diff --git a/kitty_tests/prewarm.py b/kitty_tests/prewarm.py
index 9c2b8b000..07364fb52 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/prewarm.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/prewarm.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import tempfile
 import time
 from contextlib import suppress
 
-from kitty.constants import kitty_exe
+from kitty.constants import kitty_exe, terminfo_dir
 from kitty.fast_data_types import (
     CLD_EXITED, CLD_KILLED, get_options, has_sigqueue, install_signal_handlers,
     read_signals, remove_signal_handlers, sigqueue
@@ -28,17 +28,13 @@ class Prewarm(BaseTest):
         from kitty.prewarm import fork_prewarm_process, wait_for_child_death
         exit_code = 17
         src = '''\
-def socket_child_main(exit_code=0, for_signal=False):
-    if for_signal:
-        print('child ready')
-        sys.stdin.read()
-        raise SystemExit(exit_code)
-    import json
-    import os
-    import sys
-
+def socket_child_main(exit_code=0, initial_print=''):
+    import os, sys, json
     from kitty.fast_data_types import get_options
     from kitty.utils import read_screen_size
+    if initial_print:
+        print(initial_print, flush=True, file=sys.stderr)
+
     output = {
         'test_env': os.environ.get('TEST_ENV_PASS', ''),
         'cwd': os.path.realpath(os.getcwd()),
@@ -59,8 +55,24 @@ def socket_child_main(exit_code=0, for_signal=False):
         if p is None:
             return
         env = os.environ.copy()
-        env.update({'TEST_ENV_PASS': 'xyz', 'KITTY_PREWARM_SOCKET': p.socket_env_var()})
+        env.update({'TEST_ENV_PASS': 'xyz', 'KITTY_PREWARM_SOCKET': p.socket_env_var(), 'TERM': 'xterm-kitty', 'TERMINFO': terminfo_dir})
         cols = 117
+
+        def wait_for_death(exit_code):
+            status = wait_for_child_death(pty.child_pid, timeout=5)
+            if status is None:
+                os.kill(pty.child_pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+            self.assertIsNotNone(status, 'prewarm wrapper process did not exit')
+            with suppress(AttributeError):
+                self.assertEqual(os.waitstatus_to_exitcode(status), exit_code, pty.screen_contents())
+
+        pty = self.create_pty(
+            argv=[kitty_exe(), '+runpy', src + 'socket_child_main(initial_print="child ready:")'], cols=cols, env=env, cwd=cwd)
+        pty.wait_till(lambda: 'child ready:' in pty.screen_contents())
+        os.kill(pty.child_pid, signal.SIGINT)
+        wait_for_death(128 + signal.SIGINT)
+        pty.wait_till(lambda: 'KeyboardInterrupt' in pty.screen_contents())
+
         stdin_r, stdin_w = os.pipe()
         os.set_inheritable(stdin_w, False)
         stdout_r, stdout_w = os.pipe()
@@ -72,36 +84,17 @@ def socket_child_main(exit_code=0, for_signal=False):
         with open(stdin_w, 'w') as f:
             f.write(stdin_data)
         pty.wait_till(lambda: 'hello' in pty.screen_contents())
-        with open(stdout_r) as f:
-            stdout_data = f.read()
-        status = wait_for_child_death(pty.child_pid, timeout=5)
-        if status is None:
-            os.kill(pty.child_pid, signal.SIGKILL)
-        self.assertIsNotNone(status, 'prewarm wrapper process did not exit')
-        with suppress(AttributeError):
-            self.assertEqual(os.waitstatus_to_exitcode(status), exit_code)
+        wait_for_death(exit_code)
         output = json.loads(pty.screen_contents().strip())
         self.assertEqual(output['test_env'], env['TEST_ENV_PASS'])
         self.assertEqual(output['cwd'], cwd)
         self.assertEqual(output['font_family'], 'prewarm')
         self.assertEqual(output['cols'], cols)
         self.assertEqual(output['stdin_data'], stdin_data)
+        with open(stdout_r) as f:
+            stdout_data = f.read()
         self.assertEqual(stdout_data, 'testing stdout')
 
-        stdin_r, stdin_w = os.pipe()
-        os.set_inheritable(stdin_w, False)
-        pty = self.create_pty(
-            argv=[kitty_exe(), '+runpy', src + 'socket_child_main(for_signal=True)'], cols=cols, env=env, cwd=cwd, stdin_fd=stdin_r)
-        pty.wait_till(lambda: 'child ready' in pty.screen_contents())
-        os.kill(pty.child_pid, signal.SIGINT)
-        pty.wait_till(lambda: 'Traceback' in pty.screen_contents())
-        status = wait_for_child_death(pty.child_pid, timeout=5)
-        if status is None:
-            os.kill(pty.child_pid, signal.SIGKILL)
-        self.assertIsNotNone(status, 'prewarm wrapper process did not exit')
-        with suppress(AttributeError):
-            self.assertEqual(os.waitstatus_to_exitcode(status), 128 + signal.SIGINT)
-
     def test_prewarming(self):
         from kitty.prewarm import fork_prewarm_process