diff --git a/src/rc/grep.kak b/src/rc/grep.kak
index b98708b0..ecebdfd7 100644
--- a/src/rc/grep.kak
+++ b/src/rc/grep.kak
@@ -11,13 +11,11 @@ def -shell-params -file-completion \
          ( ${kak_opt_grepcmd} "${kak_selection}" | tr -d '\r' >& ${output} ) >& /dev/null < /dev/null &
      fi
 
-     [[ -n "$kak_opt_toolsclient" ]] && echo "eval -client '$kak_opt_toolsclient' %{"
-
-     echo "edit! -fifo ${output} *grep*
-           set buffer filetype grep
-           hook buffer BufClose .* %{ nop %sh{ rm -r $(dirname ${output}) } }"
-
-     [[ -n "$kak_opt_toolsclient" ]] && echo "}"
+     echo "eval -try-client '$kak_opt_toolsclient' %{
+               edit! -fifo ${output} *grep*
+               set buffer filetype grep
+               hook buffer BufClose .* %{ nop %sh{ rm -r $(dirname ${output}) } }
+           }"
 }}
 
 hook global WinSetOption filetype=grep %{
diff --git a/src/rc/make.kak b/src/rc/make.kak
index cd2fd220..37d299a4 100644
--- a/src/rc/make.kak
+++ b/src/rc/make.kak
@@ -6,13 +6,11 @@ def -shell-params make %{ %sh{
      mkfifo ${output}
      ( eval ${kak_opt_makecmd} $@ >& ${output} ) >& /dev/null < /dev/null &
 
-     [[ -n "$kak_opt_toolsclient" ]] && echo "eval -client '$kak_opt_toolsclient' %{"
-
-     echo "edit! -fifo ${output} *make*
-           set buffer filetype make
-           hook buffer BufClose .* %{ nop %sh{ rm -r $(dirname ${output}) } }"
-
-     [[ -n "$kak_opt_toolsclient" ]] && echo "}"
+     echo "eval -try-client '$kak_opt_toolsclient' %{
+               edit! -fifo ${output} *make*
+               set buffer filetype make
+               hook buffer BufClose .* %{ nop %sh{ rm -r $(dirname ${output}) } }
+           }"
 }}
 
 defhl make
diff --git a/src/rc/man.kak b/src/rc/man.kak
index 386f2df0..8d61a4f1 100644
--- a/src/rc/man.kak
+++ b/src/rc/man.kak
@@ -14,14 +14,7 @@ hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{
     rmhooks window man-hooks
 }
 
-def -shell-params man %{ %sh{
-    [[ -z "$@" ]] && set -- "$kak_selection"
-    # eval in the docsclient context so that kak_window_width is the good one
-    if [[ -n "$kak_opt_docsclient" && "$kak_client" != "$kak_opt_docsclient" ]]; then
-        echo "eval -client $kak_opt_docsclient %{ man $@ }"
-        exit
-    fi
-
+def -hidden -shell-params _man %{ %sh{
     tmpfile=$(mktemp /tmp/kak-man-XXXXXX)
     MANWIDTH=${kak_window_width} man "$@" | col -b > ${tmpfile}
     if (( ${PIPESTATUS[0]} == 0 )); then
@@ -33,4 +26,9 @@ def -shell-params man %{ %sh{
        echo "echo %{man '$@' failed: see *debug* buffer for details }"
        rm ${tmpfile}
     fi
-}}
+} }
+
+def -shell-params man %{ %sh{
+    [[ -z "$@" ]] && set -- "$kak_selection"
+    echo "eval -try-client %opt{docsclient} _man $@"
+} }