diff --git a/rc/base/new-client.kak b/rc/base/new-client.kak
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4413d6e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rc/base/new-client.kak
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+define-command new -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
+new [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client
+The ''terminal'' alias is being used to determine the user''s preferred terminal emulator
+The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
+%{
+    try %{
+        terminal %sh{
+            # double-up single-quotes
+            escaped=$(printf %s "$*" | sed -e "s|'|''|g")
+            printf "kak -c '%s' -e '%s'" "$kak_session" "$escaped"
+        }
+    } catch %{
+        fail "The 'terminal' alias must be defined to use this command"
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/rc/base/screen.kak b/rc/base/screen.kak
index 5bf4292c..dca8c5be 100644
--- a/rc/base/screen.kak
+++ b/rc/base/screen.kak
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ hook -group GNUscreen global KakBegin .* %sh{
     [ -z "${STY}" ] && exit
     echo "
         alias global focus screen-focus
-        alias global new screen-new-vertical
         alias global terminal screen-terminal-vertical
     "
 }
@@ -42,27 +41,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
     }
 }
 
-define-command screen-new-vertical -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-screen-new-vertical [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a screen pane
-The current pane is split into two, left and right
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    screen-terminal-vertical "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command screen-new-horizontal -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-screen-new-horizontal [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a screen pane
-The current pane is split into two, top and bottom
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    screen-terminal-horizontal "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command screen-new-window -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-screen-new-window [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a screen window
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    screen-terminal-window "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command screen-focus -params ..1 -client-completion -docstring '
 screen-focus [<client>]: focus the given client
 If no client is passed then the current one is used' \
diff --git a/rc/base/tmux.kak b/rc/base/tmux.kak
index b1d6beb5..23a381e2 100644
--- a/rc/base/tmux.kak
+++ b/rc/base/tmux.kak
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ hook global KakBegin .* %sh{
     if [ -n "$TMUX" ]; then
         echo "
             alias global focus tmux-focus
-            alias global new tmux-new-horizontal
             alias global terminal tmux-terminal-horizontal
         "
     fi
@@ -45,27 +44,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
     tmux-terminal-impl 'new-window' %arg{1}
 }
 
-define-command tmux-new-vertical -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-tmux-new-vertical [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a tmux pane
-The current pane is split into two, top and bottom
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    tmux-terminal-vertical "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command tmux-new-horizontal -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-tmux-new-horizontal [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a tmux pane
-The current pane is split into two, left and right
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    tmux-terminal-horizontal "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command tmux-new-window -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-tmux-new-window [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a tmux window
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    tmux-terminal-window "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command tmux-focus -params ..1 -client-completion -docstring '
 tmux-focus [<client>]: focus the given client
 If no client is passed then the current one is used' \
diff --git a/rc/base/x11.kak b/rc/base/x11.kak
index c6f298d8..fea97bbd 100644
--- a/rc/base/x11.kak
+++ b/rc/base/x11.kak
@@ -35,13 +35,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
     }
 }
 
-define-command x11-new -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-x11-new [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as an x11 window
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    x11-terminal "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command x11-focus -params ..1 -client-completion -docstring '
 x11-focus [<kakoune_client>]: focus a given client''s window
 If no client is passed, then the current client is used' \
@@ -56,5 +49,4 @@ If no client is passed, then the current client is used' \
 }
 
 alias global focus x11-focus
-alias global new x11-new
 alias global terminal x11-terminal
diff --git a/rc/extra/iterm.kak b/rc/extra/iterm.kak
index 135de775..65fdc3dc 100644
--- a/rc/extra/iterm.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/iterm.kak
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 hook global KakBegin .* %sh{
     if [ "$TERM_PROGRAM" = "iTerm.app" ] && [ -z "$TMUX" ]; then
         echo "
-            alias global new iterm-new-vertical
             alias global focus iterm-focus
         "
     fi
@@ -72,33 +71,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal'\
     }
 }
 
-define-command iterm-new-vertical -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-iterm-new-vertical <program>: create a new kakoune client as an iterm pane
-The current pane is split into two, top and bottom
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    iterm-terminal-vertical "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command iterm-new-horizontal -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-iterm-new-horizontal <program>: create a new kakoune client as an iterm pane
-The current pane is split into two, left and right
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    iterm-terminal-horizontal "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command iterm-new-tab -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-iterm-new-tab <program>: create a new kakoune client as an iterm tab
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    iterm-terminal-tab "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-define-command iterm-new-window -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-iterm-new-window <program>: create a new kakoune client as an iterm window
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    iterm-terminal-window "kak -c '%val{session}' -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command iterm-focus -params ..1 -client-completion -docstring '
 iterm-focus [<client>]: focus the given client
 If no client is passed then the current one is used' \
diff --git a/rc/extra/kitty.kak b/rc/extra/kitty.kak
index 5f0bb24c..56931423 100644
--- a/rc/extra/kitty.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/kitty.kak
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ declare-option -docstring %{window type that kitty creates on new and repl calls
 hook -group kitty-hooks global KakBegin .* %sh{
     if [ "$TERM" = "xterm-kitty" ] && [ -z "$TMUX" ]; then
         echo "
-            alias global new kitty-new
-            alias global new-tab kitty-new-tab
             alias global terminal kitty-terminal
             alias global terminal-tab kitty-terminal-tab
             alias global focus kitty-focus
@@ -23,13 +21,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
     }
 }
 
-define-command kitty-new -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-kitty-new [<commands>]: create a new kakoune client as a kitty window
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    kitty-terminal "kak -c %val{session} -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command kitty-terminal-tab -params 1 -shell-completion -docstring '
 kitty-terminal-tab <program>: create a new terminal as kitty tab
 The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
@@ -39,13 +30,6 @@ The shell program passed as argument will be executed in the new terminal' \
     }
 }
 
-define-command kitty-new-tab -params .. -command-completion -docstring '
-kitty-new-tab <program> [<arguments>]: create a new terminal as kitty tab
-The optional arguments are passed as commands to the new client' \
-%{
-    kitty-terminal-tab "kak -c %val{session} -e '%arg{@}'"
-}
-
 define-command kitty-focus -params ..1 -client-completion -docstring '
 kitty-focus [<client>]: focus the given client
 If no client is passed then the current one is used' \