diff --git a/cmd-break-pane.c b/cmd-break-pane.c
index 57628a7a..a5a78077 100644
--- a/cmd-break-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-break-pane.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ cmd_break_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 			template = BREAK_PANE_TEMPLATE;
 
 		ft = format_create();
-		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL)) != NULL)
+		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL, 1)) != NULL)
 			format_client(ft, c);
 		format_session(ft, s);
 		format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
diff --git a/cmd-command-prompt.c b/cmd-command-prompt.c
index 80407b7d..3a43b24f 100644
--- a/cmd-command-prompt.c
+++ b/cmd-command-prompt.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ cmd_command_prompt_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	char				*prompt, *ptr, *input = NULL;
 	size_t				 n;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	if (c->prompt_string != NULL)
diff --git a/cmd-confirm-before.c b/cmd-confirm-before.c
index f9491095..765f58df 100644
--- a/cmd-confirm-before.c
+++ b/cmd-confirm-before.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ cmd_confirm_before_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	if ((prompt = args_get(args, 'p')) != NULL)
diff --git a/cmd-detach-client.c b/cmd-detach-client.c
index b437ddd3..a1d3a386 100644
--- a/cmd-detach-client.c
+++ b/cmd-detach-client.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ cmd_detach_client_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 				server_write_client(c, msgtype, NULL, 0);
 		}
 	} else {
-		c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'));
+		c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0);
 		if (c == NULL)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
diff --git a/cmd-display-message.c b/cmd-display-message.c
index 899957f8..05c3a408 100644
--- a/cmd-display-message.c
+++ b/cmd-display-message.c
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ cmd_display_message_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	time_t			 t;
 	size_t			 len;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 'c'))) == NULL)
-		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
-
 	if (args_has(args, 't')) {
 		wl = cmd_find_pane(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), &s, &wp);
 		if (wl == NULL)
@@ -80,7 +77,8 @@ cmd_display_message_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		template = DISPLAY_MESSAGE_TEMPLATE;
 
 	ft = format_create();
-	format_client(ft, c);
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 'c'), 1)) != NULL)
+		format_client(ft, c);
 	format_session(ft, s);
 	format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
 	format_window_pane(ft, wp);
diff --git a/cmd-display-panes.c b/cmd-display-panes.c
index 5f0893d4..b3e67fd2 100644
--- a/cmd-display-panes.c
+++ b/cmd-display-panes.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ cmd_display_panes_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	struct args	*args = self->args;
 	struct client	*c;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	server_set_identify(c);
diff --git a/cmd-lock-server.c b/cmd-lock-server.c
index 16a34a44..c95379ac 100644
--- a/cmd-lock-server.c
+++ b/cmd-lock-server.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ cmd_lock_server_exec(struct cmd *self, unused struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		server_lock_session(s);
 	} else {
-		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		server_lock_client(c);
 	}
diff --git a/cmd-new-window.c b/cmd-new-window.c
index 331c9fc8..0ab05e26 100644
--- a/cmd-new-window.c
+++ b/cmd-new-window.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 			template = NEW_WINDOW_TEMPLATE;
 
 		ft = format_create();
-		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL)) != NULL)
+		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL, 1)) != NULL)
 		    format_client(ft, c);
 		format_session(ft, s);
 		format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
diff --git a/cmd-pipe-pane.c b/cmd-pipe-pane.c
index a332b0ca..bb17c6be 100644
--- a/cmd-pipe-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-pipe-pane.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ cmd_pipe_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 
 	if (cmd_find_pane(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), NULL, &wp) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
-	c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL);
+	c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL, 1);
 
 	/* Destroy the old pipe. */
 	old_fd = wp->pipe_fd;
diff --git a/cmd-refresh-client.c b/cmd-refresh-client.c
index 885e8165..25df230f 100644
--- a/cmd-refresh-client.c
+++ b/cmd-refresh-client.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ cmd_refresh_client_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	const char	*size;
 	u_int		 w, h;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	if (args_has(args, 'C')) {
diff --git a/cmd-show-messages.c b/cmd-show-messages.c
index 038b673c..8394e3de 100644
--- a/cmd-show-messages.c
+++ b/cmd-show-messages.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ cmd_show_messages_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	char			*tim;
 	u_int			 i;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(&c->message_log); i++) {
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index d225ce23..b9eb92e3 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	struct window		*w;
 	struct window_pane	*wp, *new_wp = NULL;
 	struct environ		 env;
-	const char		*cmd, *cwd, *shell;
-	char			*cause, *new_cause;
+	const char		*cmd, *cwd, *shell, *prefix;
+	char			*cause, *new_cause, *cmd1;
 	u_int			 hlimit;
 	int			 size, percentage;
 	enum layout_type	 type;
@@ -122,9 +122,18 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		goto error;
 	}
 	new_wp = window_add_pane(w, hlimit);
-	if (window_pane_spawn(
-	    new_wp, cmd, shell, cwd, &env, s->tio, &cause) != 0)
+
+	if (*cmd != '\0') {
+		prefix = options_get_string(&w->options, "command-prefix");
+		xasprintf(&cmd1, "%s%s", prefix, cmd);
+	} else
+		cmd1 = xstrdup("");
+	if (window_pane_spawn(new_wp, cmd1, shell, cwd, &env, s->tio,
+	    &cause) != 0) {
+		free(cmd1);
 		goto error;
+	}
+	free(cmd1);
 	layout_assign_pane(lc, new_wp);
 
 	server_redraw_window(w);
@@ -143,7 +152,7 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 			template = SPLIT_WINDOW_TEMPLATE;
 
 		ft = format_create();
-		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL)) != NULL)
+		if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, NULL, 1)) != NULL)
 		    format_client(ft, c);
 		format_session(ft, s);
 		format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
diff --git a/cmd-suspend-client.c b/cmd-suspend-client.c
index 24077d7f..c3806c6f 100644
--- a/cmd-suspend-client.c
+++ b/cmd-suspend-client.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ cmd_suspend_client_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	struct args	*args = self->args;
 	struct client	*c;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 't'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	tty_stop_tty(&c->tty);
diff --git a/cmd-switch-client.c b/cmd-switch-client.c
index 991974fd..0fcf0146 100644
--- a/cmd-switch-client.c
+++ b/cmd-switch-client.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ cmd_switch_client_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 	struct client	*c;
 	struct session	*s;
 
-	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 'c'))) == NULL)
+	if ((c = cmd_find_client(ctx, args_get(args, 'c'), 0)) == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
 	if (args_has(args, 'r')) {
diff --git a/cmd.c b/cmd.c
index 6ab1f430..6fe4d565 100644
--- a/cmd.c
+++ b/cmd.c
@@ -517,15 +517,19 @@ cmd_choose_client(struct clients *cc)
 
 /* Find the target client or report an error and return NULL. */
 struct client *
-cmd_find_client(struct cmd_ctx *ctx, const char *arg)
+cmd_find_client(struct cmd_ctx *ctx, const char *arg, int quiet)
 {
 	struct client	*c;
 	char		*tmparg;
 	size_t		 arglen;
 
 	/* A NULL argument means the current client. */
-	if (arg == NULL)
-		return (cmd_current_client(ctx));
+	if (arg == NULL) {
+		c = cmd_current_client(ctx);
+		if (c == NULL && !quiet)
+			ctx->error(ctx, "no clients");
+		return (c);
+	}
 	tmparg = xstrdup(arg);
 
 	/* Trim a single trailing colon if any. */
@@ -537,7 +541,7 @@ cmd_find_client(struct cmd_ctx *ctx, const char *arg)
 	c = cmd_lookup_client(tmparg);
 
 	/* If no client found, report an error. */
-	if (c == NULL)
+	if (c == NULL && !quiet)
 		ctx->error(ctx, "client not found: %s", tmparg);
 
 	free(tmparg);