diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
index 58f08763b2ebd..737be829226d7 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/RemoteWebDriver.java
@@ -1148,12 +1148,16 @@ public WebDriver window(String windowHandleOrName) {
         // simulate search by name
         String original = getWindowHandle();
         for (String handle : getWindowHandles()) {
-          switchTo().window(handle);
-          if (windowHandleOrName.equals(executeScript("return window.name"))) {
-            return RemoteWebDriver.this; // found by name
+          try {
+            execute(DriverCommand.SWITCH_TO_WINDOW(handle));
+            if (windowHandleOrName.equals(executeScript("return window.name"))) {
+              return RemoteWebDriver.this; // found by name
+            }
+          } catch (NoSuchWindowException nswe) {
+            // swallow
           }
         }
-        switchTo().window(original);
+        execute(DriverCommand.SWITCH_TO_WINDOW(original));
         throw nsw;
       }
     }