diff --git a/rc/client.kak b/rc/client.kak
index 1c4eb63e..d3b38102 100644
--- a/rc/client.kak
+++ b/rc/client.kak
@@ -1,51 +1,45 @@
 # termcmd should be set such as the next argument is the whole
 # command line to execute
 decl str termcmd %sh{
-    if [ -n "$TMUX" ]; then
-        echo "'tmux split-window -h'"
-    else
-        for termcmd in 'termite        -e      ' \
-                       'urxvt          -e sh -c' \
-                       'rxvt           -e sh -c' \
-                       'xterm          -e sh -c' \
-                       'roxterm        -e sh -c' \
-                       'mintty         -e sh -c' \
-                       'sakura         -e      ' \
-                       'gnome-terminal -e      ' \
-                       'xfce4-terminal -e      ' ; do
-            terminal=${termcmd%% *}
-            if which $terminal > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-                echo "'$termcmd'"
-                exit
-            fi
-        done
-    fi
+    for termcmd in 'termite        -e      ' \
+                   'urxvt          -e sh -c' \
+                   'rxvt           -e sh -c' \
+                   'xterm          -e sh -c' \
+                   'roxterm        -e sh -c' \
+                   'mintty         -e sh -c' \
+                   'sakura         -e      ' \
+                   'gnome-terminal -e      ' \
+                   'xfce4-terminal -e      ' ; do
+        terminal=${termcmd%% *}
+        if which $terminal > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "'$termcmd'"
+            exit
+        fi
+    done
 }
 
 def -docstring 'create a new kak client for current session' \
     -shell-params \
     -command-completion \
     new %{ %sh{
-            if [ -z "${kak_opt_termcmd}" ]; then
-               echo "echo -color Error 'termcmd option is not set'"
-               exit
-            fi
-            if [ $# -ne 0 ]; then kakoune_params="-e '$@'"; fi
-            setsid ${kak_opt_termcmd} "kak -c ${kak_session} ${kakoune_params}" < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 &
+        if [ -z "${kak_opt_termcmd}" ]; then
+           echo "echo -color Error 'termcmd option is not set'"
+           exit
+        fi
+        if [ $# -ne 0 ]; then kakoune_params="-e '$@'"; fi
+        setsid ${kak_opt_termcmd} "kak -c ${kak_session} ${kakoune_params}" < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 &
 }}
 
 def -docstring 'focus given client' \
     -shell-params -client-completion \
-    focus %{ %sh{
+    focus-default %{ %sh{
     if [ $# -gt 1 ]; then
         echo "echo -color Error 'too many arguments, use focus [client]'"
     elif [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
         echo "eval -client '$1' focus"
     else
-        if [ -n "$kak_client_env_TMUX" ]; then
-            TMUX="$kak_client_env_TMUX" tmux select-pane -t "$kak_client_env_TMUX_PANE" > /dev/null
-        else
-            xdotool windowactivate $kak_client_env_WINDOWID > /dev/null
-        fi
+        xdotool windowactivate $kak_client_env_WINDOWID > /dev/null
     fi
 } }
+## Create an alias to the default focus callback to allow overriding from custom scripts (i.e. tmux)
+alias global focus focus-default
diff --git a/rc/tmux.kak b/rc/tmux.kak
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9de65754
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rc/tmux.kak
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# http://tmux.github.io/
+# ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
+
+## Can be one of "horizontal", "vertical" or "window"
+## When a new client is created, an horizontal pane, a vertical pane or a window will respectively be made
+decl str tmux_default_direction "horizontal"
+
+## The default behaviour for the `new` command is to open an horizontal pane in a tmux session
+hook global KakBegin .* %{
+    %sh{
+        if [ -n "$TMUX" ]; then
+            tmuxcmd=""
+
+            case "${kak_opt_tmux_default_direction}" in
+                vertical) tmuxcmd="tmux split-window -v";;
+                window) tmuxcmd="tmux new-window";;
+                horizontal) tmuxcmd="tmux split-window -h";;
+                *) echo "invalid value: ${kak_opt_tmux_default_direction}" >&2;;
+            esac
+
+            if [ -n "${tmuxcmd}" ]; then
+                echo "set global termcmd '${tmuxcmd}'"
+            fi
+
+            echo "alias global focus focus-tmux"
+        fi
+    }
+}
+
+## Temporarily override the default client creation command
+def -hidden -shell-params tmux_override_termcmd %{
+    %sh{
+        if [ -z "$TMUX" ]; then
+            echo "echo -color Error This command is only available in a tmux session"
+        else
+            readonly cmd_override="$1"
+            readonly termcmd="${kak_opt_termcmd}"
+
+            shift
+            echo "
+                set current termcmd '${cmd_override}'
+                eval new $@
+                set current termcmd '${termcmd//'/\\'}'
+            "
+        fi
+    }
+}
+
+def tmux-new-vertical -shell-params -command-completion -docstring "Create a new vertical pane in tmux" %{
+    %sh{
+        echo "eval %{tmux_override_termcmd 'tmux split-window -v' $@}"
+    }
+}
+
+def tmux-new-horizontal -shell-params -command-completion -docstring "Create a new horizontal pane in tmux" %{
+    %sh{
+        echo "eval %{tmux_override_termcmd 'tmux split-window -h' $@}"
+    }
+}
+
+def -docstring "focus given client" \
+    -shell-params -client-completion \
+    focus-tmux %{ %sh{
+    if [ $# -gt 1 ]; then
+        echo "echo -color Error 'too many arguments, use focus [client]'"
+    elif [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
+        echo "eval -client '$1' focus"
+    elif [ -n "${kak_client_env_TMUX}" ]; then
+        TMUX="${kak_client_env_TMUX}" tmux select-pane -t "${kak_client_env_TMUX_PANE}" > /dev/null
+    fi
+} }