diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 130807e17..90298e879 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -97,23 +97,24 @@ class Boss:
         self.child_monitor.add_child(window.id, window.child.pid, window.child.child_fd, window.screen)
         self.window_id_map[window.id] = window
 
-    def peer_msg_received(self, msg):
+    def peer_messages_received(self, messages):
         import json
-        msg = json.loads(msg.decode('utf-8'))
-        if isinstance(msg, dict) and msg.get('cmd') == 'new_instance':
-            startup_id = msg.get('startup_id')
-            args, rest = parse_args(msg['args'][1:])
-            args.args = rest
-            opts = create_opts(args)
-            session = create_session(opts, args)
-            os_window_id = self.add_os_window(session, wclass=args.cls, wname=args.name, size=initial_window_size(opts), visible=False)
-            if startup_id:
-                ctx = init_startup_notification(os_window_id, startup_id)
-            show_window(os_window_id)
-            if startup_id:
-                end_startup_notification(ctx)
-        else:
-            safe_print('Unknown message received from peer, ignoring')
+        for msg in messages:
+            msg = json.loads(msg.decode('utf-8'))
+            if isinstance(msg, dict) and msg.get('cmd') == 'new_instance':
+                startup_id = msg.get('startup_id')
+                args, rest = parse_args(msg['args'][1:])
+                args.args = rest
+                opts = create_opts(args)
+                session = create_session(opts, args)
+                os_window_id = self.add_os_window(session, wclass=args.cls, wname=args.name, size=initial_window_size(opts), visible=False)
+                if startup_id:
+                    ctx = init_startup_notification(os_window_id, startup_id)
+                show_window(os_window_id)
+                if startup_id:
+                    end_startup_notification(ctx)
+            else:
+                safe_print('Unknown message received from peer, ignoring')
 
     def on_child_death(self, window_id):
         window = self.window_id_map.pop(window_id, None)
diff --git a/kitty/child-monitor.c b/kitty/child-monitor.c
index 909d5ea08..7cc6a085b 100644
--- a/kitty/child-monitor.c
+++ b/kitty/child-monitor.c
@@ -339,11 +339,15 @@ parse_input(ChildMonitor *self) {
     }
 
     if (UNLIKELY(self->messages_count)) {
-        while(self->messages_count) {
-            Message *m = self->messages + --self->messages_count;
-            msg = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(m->data, m->sz);
-            free(m->data); m->data = NULL; m->sz = 0;
-        }
+        msg = PyTuple_New(self->messages_count);
+        if (msg) {
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < self->messages_count; i++) {
+                Message *m = self->messages + i;
+                PyTuple_SET_ITEM(msg, i, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(m->data, m->sz));
+                free(m->data); m->data = NULL; m->sz = 0;
+            }
+            self->messages_count = 0;
+        } else fatal("Out of memory");
     }
 
     if (UNLIKELY(signal_received)) {
@@ -357,7 +361,7 @@ parse_input(ChildMonitor *self) {
     }
     children_mutex(unlock);
     if (msg) {
-        call_boss(peer_msg_received, "O", msg);
+        call_boss(peer_messages_received, "(O)", msg);
         Py_CLEAR(msg);
     }