diff --git a/cmd-if-shell.c b/cmd-if-shell.c
index b921f418..b22e3269 100644
--- a/cmd-if-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-if-shell.c
@@ -59,19 +59,21 @@ cmd_if_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	struct args			*args = self->args;
 	struct cmd_if_shell_data	*cdata;
 	char				*shellcmd;
-	struct session			*s;
-	struct winlink			*wl;
-	struct window_pane		*wp;
+	struct session			*s = NULL;
+	struct winlink			*wl = NULL;
+	struct window_pane		*wp = NULL;
 	struct format_tree		*ft;
 
-	wl = cmd_find_pane(cmdq, args_get(args, 't'), &s, &wp);
-	if (wl == NULL)
-		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+	if (args_has(args, 't'))
+		wl = cmd_find_pane(cmdq, args_get(args, 't'), &s, &wp);
 
 	ft = format_create();
-	format_session(ft, s);
-	format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
-	format_window_pane(ft, wp);
+	if (s != NULL)
+		format_session(ft, s);
+	if (s != NULL && wl != NULL)
+		format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
+	if (wp != NULL)
+		format_window_pane(ft, wp);
 	shellcmd = format_expand(ft, args->argv[0]);
 	format_free(ft);
 
diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index aaa310b9..b163542f 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -49,16 +49,17 @@ struct cmd_run_shell_data {
 	char		*cmd;
 	struct cmd_q	*cmdq;
 	int		 bflag;
-	u_int		 wp_id;
+	int		 wp_id;
 };
 
 void
 cmd_run_shell_print(struct job *job, const char *msg)
 {
 	struct cmd_run_shell_data	*cdata = job->data;
-	struct window_pane		*wp;
+	struct window_pane		*wp = NULL;
 
-	wp = window_pane_find_by_id(cdata->wp_id);
+	if (cdata->wp_id != -1)
+		wp = window_pane_find_by_id(cdata->wp_id);
 	if (wp == NULL) {
 		cmdq_print(cdata->cmdq, "%s", msg);
 		return;
@@ -76,26 +77,28 @@ cmd_run_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	struct args			*args = self->args;
 	struct cmd_run_shell_data	*cdata;
 	char				*shellcmd;
-	struct session			*s;
-	struct winlink			*wl;
-	struct window_pane		*wp;
+	struct session			*s = NULL;
+	struct winlink			*wl = NULL;
+	struct window_pane		*wp = NULL;
 	struct format_tree		*ft;
 
-	wl = cmd_find_pane(cmdq, args_get(args, 't'), &s, &wp);
-	if (wl == NULL)
-		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+	if (args_has(args, 't'))
+		wl = cmd_find_pane(cmdq, args_get(args, 't'), &s, &wp);
 
 	ft = format_create();
-	format_session(ft, s);
-	format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
-	format_window_pane(ft, wp);
+	if (s != NULL)
+		format_session(ft, s);
+	if (s != NULL && wl != NULL)
+		format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
+	if (wp != NULL)
+		format_window_pane(ft, wp);
 	shellcmd = format_expand(ft, args->argv[0]);
 	format_free(ft);
 
 	cdata = xmalloc(sizeof *cdata);
 	cdata->cmd = shellcmd;
 	cdata->bflag = args_has(args, 'b');
-	cdata->wp_id = wp->id;
+	cdata->wp_id = wp != NULL ? (int) wp->id : -1;
 
 	cdata->cmdq = cmdq;
 	cmdq->references++;