diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 31dc70c59..c0c54ea20 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -962,4 +962,7 @@ class Boss:
 
     def safe_delete_temp_file(self, path):
         if is_path_in_temp_dir(path):
-            os.remove(path)
+            try:
+                os.remove(path)
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                pass
diff --git a/kitty/graphics.c b/kitty/graphics.c
index 098e1b472..4b900de31 100644
--- a/kitty/graphics.c
+++ b/kitty/graphics.c
@@ -368,7 +368,10 @@ handle_add_command(GraphicsManager *self, const GraphicsCommand *g, const uint8_
             if (fd == -1) ABRT(EBADF, "Failed to open file %s for graphics transmission with error: [%d] %s", fname, errno, strerror(errno));
             img->data_loaded = mmap_img_file(self, img, fd, g->data_sz, g->data_offset);
             close(fd);
-            if (tt == 't') { call_boss(safe_delete_temp_file, "s", fname); }
+            if (tt == 't') {
+                if (global_state.boss) { call_boss(safe_delete_temp_file, "s", fname); }
+                else unlink(fname);
+            }
             else if (tt == 's') shm_unlink(fname);
             break;
         default: