diff --git a/kittens/hints/main.py b/kittens/hints/main.py
index 88cd4c41f..fb5f8a666 100644
--- a/kittens/hints/main.py
+++ b/kittens/hints/main.py
@@ -325,6 +325,9 @@ def handle_result(args, data, target_window_id, boss):
         boss.open_url(data['match'], None if program == 'default' else program, cwd=cwd)
 
 
+handle_result.type_of_input = 'text'
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Run with kitty +kitten hints
     ans = main(sys.argv)
diff --git a/kittens/runner.py b/kittens/runner.py
index 418ff0c17..42b89b18d 100644
--- a/kittens/runner.py
+++ b/kittens/runner.py
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ def create_kitten_handler(kitten, orig_args):
     from kitty.constants import config_dir
     kitten = resolved_kitten(kitten)
     m = import_kitten_main_module(config_dir, kitten)
-    return partial(m['end'], [kitten] + orig_args)
+    ans = partial(m['end'], [kitten] + orig_args)
+    ans.type_of_input = getattr(m['end'], 'type_of_input', None)
+    return ans
 
 
 def set_debug(kitten):
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 12e4e4544..ff93cc8ad 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -517,35 +517,41 @@ class Boss:
             output += str(s.linebuf.line(i))
         return output
 
-    def _run_kitten(self, kitten, args=(), type_of_input='none'):
+    def _run_kitten(self, kitten, args=()):
         w = self.active_window
         tab = self.active_tab
         if w is not None and tab is not None and w.overlay_for is None:
             orig_args, args = list(args), list(args)
+            from kittens.runner import create_kitten_handler
+            end_kitten = create_kitten_handler(kitten, orig_args)
             args[0:0] = [config_dir, kitten]
+            type_of_input = end_kitten.type_of_input
             if type_of_input in ('text', 'history', 'ansi', 'ansi-history'):
                 data = w.as_text(as_ansi='ansi' in type_of_input, add_history='history' in type_of_input).encode('utf-8')
-            elif type_of_input == 'none':
+            elif type_of_input is None:
                 data = None
             else:
                 raise ValueError('Unknown type_of_input: {}'.format(type_of_input))
-            from kittens.runner import create_kitten_handler
-            end_kitten = create_kitten_handler(kitten, orig_args)
             copts = {k: self.opts[k] for k in ('select_by_word_characters', 'open_url_with')}
             overlay_window = tab.new_special_window(
                 SpecialWindow(
                     ['kitty', '+runpy', 'from kittens.runner import main; main()'] + args,
                     stdin=data,
-                    env={'KITTY_COMMON_OPTS': json.dumps(copts), 'PYTHONWARNINGS': 'ignore'},
+                    env={
+                        'KITTY_COMMON_OPTS': json.dumps(copts),
+                        'PYTHONWARNINGS': 'ignore',
+                        'OVERLAID_WINDOW_LINES': str(w.screen.lines),
+                        'OVERLAID_WINDOW_COLS': str(w.screen.columns),
+                    },
                     overlay_for=w.id))
             overlay_window.action_on_close = partial(self.on_kitten_finish, w.id, end_kitten)
             return overlay_window
 
-    def run_kitten(self, type_of_input, kitten, *args):
+    def kitten(self, kitten, *args):
         import shlex
         cmdline = args[0] if args else ''
         args = shlex.split(cmdline) if cmdline else []
-        self._run_kitten(kitten, args, type_of_input)
+        self._run_kitten(kitten, args)
 
     def on_kitten_finish(self, target_window_id, end_kitten, source_window):
         output = self.get_output(source_window, num_lines=None)
diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 90ddc9460..a62f2b8c1 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -116,10 +116,12 @@ def parse_key_action(action):
             except Exception:
                 log_error('Ignoring invalid send_text string: ' + args[1])
                 args[1] = ''
-    elif func in ('run_kitten', 'run_simple_kitten'):
-        if func == 'run_simple_kitten':
-            func = 'run_kitten'
-        args = rest.split(' ', 2)
+    elif func in ('run_kitten', 'run_simple_kitten', 'kitten'):
+        if func == 'kitten':
+            args = rest.split(' ', 1)
+        else:
+            args = rest.split(' ', 2)[1:]
+            func = 'kitten'
     elif func == 'goto_tab':
         args = (max(0, int(rest)), )
     elif func == 'goto_layout' or func == 'kitty_shell':
diff --git a/kitty/kitty.conf b/kitty/kitty.conf
index ef0139ecf..9b7f47e6e 100644
--- a/kitty/kitty.conf
+++ b/kitty/kitty.conf
@@ -468,21 +468,21 @@ map kitty_mod+backspace restore_font_size
 #
 # Open a currently visible URL using the keyboard. The program used to open the
 # URL is specified in open_url_with.
-map kitty_mod+e         run_kitten text hints
+map kitty_mod+e         kitten hints
 
 # Select a path/filename and insert it into the terminal. Useful, for instance to
 # run git commands on a filename output from a previous git command.
-map kitty_mod+p>f       run_kitten text hints --type path --program -
+map kitty_mod+p>f       kitten hints --type path --program -
 
 # Select a path/filename and open it with the default open program.
-map kitty_mod+p>shift+f run_kitten text hints --type path
+map kitty_mod+p>shift+f kitten hints --type path
 
 # Select a line of text and insert it into the terminal. Use for the
 # output of things like: ls -1
-map kitty_mod+p>l       run_kitten text hints --type line --program -
+map kitty_mod+p>l       kitten hints --type line --program -
 
 # Select words and insert into terminal.
-map kitty_mod+p>w       run_kitten text hints --type word --program -
+map kitty_mod+p>w       kitten hints --type word --program -
 
 # The hints kitten has many more modes of operation that you can map to different
 # shortcuts. For a full description run: kitty +kitten hints --help