diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 5565e1ab..28c2a348 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -722,6 +722,8 @@ server_client_loop(void)
 #ifdef TMATE
 		if (w->flags & WINDOW_REDRAW)
 			tmate_should_sync_layout = 1;
+		if (w->tmate_last_sync_active_pane != w->active)
+			tmate_should_sync_layout = 1;
 #endif
 
 		w->flags &= ~WINDOW_REDRAW;
diff --git a/tmate-decoder.c b/tmate-decoder.c
index 79925566..7020e64d 100644
--- a/tmate-decoder.c
+++ b/tmate-decoder.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ static void tmate_client_pane_key(struct tmate_unpacker *uk)
 	window_pane_key(wp, NULL, s, key, NULL);
 }
 
-static struct window_pane *find_window_pane(struct session *s, unsigned int pane_id)
+static struct window_pane *find_window_pane(struct session *s, int pane_id)
 {
 	struct window *w;
 	struct window_pane *wp;
@@ -118,13 +118,16 @@ static struct window_pane *find_window_pane(struct session *s, unsigned int pane
 	wp = w->active;
 	if (!wp)
 		goto slow_path;
-	if (wp->id == pane_id)
+	if (pane_id == -1 || (int)wp->id == pane_id)
 		return wp;
 
 slow_path:
+	if (pane_id == -1)
+		return NULL;
+
 	RB_FOREACH(wl, winlinks, &s->windows) {
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(wp, &wl->window->panes, entry) {
-			if (wp->id == pane_id)
+			if ((int)wp->id == pane_id)
 				return wp;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tmate-encoder.c b/tmate-encoder.c
index 6f9bc0e4..da460515 100644
--- a/tmate-encoder.c
+++ b/tmate-encoder.c
@@ -48,9 +48,16 @@ void tmate_sync_layout(void)
 	struct window_pane *wp;
 	int num_panes = 0;
 	int num_windows = 0;
-	int active_pane_id = -1;
+	int active_pane_id;
 	int active_window_idx = -1;
 
+	/*
+	 * TODO this can get a little heavy.
+	 * We are shipping the full layout whenever a window name changes,
+	 * that is, at every shell command.
+	 * Might be better to do something incremental.
+	 */
+
 	/*
 	 * We only allow one session, it makes our lives easier.
 	 * Especially when the HTML5 client will come along.
@@ -83,6 +90,9 @@ void tmate_sync_layout(void)
 		if (!w)
 			continue;
 
+		w->tmate_last_sync_active_pane = NULL;
+		active_pane_id = -1;
+
 		if (active_window_idx == -1)
 			active_window_idx = wl->idx;
 
@@ -103,8 +113,11 @@ void tmate_sync_layout(void)
 			pack(int, wp->xoff);
 			pack(int, wp->yoff);
 
-			if (wp == w->active)
+			if (wp == w->active) {
+				w->tmate_last_sync_active_pane = wp;
 				active_pane_id = wp->id;
+			}
+
 		}
 		pack(int, active_pane_id);
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 24a7db59..f2a02368 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -915,6 +915,9 @@ struct window {
 
 	struct timeval	 activity_time;
 
+#ifdef TMATE
+	struct window_pane *tmate_last_sync_active_pane;
+#endif
 	struct window_pane *active;
 	struct window_pane *last;
 	struct window_panes panes;
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 6de39d8a..f0e7b53e 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -296,6 +296,10 @@ window_create1(u_int sx, u_int sy)
 	TAILQ_INIT(&w->panes);
 	w->active = NULL;
 
+#ifdef TMATE
+	w->tmate_last_sync_active_pane = NULL;
+#endif
+
 	w->lastlayout = -1;
 	w->layout_root = NULL;