diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 881d49ff5..d678463e4 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - A new action :ac:`scroll_prompt_to_top` to move the current prompt to the top (:pull:`4891`)
 
+- :ac:`select_tab`: Use stable numbers when selecting the tab (:iss:`4792`)
+
 
 0.24.4 [2022-03-03]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index b3cfa5c6d..09a940aac 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -2135,16 +2135,16 @@ class Boss:
         callback: Callable[[Union[_T, str, None]], None],
         subtitle: str = ''
     ) -> Optional[Window]:
-        lines = [title, subtitle, ''] if subtitle else [title, '']
-        idx_map: List[Union[_T, str]] = []
+        lines = [title, subtitle, ' '] if subtitle else [title, ' ']
+        idx_map: List[Union[_T, str, None]] = []
         ans: Union[str, _T, None] = None
         fmt = ': {1}'
 
         for obj, text in entries:
+            idx_map.append(obj)
             if obj is None:
                 lines.append(text)
             else:
-                idx_map.append(obj)
                 lines.append(fmt.format(len(idx_map), text))
 
         def done(data: Dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int, self: Boss) -> None:
@@ -2157,7 +2157,7 @@ class Boss:
         q = self._run_kitten(
             'hints', args=(
                 '--ascending', '--customize-processing=::import::kitty.choose_entry',
-                r'--regex=(?m)^:\s+.+$', '--window-title', title,
+                '--window-title', title,
             ), input_data='\r\n'.join(lines).encode('utf-8'), custom_callback=done, action_on_removal=done2
         )
         return q if isinstance(q, Window) else None
@@ -2176,13 +2176,10 @@ class Boss:
             return f'{tab.name or tab.title} [{tab.num_window_groups} {w}]'
 
         ct = self.active_tab
-        st = ''
-        if ct is not None:
-            st = f'Current tab: {format_tab_title(ct)}'
         self.choose_entry(
             'Choose a tab to switch to',
-            ((t.id, format_tab_title(t)) for t in self.all_tabs if t is not ct),
-            chosen, subtitle=st
+            ((None, f'Current tab: {format_tab_title(t)}') if t is ct else (t.id, format_tab_title(t)) for t in self.all_tabs),
+            chosen
         )
 
     @ac('win', '''
diff --git a/kitty/choose_entry.py b/kitty/choose_entry.py
index c575461a3..4fc321ff5 100644
--- a/kitty/choose_entry.py
+++ b/kitty/choose_entry.py
@@ -10,7 +10,17 @@ from .typing import MarkType
 
 
 def mark(text: str, args: HintsCLIOptions, Mark: Type[MarkType], extra_cli_args: List[str], *a: Any) -> Generator[MarkType, None, None]:
-    for idx, m in enumerate(re.finditer(args.regex, text)):
+    idx = 0
+    found_start_line = False
+    for m in re.finditer(r'(?m)^.+$', text):
         start, end = m.span()
-        mark_text = text[start:end].replace('\n', '').replace('\0', '')
-        yield Mark(idx, start, end, mark_text, {'index': idx})
+        line = text[start:end].replace('\0', '').replace('\n', '')
+        if line == ' ':
+            found_start_line = True
+            continue
+        if line.startswith(': '):
+            yield Mark(idx, start, end, line, {'index': idx})
+            idx += 1
+        elif found_start_line:
+            # skip this line incrementing the index
+            idx += 1