diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index 85adcd386..278d7221f 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -579,6 +579,8 @@ def launch(
     else:
         if opts.hold:
             cmd = kw['cmd'] or [shell_path]
+            if not os.path.isabs(cmd[0]):
+                cmd[0] = which(cmd[0]) or cmd[0]
             kw['cmd'] = [kitten_exe(), '__hold_till_enter__'] + cmd
         if force_target_tab:
             tab = target_tab
diff --git a/kitty/session.py b/kitty/session.py
index e814700ab..38b0f3344 100644
--- a/kitty/session.py
+++ b/kitty/session.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from .options.types import Options
 from .options.utils import resize_window, to_layout_names, window_size
 from .os_window_size import WindowSize, WindowSizeData, WindowSizes
 from .typing import SpecialWindowInstance
-from .utils import expandvars, log_error, resolve_custom_file, resolved_shell
+from .utils import expandvars, log_error, resolve_custom_file, resolved_shell, which
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .launch import LaunchSpec
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ def create_sessions(
     if special_window is None:
         cmd = args.args if args and args.args else resolved_shell(opts)
         if args and args.hold:
+            cmd[0] = which(cmd[0]) or cmd[0]
             cmd = [kitten_exe(), '__hold_till_enter__'] + cmd
         from kitty.tabs import SpecialWindow
         cwd: Optional[str] = args.directory if respect_cwd and args else None
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 7666c3178..5783f489f 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -441,6 +441,7 @@ class Tab:  # {{{
                                     cmd[:0] = shlex.split(line)
                                 else:
                                     cmd[:0] = [resolved_shell(get_options())[0]]
+                                cmd[0] = which(cmd[0]) or cmd[0]
                                 cmd[:0] = [kitten_exe(), '__hold_till_enter__']
         fenv: Dict[str, str] = {}
         if env: