diff --git a/cmd/kctl-tui/full.go b/cmd/kctl-tui/full.go
index b963dad..b56d8da 100644
--- a/cmd/kctl-tui/full.go
+++ b/cmd/kctl-tui/full.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"runtime"
 	"sort"
 
 	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
@@ -281,54 +280,40 @@ func (m *fullModel) startTmuxSession() tea.Cmd {
 	ctxA := m.cfg.ResolveContext(envA, m.selectedContext)
 	k9sCmdA := fmt.Sprintf("k9s --context %s -n %s", ctxA, m.selectedNamespace)
 
-	// Kill stale session first (ignore error if none exists).
-	killErr := exec.Command("tmux", "kill-session", "-t", "kctl").Run()
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] selfPath=%s\n", selfPath)
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] panelCmd=%s\n", panelCmd)
-	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] kill-session err=%v\n", killErr)
 
-	var c *exec.Cmd
-	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-		// On Windows, psmux doesn't handle ; separators when args are
-		// passed individually via exec.Command. Build the full command
-		// string and run it through cmd.exe.
-		tmuxScript := fmt.Sprintf(
-			"tmux new-session -d -s kctl %q ; set-option -t kctl remain-on-exit on ; split-window -v -t kctl:0.0 %q",
-			panelCmd, k9sCmdA,
-		)
-		if len(m.cfg.Envs) > 1 {
-			envB := m.cfg.Envs[1]
-			ctxB := m.cfg.ResolveContext(envB, m.selectedContext)
-			k9sCmdB := fmt.Sprintf("k9s --context %s -n %s", ctxB, m.selectedNamespace)
-			tmuxScript += fmt.Sprintf(" ; split-window -v -t kctl:0.1 %q", k9sCmdB)
+	// Kill stale session first (ignore error if none exists).
+	exec.Command("tmux", "kill-session", "-t", "kctl").Run()
+
+	// Run setup commands individually — this avoids the ; separator
+	// issue on Windows where psmux doesn't handle chained args.
+	setup := [][]string{
+		{"new-session", "-d", "-s", "kctl", panelCmd},
+		{"set-option", "-t", "kctl", "remain-on-exit", "on"},
+		{"split-window", "-v", "-t", "kctl:0.0", k9sCmdA},
+	}
+	if len(m.cfg.Envs) > 1 {
+		envB := m.cfg.Envs[1]
+		ctxB := m.cfg.ResolveContext(envB, m.selectedContext)
+		k9sCmdB := fmt.Sprintf("k9s --context %s -n %s", ctxB, m.selectedNamespace)
+		setup = append(setup, []string{"split-window", "-v", "-t", "kctl:0.1", k9sCmdB})
+	}
+	setup = append(setup,
+		[]string{"select-layout", "-t", "kctl", "even-vertical"},
+		[]string{"select-pane", "-t", "kctl:0.0"},
+	)
+
+	for _, args := range setup {
+		if out, err := exec.Command("tmux", args...).CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] tmux %s failed: %v\n%s\n", args[0], err, out)
+			return func() tea.Msg { return tmuxDoneMsg{err: fmt.Errorf("tmux %s: %w", args[0], err)} }
 		}
-		tmuxScript += " ; select-layout -t kctl even-vertical ; select-pane -t kctl:0.0 ; attach -t kctl"
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] windows cmd: %s\n", tmuxScript)
-		c = exec.Command("cmd.exe", "/c", tmuxScript)
-	} else {
-		args := []string{
-			"new-session", "-d", "-s", "kctl",
-			panelCmd, ";",
-			"set-option", "-t", "kctl", "remain-on-exit", "on", ";",
-			"split-window", "-v", "-t", "kctl:0.0", k9sCmdA, ";",
-		}
-		if len(m.cfg.Envs) > 1 {
-			envB := m.cfg.Envs[1]
-			ctxB := m.cfg.ResolveContext(envB, m.selectedContext)
-			k9sCmdB := fmt.Sprintf("k9s --context %s -n %s", ctxB, m.selectedNamespace)
-			args = append(args,
-				"split-window", "-v", "-t", "kctl:0.1", k9sCmdB, ";",
-			)
-		}
-		args = append(args,
-			"select-layout", "-t", "kctl", "even-vertical", ";",
-			"select-pane", "-t", "kctl:0.0", ";",
-			"attach", "-t", "kctl",
-		)
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] unix args: %v\n", args)
-		c = exec.Command("tmux", args...)
 	}
 
+	// Only attach uses tea.ExecProcess so it takes over the terminal.
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[debug] tmux attach -t kctl\n")
+	c := exec.Command("tmux", "attach", "-t", "kctl")
 	return tea.ExecProcess(c, func(err error) tea.Msg {
 		return tmuxDoneMsg{err: err}
 	})