diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 021ef1934..5eb2c7ec7 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ Changelog
 - diff kitten: Fix error when right hand side file is binary and left hand side
   file is text (:pull:`752`)
 
+- kitty @ new-window: Add a new option :option:`kitty @ new-window --window-type`
+  to create top-level OS windows. (:iss:`770`)
+
 
 0.11.3 [2018-07-10]
 ------------------------------
diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 4c2c98711..6060369d6 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -190,17 +190,20 @@ class Boss:
                     yield tab
 
     def set_active_window(self, window):
-        for tm in self.os_window_map.values():
+        for os_window_id, tm in self.os_window_map.items():
             for tab in tm:
                 for w in tab:
                     if w.id == window.id:
                         if tab is not self.active_tab:
                             tm.set_active_tab(tab)
                         tab.set_active_window(w)
-                        return
+                        return os_window_id
 
     def _new_os_window(self, args, cwd_from=None):
-        sw = self.args_to_special_window(args, cwd_from) if args else None
+        if isinstance(args, SpecialWindowInstance):
+            sw = args
+        else:
+            sw = self.args_to_special_window(args, cwd_from) if args else None
         startup_session = create_session(self.opts, special_window=sw, cwd_from=cwd_from)
         return self.add_os_window(startup_session)
 
diff --git a/kitty/cmds.py b/kitty/cmds.py
index 52ca9de1e..6e5a6eec7 100644
--- a/kitty/cmds.py
+++ b/kitty/cmds.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import sys
 from .cli import parse_args
 from .config import parse_config, parse_send_text_bytes
 from .constants import appname
+from .fast_data_types import focus_os_window
 from .tabs import SpecialWindow
 from .utils import natsort_ints
 
@@ -402,6 +403,12 @@ type=bool-set
 Keep the current window focused instead of switching to the newly opened window
 
 
+--window-type
+default=kitty
+choices=kitty,os
+What kind of window to open. A kitty window or a top-level OS window.
+
+
 --new-tab
 type=bool-set
 Open a new tab
@@ -415,6 +422,7 @@ When using --new-tab set the title of the tab.
 def cmd_new_window(global_opts, opts, args):
     return {'match': opts.match, 'title': opts.title, 'cwd': opts.cwd,
             'new_tab': opts.new_tab, 'tab_title': opts.tab_title,
+            'window_type': opts.window_type,
             'keep_focus': opts.keep_focus, 'args': args or []}
 
 
@@ -431,6 +439,15 @@ def new_window(boss, window, payload):
             boss.set_active_window(old_window)
         return str(wid)
 
+    if payload['window_type'] == 'os':
+        boss._new_os_window(w)
+        wid = boss.active_window.id
+        if payload['keep_focus'] and old_window:
+            os_window_id = boss.set_active_window(old_window)
+            if os_window_id:
+                focus_os_window(os_window_id)
+        return str(wid)
+
     match = payload['match']
     if match:
         tabs = tuple(boss.match_tabs(match))
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 06b788dc7..da31ac4d8 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -543,6 +543,11 @@ destroy_os_window(OSWindow *w) {
 #endif
 }
 
+void
+focus_os_window(OSWindow *w) {
+    if (w->handle) glfwFocusWindow(w->handle);
+}
+
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 bool
 application_quit_requested() {
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index aaf6ea305..7afdc454f 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -497,6 +497,16 @@ PYWRAP1(mark_os_window_for_close) {
     Py_RETURN_FALSE;
 }
 
+PYWRAP1(focus_os_window) {
+    id_type os_window_id;
+    PA("K", &os_window_id);
+    WITH_OS_WINDOW(os_window_id)
+        if (!os_window->is_focused) focus_os_window(os_window);
+        Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+    END_WITH_OS_WINDOW
+    Py_RETURN_FALSE;
+}
+
 PYWRAP1(set_titlebar_color) {
     id_type os_window_id;
     unsigned int color;
@@ -718,6 +728,7 @@ static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     MW(cell_size_for_window, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(mark_os_window_for_close, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(set_titlebar_color, METH_VARARGS),
+    MW(focus_os_window, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(mark_tab_bar_dirty, METH_O),
     MW(change_background_opacity, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(background_opacity_of, METH_O),
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index c1d74b38f..2e4a33cc3 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ void swap_window_buffers(OSWindow *w);
 void make_window_context_current(OSWindow *w);
 void hide_mouse(OSWindow *w);
 void destroy_os_window(OSWindow *w);
+void focus_os_window(OSWindow *w);
 void set_os_window_title(OSWindow *w, const char *title);
 OSWindow* os_window_for_kitty_window(id_type);
 OSWindow* add_os_window();