diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 36ea70909..1ef142cb2 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ To update |kitty|, :doc:`follow the instructions <binary>`.
 - macOS: Add an option :opt:`macos_show_window_title_in` to control
   showing the window title in the menubar/titlebar (:pull:`1837`)
 
+- When running kittens, use the colorscheme of the current window
+  rather than the configured colorscheme (:iss:`1906`)
+
 - Dont fail to start if running the shell to read the EDITOR env var fails
   (:iss:`1869`)
 
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 83f86cd56..e10422eca 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -716,7 +716,9 @@ class Boss:
                     },
                     cwd=w.cwd_of_child,
                     overlay_for=w.id
-                ))
+                ),
+                copy_colors_from=w
+            )
             overlay_window.action_on_close = partial(self.on_kitten_finish, w.id, end_kitten)
             return overlay_window
 
diff --git a/kitty/colors.c b/kitty/colors.c
index f66967801..f1b42386b 100644
--- a/kitty/colors.c
+++ b/kitty/colors.c
@@ -98,6 +98,15 @@ update_ansi_color_table(ColorProfile *self, PyObject *val) {
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+void
+copy_color_profile(ColorProfile *dest, ColorProfile *src) {
+    memcpy(dest->color_table, src->color_table, sizeof(dest->color_table));
+    memcpy(dest->orig_color_table, src->orig_color_table, sizeof(dest->color_table));
+    memcpy(&dest->configured, &src->configured, sizeof(dest->configured));
+    memcpy(&dest->overridden, &src->overridden, sizeof(dest->overridden));
+    dest->dirty = true;
+}
+
 static PyObject*
 patch_color_profiles(PyObject *module UNUSED, PyObject *args) {
     PyObject *spec, *profiles, *v; ColorProfile *self; int change_configured; PyObject *cursor_text_color;
diff --git a/kitty/data-types.h b/kitty/data-types.h
index d1784830f..5c675c923 100644
--- a/kitty/data-types.h
+++ b/kitty/data-types.h
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ Cursor* alloc_cursor(void);
 LineBuf* alloc_linebuf(unsigned int, unsigned int);
 HistoryBuf* alloc_historybuf(unsigned int, unsigned int, unsigned int);
 ColorProfile* alloc_color_profile(void);
+void copy_color_profile(ColorProfile*, ColorProfile*);
 PyObject* create_256_color_table(void);
 PyObject* parse_bytes_dump(PyObject UNUSED *, PyObject *);
 PyObject* parse_bytes(PyObject UNUSED *, PyObject *);
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 84f984399..2a50edb59 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -1989,6 +1989,12 @@ is_rectangle_select(Screen *self, PyObject *a UNUSED) {
     return ans;
 }
 
+static PyObject*
+copy_colors_from(Screen *self, Screen *other) {
+    copy_color_profile(self->color_profile, other->color_profile);
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+
 static PyObject*
 text_for_selection(Screen *self, PyObject *a UNUSED) {
     FullSelectionBoundary start, end;
@@ -2294,6 +2300,7 @@ static PyMethodDef methods[] = {
     MND(toggle_alt_screen, METH_NOARGS)
     MND(reset_callbacks, METH_NOARGS)
     MND(paste, METH_O)
+    MND(copy_colors_from, METH_O)
     {"select_graphic_rendition", (PyCFunction)_select_graphic_rendition, METH_VARARGS, ""},
 
     {NULL}  /* Sentinel */
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 8ab17c8fd..65bbcc8fc 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -232,9 +232,13 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         ans.fork()
         return ans
 
-    def new_window(self, use_shell=True, cmd=None, stdin=None, override_title=None, cwd_from=None, cwd=None, overlay_for=None, env=None, location=None):
+    def new_window(
+        self, use_shell=True, cmd=None, stdin=None, override_title=None,
+        cwd_from=None, cwd=None, overlay_for=None, env=None, location=None,
+        copy_colors_from=None
+    ):
         child = self.launch_child(use_shell=use_shell, cmd=cmd, stdin=stdin, cwd_from=cwd_from, cwd=cwd, env=env)
-        window = Window(self, child, self.opts, self.args, override_title=override_title)
+        window = Window(self, child, self.opts, self.args, override_title=override_title, copy_colors_from=copy_colors_from)
         if overlay_for is not None:
             overlaid = next(w for w in self.windows if w.id == overlay_for)
             window.overlay_for = overlay_for
@@ -245,8 +249,8 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
         self.relayout_borders()
         return window
 
-    def new_special_window(self, special_window, location=None):
-        return self.new_window(False, *special_window, location=location)
+    def new_special_window(self, special_window, location=None, copy_colors_from=None):
+        return self.new_window(False, *special_window, location=location, copy_colors_from=copy_colors_from)
 
     def close_window(self):
         if self.windows:
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 643c90155..220d711e3 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def text_sanitizer(as_ansi, add_wrap_markers):
 
 class Window:
 
-    def __init__(self, tab, child, opts, args, override_title=None):
+    def __init__(self, tab, child, opts, args, override_title=None, copy_colors_from=None):
         self.action_on_close = None
         self.layout_data = None
         self.pty_resized_once = False
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ class Window:
         self.child, self.opts = child, opts
         cell_width, cell_height = cell_size_for_window(self.os_window_id)
         self.screen = Screen(self, 24, 80, opts.scrollback_lines, cell_width, cell_height, self.id)
-        setup_colors(self.screen, opts)
+        if copy_colors_from is not None:
+            self.screen.copy_colors_from(copy_colors_from.screen)
+        else:
+            setup_colors(self.screen, opts)
 
     @property
     def title(self):