diff --git a/cmd-display-message.c b/cmd-display-message.c
index 596f0b5c..7828f694 100644
--- a/cmd-display-message.c
+++ b/cmd-display-message.c
@@ -75,12 +75,16 @@ cmd_display_message_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (args_has(args, 'I')) {
 		if (wp == NULL)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
-		if (window_pane_start_input(wp, item, &cause) != 0) {
+		switch (window_pane_start_input(wp, item, &cause)) {
+		case -1:
 			cmdq_error(item, "%s", cause);
 			free(cause);
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		case 1:
+			return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
+		case 0:
+			return (CMD_RETURN_WAIT);
 		}
-		return (CMD_RETURN_WAIT);
 	}
 
 	if (args_has(args, 'F') && count != 0) {
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index 92f515ca..0f82e648 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -163,16 +163,22 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		environ_free(sc.environ);
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
-	if (input && window_pane_start_input(new_wp, item, &cause) != 0) {
-		server_client_remove_pane(new_wp);
-		layout_close_pane(new_wp);
-		window_remove_pane(wp->window, new_wp);
-		cmdq_error(item, "%s", cause);
-		free(cause);
-		if (sc.argv != NULL)
-			cmd_free_argv(sc.argc, sc.argv);
-		environ_free(sc.environ);
-		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+	if (input) {
+		switch (window_pane_start_input(new_wp, item, &cause)) {
+		case -1:
+			server_client_remove_pane(new_wp);
+			layout_close_pane(new_wp);
+			window_remove_pane(wp->window, new_wp);
+			cmdq_error(item, "%s", cause);
+			free(cause);
+			if (sc.argv != NULL)
+				cmd_free_argv(sc.argc, sc.argv);
+			environ_free(sc.environ);
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		case 1:
+			input = 0;
+			break;
+		}
 	}
 	if (!args_has(args, 'd'))
 		cmd_find_from_winlink_pane(current, wl, new_wp, 0);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 64d75d43..d7fc3bf4 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -1527,7 +1527,7 @@ window_pane_input_callback(struct client *c, __unused const char *path,
 	size_t				 len = EVBUFFER_LENGTH(buffer);
 
 	wp = window_pane_find_by_id(cdata->wp);
-	if (wp == NULL || closed || error != 0 || c->flags & CLIENT_DEAD) {
+	if (wp == NULL || closed || error != 0 || (c->flags & CLIENT_DEAD)) {
 		if (wp == NULL)
 			c->flags |= CLIENT_EXIT;
 
@@ -1553,6 +1553,10 @@ window_pane_start_input(struct window_pane *wp, struct cmdq_item *item,
 		*cause = xstrdup("pane is not empty");
 		return (-1);
 	}
+	if (c->flags & (CLIENT_DEAD|CLIENT_EXITED))
+		return (1);
+	if (c->session != NULL)
+		return (1);
 
 	cdata = xmalloc(sizeof *cdata);
 	cdata->item = item;