diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 47a083e59df..1d53741b39e 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Fix a regression in 0.27.0 that broke kitty @ set-font-size 0 (:iss:`5992`)
 
+- launch: When using ``--cwd=current`` for a remote system support running non shell commands as well (:disc:`5987`)
+
 
 0.27.1 [2023-02-07]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/kittens/ssh/utils.py b/kittens/ssh/utils.py
index 069d1f15c40..540ec5d09de 100644
--- a/kittens/ssh/utils.py
+++ b/kittens/ssh/utils.py
@@ -121,7 +121,11 @@ def is_extra_arg(arg: str, extra_args: Tuple[str, ...]) -> str:
 passthrough_args = {f'-{x}' for x in 'NnfGT'}
 
 
-def set_server_args_in_cmdline(server_args: List[str], argv: List[str], extra_args: Tuple[str, ...] = ('--kitten',)) -> None:
+def set_server_args_in_cmdline(
+    server_args: List[str], argv: List[str],
+    extra_args: Tuple[str, ...] = ('--kitten',),
+    allocate_tty: bool = False
+) -> None:
     boolean_ssh_args, other_ssh_args = get_ssh_cli()
     ssh_args = []
     expecting_option_val = False
@@ -136,6 +140,8 @@ def set_server_args_in_cmdline(server_args: List[str], argv: List[str], extra_ar
         if argument.startswith('-') and not expecting_option_val:
             if argument == '--':
                 del ans[i+2:]
+                if allocate_tty and ans[i-1] != '-t':
+                    ans.insert(i, '-t')
                 break
             if extra_args:
                 matching_ex = is_extra_arg(argument, extra_args)
@@ -173,5 +179,7 @@ def set_server_args_in_cmdline(server_args: List[str], argv: List[str], extra_ar
             expecting_option_val = False
             continue
         del ans[i+1:]
+        if allocate_tty and ans[i] != '-t':
+            ans.insert(i, '-t')
         break
     argv[:] = ans + server_args
diff --git a/kitty/launch.py b/kitty/launch.py
index 0461dfaf777..7cadd3f8e01 100644
--- a/kitty/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/launch.py
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ def launch(
     force_target_tab: bool = False,
     active: Optional[Window] = None,
     is_clone_launch: str = '',
+    rc_from_window: Optional[Window] = None,
 ) -> Optional[Window]:
     active = active or boss.active_window_for_cwd
     if active:
@@ -486,6 +487,8 @@ def launch(
                 kw['cwd_from'] = CwdRequest(active, CwdRequestType.root)
         else:
             kw['cwd'] = opts.cwd
+        if kw['cwd_from'] is not None and rc_from_window is not None:
+            kw['cwd_from'].rc_from_window_id = rc_from_window.id
     if opts.location != 'default':
         kw['location'] = opts.location
     if opts.copy_colors and active:
@@ -538,9 +541,10 @@ def launch(
                         elif x == '@last-line-on-screen':
                             x = str(screen.visual_line(screen.lines - 1) or '')
             final_cmd.append(x)
-        exe = which(final_cmd[0])
-        if exe:
-            final_cmd[0] = exe
+        if rc_from_window is None and final_cmd:
+            exe = which(final_cmd[0])
+            if exe:
+                final_cmd[0] = exe
         kw['cmd'] = final_cmd
     if force_window_launch and opts.type not in non_window_launch_types:
         opts.type = 'window'
diff --git a/kitty/rc/launch.py b/kitty/rc/launch.py
index 0f673da439e..497a7ce1585 100644
--- a/kitty/rc/launch.py
+++ b/kitty/rc/launch.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def response_from_kitty(self, boss: Boss, window: Optional[Window], payload_get:
             target_tab = tabs[0]
         elif payload_get('type') not in ('background', 'os-window', 'tab', 'window'):
             return None
-        w = do_launch(boss, opts, payload_get('args') or [], target_tab=target_tab)
+        w = do_launch(boss, opts, payload_get('args') or [], target_tab=target_tab, rc_from_window=window)
         return None if payload_get('no_response') else str(getattr(w, 'id', 0))
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index c30b11259b0..76e4eaed60f 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ class CwdRequest:
     def __init__(self, window: Optional['Window'] = None, request_type: CwdRequestType = CwdRequestType.current) -> None:
         self.window_id = -1 if window is None else window.id
         self.request_type = request_type
+        self.rc_from_window_id = 0
 
     def __bool__(self) -> bool:
         return self.window_id > -1
@@ -170,14 +171,15 @@ def modify_argv_for_launch_with_cwd(self, argv: List[str]) -> str:
             return ''
         reported_cwd = path_from_osc7_url(window.screen.last_reported_cwd) if window.screen.last_reported_cwd else ''
         if reported_cwd and (self.request_type is not CwdRequestType.root or window.root_in_foreground_processes):
-            # First check if we are running ssh kitten, and trying to open the configured login shell
-            if argv[0] == resolved_shell(get_options())[0]:
-                ssh_kitten_cmdline = window.ssh_kitten_cmdline()
-                if ssh_kitten_cmdline:
-                    from kittens.ssh.utils import set_cwd_in_cmdline
-                    argv[:] = ssh_kitten_cmdline
-                    set_cwd_in_cmdline(reported_cwd, argv)
-                    return ''
+            ssh_kitten_cmdline = window.ssh_kitten_cmdline()
+            if ssh_kitten_cmdline:
+                run_shell = argv[0] == resolved_shell(get_options())[0]
+                server_args = [] if run_shell else list(argv)
+                from kittens.ssh.utils import set_cwd_in_cmdline, set_server_args_in_cmdline
+                argv[:] = ssh_kitten_cmdline
+                set_cwd_in_cmdline(reported_cwd, argv)
+                set_server_args_in_cmdline(server_args, argv, allocate_tty=not run_shell)
+                return ''
             if not window.child_is_remote and (self.request_type is CwdRequestType.last_reported or window.at_prompt):
                 return reported_cwd
         return window.get_cwd_of_child(oldest=self.request_type is CwdRequestType.oldest) or ''