diff --git a/modules/home/shell/nushell.nix b/modules/home/shell/nushell.nix
index 6026f21..e7e49c5 100644
--- a/modules/home/shell/nushell.nix
+++ b/modules/home/shell/nushell.nix
@@ -40,8 +40,15 @@ in
   programs.nushell.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
 
   programs.nushell.extraConfig = ''
-    # Use kitten ssh for proper terminfo on remote hosts
-    alias ssh = kitten ssh
+    # Use kitten ssh for proper terminfo on remote hosts. It refuses to run
+    # outside a kitty window.
+    def --wrapped ssh [...args] {
+      if "KITTY_WINDOW_ID" in $env {
+        ^kitten ssh ...$args
+      } else {
+        ^ssh ...$args
+      }
+    }
 
     # Dotfiles QA validation command
       def dotfiles-qa [] {
diff --git a/modules/home/shell/zsh.nix b/modules/home/shell/zsh.nix
index 137c04c..35cfb2d 100644
--- a/modules/home/shell/zsh.nix
+++ b/modules/home/shell/zsh.nix
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@
       ];
     };
 
-    shellAliases.ssh = "kitten ssh";
-
     profileExtra = ''
       if [[ -x /opt/homebrew/bin/brew ]]; then
         eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"
@@ -54,8 +52,14 @@
         $path
         "$HOME/.lmstudio/bin"
       )
+
       export PATH
 
+      # kitten ssh refuses to run outside a kitty window.
+      if [ -n "$KITTY_WINDOW_ID" ]; then
+        alias ssh='kitten ssh'
+      fi
+
       _load_global_secrets() {
         local secret_dir="''${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/secrets/global-env"
         local secret_file name value