittens/runner.py
index 53384149c..f3490692b 100644
--- a/kittens/runner.py
+++ b/kittens/runner.py
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ def import_kitten_main_module(config_dir, kitten):
         code = compile(src, path, 'exec')
         g = {'__name__': 'kitten'}
         exec(code, g)
-        return {'start': g['main'], 'end': g['handle_result']}
+        hr = g.get('handle_result', lambda *a, **kw: None)
+        return {'start': g['main'], 'end': hr}
     else:
         kitten = resolved_kitten(kitten)
         m = importlib.import_module('kittens.{}.main'.format(kitten))
-        return {'start': m.main, 'end': m.handle_result}
+        return {'start': m.main, 'end': getattr(m, 'handle_result', lambda *a, **k: None)}
 
 
 def create_kitten_handler(kitten, orig_args):
diff --git a/kittens/show_error/main.py b/kittens/show_error/main.py
index c8911d43f..200c883c9 100644
--- a/kittens/show_error/main.py
+++ b/kittens/show_error/main.py
@@ -38,9 +38,5 @@ def main(args):
         input('Press Enter to close.')
 
 
-def handle_result(args, data, target_window_id, boss):
-    pass
-
-
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main(sys.argv)