diff --git a/tools/cli/command.go b/tools/cli/command.go
index 75428383a..13f774a1b 100644
--- a/tools/cli/command.go
+++ b/tools/cli/command.go
@@ -520,28 +520,24 @@ func (self *Command) GetOptionValues(pointer_to_options_struct any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (self *Command) Exec(args ...string) {
+func (self *Command) ExecArgs(args []string) (exit_code int) {
 	root := self
 	for root.Parent != nil {
 		root = root.Parent
 	}
-	if len(args) == 0 {
-		args = os.Args
-	}
 	cmd, err := root.ParseArgs(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		ShowError(err)
-		os.Exit(1)
+		return 1
 	}
 	help_opt := cmd.option_map["Help"]
 	version_opt := root.option_map["Version"]
-	exit_code := 0
 	if help_opt != nil && help_opt.parsed_value().(bool) {
 		cmd.ShowHelp()
-		os.Exit(exit_code)
+		return
 	} else if version_opt != nil && version_opt.parsed_value().(bool) {
 		root.ShowVersion()
-		os.Exit(exit_code)
+		return
 	} else if cmd.Run != nil {
 		exit_code, err = cmd.Run(cmd, cmd.Args)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -551,7 +547,14 @@ func (self *Command) Exec(args ...string) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	os.Exit(exit_code)
+	return
+}
+
+func (self *Command) Exec(args ...string) {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		args = os.Args
+	}
+	os.Exit(self.ExecArgs(args))
 }
 
 func (self *Command) GetCompletions(argv []string, init_completions func(*Completions)) *Completions {
diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/main.go b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
index 376a5cf88..6a32fefd1 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var ProtocolVersion [3]int = [3]int{0, 26, 0}
 type GlobalOptions struct {
 	to_network, to_address, password string
 	to_address_is_from_env_var       bool
+	already_setup                    bool
 }
 
 var global_options GlobalOptions
@@ -367,6 +368,9 @@ func register_at_cmd(f func(*cli.Command) *cli.Command) {
 }
 
 func setup_global_options(cmd *cli.Command) (err error) {
+	if global_options.already_setup {
+		return nil
+	}
 	err = cmd.GetOptionValues(&rc_global_opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -385,6 +389,7 @@ func setup_global_options(cmd *cli.Command) (err error) {
 	}
 	q, err := get_password(rc_global_opts.Password, rc_global_opts.PasswordFile, rc_global_opts.PasswordEnv, rc_global_opts.UsePassword)
 	global_options.password = q
+	global_options.already_setup = true
 	return err
 
 }
diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/shell.go b/tools/cmd/at/shell.go
index fdac865f4..751ebc0d4 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/shell.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/shell.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
-	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -161,26 +160,12 @@ func exec_command(at_root_command *cli.Command, rl *readline.Readline, cmdline s
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "No command named", formatter.BrightRed(parsed_cmdline[0])+". Type help for a list of commands")
 			return true
 		}
-		exe, err := os.Executable()
-		if err != nil {
-			exe, err = exec.LookPath("kitten")
-			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Could not find the kitten executable")
-				return false
-			}
-		}
 		cmdline := []string{"kitten", "@"}
 		cmdline = append(cmdline, parsed_cmdline...)
-		cmd := exec.Cmd{Path: exe, Args: cmdline, Stdin: os.Stdin, Stdout: os.Stdout, Stderr: os.Stderr}
-		err = cmd.Run()
+		root := cli.NewRootCommand()
+		EntryPoint(root)
+		hi.ExitCode = root.ExecArgs(cmdline)
 		hi.Duration = time.Now().Sub(hi.Timestamp)
-		hi.ExitCode = 0
-		if err != nil {
-			if exitError, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
-				hi.ExitCode = exitError.ExitCode()
-			}
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
-		}
 		rl.AddHistoryItem(hi)
 	}
 	return true
@@ -214,6 +199,10 @@ func completions(before_cursor, after_cursor string) (ans *cli.Completions) {
 }
 
 func shell_main(cmd *cli.Command, args []string) (int, error) {
+	err := setup_global_options(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 1, err
+	}
 	formatter = markup.New(true)
 	fmt.Println("Welcome to the kitty shell!")
 	fmt.Println("Use", formatter.Green("help"), "for assistance or", formatter.Green("exit"), "to quit.")