diff --git a/kitty/child-monitor.c b/kitty/child-monitor.c
index 2b7a45b92..27ccd5f2a 100644
--- a/kitty/child-monitor.c
+++ b/kitty/child-monitor.c
@@ -873,18 +873,16 @@ static unsigned int cocoa_pending_actions = 0;
 static char *cocoa_pending_actions_wd = NULL;
 
 void
-set_cocoa_pending_action(CocoaPendingAction action) {
+set_cocoa_pending_action(CocoaPendingAction action, const char *wd) {
+    if (wd) {
+        if (cocoa_pending_actions_wd) free(cocoa_pending_actions_wd);
+        cocoa_pending_actions_wd = strdup(wd);
+    }
     cocoa_pending_actions |= action;
     // The main loop may be blocking on the event queue, if e.g. unfocused.
     // Unjam it so the pending action is processed right now.
     unjam_event_loop();
 }
-
-void
-set_cocoa_pending_action_with_wd(CocoaPendingAction action, const char *wd) {
-    cocoa_pending_actions_wd = strdup(wd);
-    set_cocoa_pending_action(action);
-}
 #endif
 
 static PyObject*
@@ -922,6 +920,9 @@ main_loop(ChildMonitor *self, PyObject *a UNUSED) {
         has_open_windows = process_pending_closes(self);
     }
     remove_all_timers(&main_event_loop);
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+    if (cocoa_pending_actions_wd) { free(cocoa_pending_actions_wd); cocoa_pending_actions_wd = NULL; }
+#endif
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return NULL;
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
diff --git a/kitty/cocoa_window.m b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
index 4f2a01202..71c42edd1 100644
--- a/kitty/cocoa_window.m
+++ b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ find_app_name(void) {
 
 - (void) show_preferences              : (id)sender {
     (void)sender;
-    set_cocoa_pending_action(PREFERENCES_WINDOW);
+    set_cocoa_pending_action(PREFERENCES_WINDOW, NULL);
 }
 
 - (void) new_os_window              : (id)sender {
     (void)sender;
-    set_cocoa_pending_action(NEW_OS_WINDOW);
+    set_cocoa_pending_action(NEW_OS_WINDOW, NULL);
 }
 
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ cocoa_send_notification(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *args) {
             if (!isDirectory) {
                 path = [path stringByDeletingLastPathComponent];
             }
-            set_cocoa_pending_action_with_wd(type, [path UTF8String]);
+            set_cocoa_pending_action(type, [path UTF8String]);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index ba4c3ffe2..9aa0de9f3 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -215,8 +215,7 @@ typedef enum {
     NEW_OS_WINDOW_WITH_WD = 4,
     NEW_TAB_WITH_WD = 8
 } CocoaPendingAction;
-void set_cocoa_pending_action(CocoaPendingAction action);
-void set_cocoa_pending_action_with_wd(CocoaPendingAction action, const char *wd);
+void set_cocoa_pending_action(CocoaPendingAction action, const char*);
 bool application_quit_requested();
 void request_application_quit();
 #endif