diff --git a/tools/tui/tmux.go b/tools/tui/tmux.go
index 95b56dcda..b0db172e4 100644
--- a/tools/tui/tmux.go
+++ b/tools/tui/tmux.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package tui
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"kitty/tools/utils"
 	"os"
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/shirou/gopsutil/v3/process"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
@@ -50,7 +52,34 @@ func tmux_socket_address() (socket string) {
 var TmuxSocketAddress = (&utils.Once[string]{Run: tmux_socket_address}).Get
 
 func tmux_allow_passthrough() error {
-	return exec.Command("tmux", "set", "-p", "allow-passthrough", "on").Run()
+	c := exec.Command("tmux", "show", "-Ap", "allow-passthrough")
+	allowed, not_allowed := errors.New("allowed"), errors.New("not allowed")
+	get_result := make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		output, err := c.Output()
+		if err != nil {
+			get_result <- err
+		} else {
+			q := strings.TrimSpace(utils.UnsafeBytesToString(output))
+			if strings.HasSuffix(q, " on") || strings.HasSuffix(q, " all") {
+				get_result <- allowed
+			} else {
+				get_result <- not_allowed
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+	select {
+	case r := <-get_result:
+		if r == allowed {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if r != not_allowed {
+			return r
+		}
+		return exec.Command("tmux", "set", "-p", "allow-passthrough", "on").Run()
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		return fmt.Errorf("Tmux command timed out. This often happens when the version of tmux on your PATH is older than the version of the running tmux server")
+	}
 }
 
 var TmuxAllowPassthrough = (&utils.Once[error]{Run: tmux_allow_passthrough}).Get