diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2cb75ecfe..0815f6d29 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c
+	golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1
 )
 
 require (
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index aa928e16b..e07abef29 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa h1:zuSxTR4o9y82ebqCUJYNGJ
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220722155217-630584e8d5aa/go.mod h1:IxCIyHEi3zRg3s0A5j5BB6A9Jmi73HwBIUl50j+osU4=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200116001909-b77594299b42/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200223170610-d5e6a3e2c0ae/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20201119102817-f84b799fce68/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c h1:F1jZWGFhYfh0Ci55sIpILtKKK8p3i2/krTr0H1rg74I=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1 h1:v+OssWQX+hTHEmOBgwxdZxK4zHq3yOs8F9J7mk0PY8E=
+golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0/go.mod h1:RDklbk79AGWmwhnvt/jBztapEOGDOx6ZbXqjP6csGnQ=
diff --git a/kitty/remote_control.py b/kitty/remote_control.py
index 8f78bb869..9e3063032 100644
--- a/kitty/remote_control.py
+++ b/kitty/remote_control.py
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ global_options_spec = partial('''\
 An address for the kitty instance to control. Corresponds to the address given
 to the kitty instance via the :option:`kitty --listen-on` option or the
 :opt:`listen_on` setting in :file:`kitty.conf`. If not specified, the
-environment variable :env:`KITTY_LISTEN_ON` is checked. If that is also not
+environment variable :envvar:`KITTY_LISTEN_ON` is checked. If that is also not
 found, messages are sent to the controlling terminal for this process, i.e.
 they will only work if this process is run within a kitty window.
 
diff --git a/tools/cli/infrastructure.go b/tools/cli/infrastructure.go
index febb879d3..a2c418937 100644
--- a/tools/cli/infrastructure.go
+++ b/tools/cli/infrastructure.go
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@ func GetTTYSize() (*unix.Winsize, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("STDOUT is not a TTY")
 }
 
-func add_choices(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *pflag.FlagSet, choices []string, name string, usage string) {
-	flags.String(name, choices[0], usage)
+func add_choices(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *pflag.FlagSet, choices []string, name string, usage string) *string {
 	cmd.Annotations["choices-"+name] = strings.Join(choices, "\000")
+	return flags.String(name, choices[0], usage)
 }
 
-func Choices(cmd *cobra.Command, name string, usage string, choices ...string) {
-	add_choices(cmd, cmd.Flags(), choices, name, usage)
+func Choices(cmd *cobra.Command, name string, usage string, choices ...string) *string {
+	return add_choices(cmd, cmd.Flags(), choices, name, usage)
 }
 
-func PersistentChoices(cmd *cobra.Command, name string, usage string, choices ...string) {
-	add_choices(cmd, cmd.PersistentFlags(), choices, name, usage)
+func PersistentChoices(cmd *cobra.Command, name string, usage string, choices ...string) *string {
+	return add_choices(cmd, cmd.PersistentFlags(), choices, name, usage)
 }
 
 func key_in_slice(vals []string, key string) bool {
@@ -333,43 +333,53 @@ func show_usage(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	}
 	output_text := output.String()
 	// fmt.Printf("%#v\n", output_text)
-	if stdout_is_terminal && cmd.Annotations["allow-pager"] != "no" {
+	if cmd.Annotations["use-pager-for-usage"] == "true" && stdout_is_terminal && cmd.Annotations["allow-pager"] != "no" {
 		pager := exec.Command(kitty.DefaultPager[0], kitty.DefaultPager[1:]...)
 		pager.Stdin = strings.NewReader(output_text)
 		pager.Stdout = os.Stdout
 		pager.Stderr = os.Stderr
 		pager.Run()
 	} else {
-		print(output_text)
+		cmd.OutOrStdout().Write([]byte(output_text))
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func CreateCommand(cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Annotations = make(map[string]string)
-	if cmd.Run == nil {
-		cmd.Run = SubCommandRequired
+	if cmd.Run == nil && cmd.RunE == nil {
+		cmd.RunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if len(cmd.Commands()) > 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("%s. Use %s -h to get a list of available sub-commands", err_fmt("No sub-command specified"), full_command_name(cmd))
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
 	}
+	cmd.SilenceErrors = true
+	cmd.SilenceUsage = true
+	orig_pre_run := cmd.PersistentPreRunE
+	cmd.PersistentPreRunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		err := ValidateChoices(cmd, args)
+		if err != nil || orig_pre_run == nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return orig_pre_run(cmd, args)
+	}
+
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().SortFlags = false
 	cmd.Flags().SortFlags = false
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func UsageAndError(cmd *cobra.Command, err string) {
-	cmd.Annotations["usage-suffix"] = err
-	cmd.Usage()
-}
-
-func SubCommandRequired(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-	UsageAndError(cmd, "No command specified: "+exe_fmt(full_command_name(cmd))+err_fmt(" add-a-command-here"))
-	os.Exit(1)
+func show_help(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	cmd.Annotations["use-pager-for-usage"] = "true"
+	show_usage(cmd)
 }
 
 func Init(root *cobra.Command) {
 	stdout_is_terminal = isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdout.Fd())
 	RootCmd = root
 	root.Version = kitty.VersionString
-	root.PersistentPreRunE = ValidateChoices
 	root.SetUsageFunc(show_usage)
-	root.SetHelpTemplate("{{.UsageString}}")
+	root.SetHelpFunc(show_help)
 }
diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/main.go b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
index 44fcf88eb..e8928e068 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 package at
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+	"golang.org/x/term"
 
 	"kitty/tools/cli"
 	"kitty/tools/crypto"
@@ -9,36 +17,100 @@ import (
 
 var encrypt_cmd = crypto.Encrypt_cmd
 
+type GlobalOptions struct {
+	to, password, use_password string
+	to_from_env                bool
+}
+
+var global_options GlobalOptions
+
+func get_password(password string, password_file string, password_env string, use_password string) (string, error) {
+	if use_password == "never" {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	ans := ""
+	if password != "" {
+		ans = password
+	}
+	if ans == "" && password_file != "" {
+		if password_file == "-" {
+			if isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) {
+				q, err := term.ReadPassword(int(os.Stdin.Fd()))
+				if err != nil {
+					ans = string(q)
+				}
+			} else {
+				q, err := ioutil.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+				if err != nil {
+					ans = strings.TrimRight(string(q), " \n\t")
+				}
+				ttyf, err := os.Open("/dev/tty")
+				if err != nil {
+					err = unix.Dup2(int(ttyf.Fd()), int(os.Stdin.Fd()))
+					ttyf.Close()
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			q, err := ioutil.ReadFile(password_file)
+			if err != nil {
+				ans = strings.TrimRight(string(q), " \n\t")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if ans == "" && password_env != "" {
+		ans = os.Getenv(password_env)
+	}
+	if ans == "" && use_password == "always" {
+		return ans, fmt.Errorf("No password was found")
+	}
+	if len(ans) > 1024 {
+		return ans, fmt.Errorf("Specified password is too long")
+	}
+	return ans, nil
+}
+
 func EntryPoint(tool_root *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
+	var to, password, password_file, password_env, use_password *string
 	var root = cli.CreateCommand(&cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "@ [global options] command [command options] [command args]",
 		Short: "Control kitty remotely",
 		Long:  "Control kitty by sending it commands. Set the allow_remote_control option in :file:`kitty.conf` or use a password, for this to work.",
+		PersistentPreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if *to == "" {
+				*to = os.Getenv("KITTY_LISTEN_ON")
+				global_options.to_from_env = true
+			}
+			global_options.to = *to
+			global_options.use_password = *use_password
+			q, err := get_password(*password, *password_file, *password_env, *use_password)
+			global_options.password = q
+			return err
+		},
 	})
 	root.Annotations["options_title"] = "Global options"
 
-	root.PersistentFlags().String("to", "",
+	to = root.PersistentFlags().String("to", "",
 		"An address for the kitty instance to control. Corresponds to the address given"+
 			" to the kitty instance via the :option:`kitty --listen-on` option or the :opt:`listen_on` setting in :file:`kitty.conf`. If not"+
-			" specified, the environment variable :env:`KITTY_LISTEN_ON` is checked. If that"+
+			" specified, the environment variable :envvar:`KITTY_LISTEN_ON` is checked. If that"+
 			" is also not found, messages are sent to the controlling terminal for this"+
 			" process, i.e. they will only work if this process is run within a kitty window.")
 
-	root.PersistentFlags().String("password", "",
+	password = root.PersistentFlags().String("password", "",
 		"A password to use when contacting kitty. This will cause kitty to ask the user"+
 			" for permission to perform the specified action, unless the password has been"+
 			" accepted before or is pre-configured in :file:`kitty.conf`.")
 
-	root.PersistentFlags().String("password-file", "rc-pass",
+	password_file = root.PersistentFlags().String("password-file", "rc-pass",
 		"A file from which to read the password. Trailing whitespace is ignored. Relative"+
 			" paths are resolved from the kitty configuration directory. Use - to read from STDIN."+
 			" Used if no :option:`--password` is supplied. Defaults to checking for the"+
 			" :file:`rc-pass` file in the kitty configuration directory.")
 
-	root.PersistentFlags().String("password-env", "KITTY_RC_PASSWORD",
+	password_env = root.PersistentFlags().String("password-env", "KITTY_RC_PASSWORD",
 		"The name of an environment variable to read the password from."+
 			" Used if no :option:`--password-file` or :option:`--password` is supplied.")
 
-	cli.PersistentChoices(root, "use-password", "If no password is available, kitty will usually just send the remote control command without a password. This option can be used to force it to always or never use the supplied password.", "if-available", "always", "never")
+	use_password = cli.PersistentChoices(root, "use-password", "If no password is available, kitty will usually just send the remote control command without a password. This option can be used to force it to always or never use the supplied password.", "if-available", "always", "never")
 	return root
 }
diff --git a/tools/cmd/main.go b/tools/cmd/main.go
index bc44c5b78..f09e0a016 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/main.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	cli.Init(root)
 	if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }