diff --git a/kittens/show_error/main.py b/kittens/show_error/main.py
index 409369292..b22ebf954 100644
--- a/kittens/show_error/main.py
+++ b/kittens/show_error/main.py
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2018, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
+import json
 import os
 import sys
+import termios
 from contextlib import suppress
 from typing import List
 
 from kitty.cli import parse_args
 from kitty.cli_stub import ErrorCLIOptions
+from kitty.fast_data_types import open_tty
+from kitty.utils import hold_till_enter, no_echo, write_all
 
 from ..tui.operations import styled
 
@@ -21,14 +25,35 @@ The title for the error message.
 def real_main(args: List[str]) -> None:
     msg = 'Show an error message'
     cli_opts, items = parse_args(args[1:], OPTIONS, '', msg, 'hints', result_class=ErrorCLIOptions)
-    error_message = sys.stdin.buffer.read().decode('utf-8')
-    sys.stdin = open(os.ctermid())
+    data = json.loads(sys.stdin.buffer.read())
+    error_message = data['msg']
     if cli_opts.title:
         print(styled(cli_opts.title, fg_intense=True, fg='red', bold=True))
         print()
-    print(error_message)
-    print()
-    input('\x1b[1;32mPress Enter to close\x1b[m')
+    print(error_message, flush=True)
+    if data.get('tb'):
+        import select
+        from kittens.tui.operations import init_state, set_cursor_visible
+        fd, original_termios = open_tty()
+        msg = '\n\r\x1b[1;32mPress e to see detailed traceback or any other key to exit\x1b[m'
+        write_all(fd, msg)
+        write_all(fd, init_state(alternate_screen=False, kitty_keyboard_mode=False) + set_cursor_visible(False))
+        with no_echo(fd):
+            termios.tcdrain(fd)
+            while True:
+                rd = select.select([fd], [], [])[0]
+                if not rd:
+                    break
+                q = os.read(fd, 1)
+                if q in b'eE':
+                    break
+                return
+    if data.get('tb'):
+        tb = data['tb']
+        for ln in tb.splitlines():
+            print('\r\n', ln, sep='', end='')
+        print(flush=True)
+    hold_till_enter()
 
 
 def main(args: List[str]) -> None:
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index f42027f9f..662792cd5 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -1452,7 +1452,12 @@ class Boss:
                     break
 
     def show_error(self, title: str, msg: str) -> None:
-        self._run_kitten('show_error', args=['--title', title], input_data=msg)
+        ec = sys.exc_info()
+        tb = ''
+        if ec != (None, None, None):
+            import traceback
+            tb = traceback.format_exc()
+        self._run_kitten('show_error', args=['--title', title], input_data=json.dumps({'msg': msg, 'tb': tb}))
 
     @ac('mk', 'Create a new marker')
     def create_marker(self) -> None: