diff --git a/kitty/file_transmission.py b/kitty/file_transmission.py
index 587492043..71c2c348e 100644
--- a/kitty/file_transmission.py
+++ b/kitty/file_transmission.py
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@ class ActiveCommand:
     def __init__(self, ftc: FileTransmissionCommand) -> None:
         self.ftc = ftc
 
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        if self.file is not None:
+            self.file.close()
+            self.file = None
+
 
 class FileTransmission:
 
@@ -210,6 +215,11 @@ class FileTransmission:
         self.window_id = window_id
         self.active_cmds = {}
 
+    def __del__(self) -> None:
+        for cmd in self.active_cmds.values():
+            cmd.close()
+        self.active_cmds = {}
+
     def handle_serialized_command(self, data: str) -> None:
         try:
             cmd = parse_command(data)
@@ -227,9 +237,16 @@ class FileTransmission:
             if cmd.id not in self.active_cmds:
                 log_error('File transmission data command received with unknown id')
                 return
-            self.add_data(cmd)
+            try:
+                self.add_data(cmd)
+            except Exception:
+                self.abort_in_flight(cmd.id)
+                raise
             if cmd.action is Action.end_data and cmd.id in self.active_cmds:
-                self.commit(cmd.id)
+                try:
+                    self.commit(cmd.id)
+                except Exception:
+                    self.abort_in_flight(cmd.id)
 
     def send_response(self, ac: Optional[FileTransmissionCommand], **fields: str) -> None:
         if ac is None:
@@ -263,6 +280,7 @@ class FileTransmission:
             if cmd.ftc.quiet:
                 return
         else:
+            cmd.close()
             del self.active_cmds[cmd_id]
             if cmd.ftc.quiet > 1:
                 return
@@ -274,13 +292,18 @@ class FileTransmission:
         errname = errno.errorcode.get(err.errno, 'EFAIL')
         self.send_response(ac, status=f'{errname}:{msg}')
 
+    def abort_in_flight(self, cmd_id: str) -> None:
+        c = self.active_cmds.pop(cmd_id, None)
+        if c is not None:
+            c.close()
+
     def add_data(self, cmd: FileTransmissionCommand) -> None:
         ac = self.active_cmds.get(cmd.id)
 
         def abort_in_flight() -> None:
-            self.active_cmds.pop(cmd.id, None)
+            self.abort_in_flight(cmd.id)
 
-        if ac is None or not ac.dest:
+        if ac is None or not ac.dest or ac.ftc.action is not Action.send:
             return abort_in_flight()
 
         if ac.file is None:
@@ -310,9 +333,20 @@ class FileTransmission:
 
     def commit(self, cmd_id: str) -> None:
         cmd = self.active_cmds.pop(cmd_id, None)
-        if cmd is not None and cmd.ftc.container_fmt and cmd.file is not None:
-            cmd.file.seek(0, os.SEEK_SET)
-            Container.extractor_for_container_fmt(cmd.file, cmd.ftc.container_fmt)(cmd.dest)
+        if cmd is not None:
+            try:
+                if cmd.ftc.container_fmt is not Container.none and cmd.file is not None:
+                    cmd.file.seek(0, os.SEEK_SET)
+                    try:
+                        Container.extractor_for_container_fmt(cmd.file, cmd.ftc.container_fmt)(cmd.dest)
+                    except OSError as e:
+                        self.send_fail_on_os_error(cmd.ftc, e, 'Failed to extract files from container')
+                    except Exception:
+                        self.send_response(cmd.ftc, status='EFAIL:Failed to extract files from container')
+                if not cmd.ftc.quiet:
+                    self.send_response(cmd.ftc, status='COMPLETED')
+            finally:
+                cmd.close()
 
 
 class TestFileTransmission(FileTransmission):
diff --git a/kitty_tests/file_transmission.py b/kitty_tests/file_transmission.py
index f09880f49..571363710 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/file_transmission.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/file_transmission.py
@@ -36,8 +36,24 @@ class TestFileTransmission(BaseTest):
         shutil.rmtree(self.tdir)
 
     def test_file_put(self):
+        # send refusal
+        for quiet in (0, 1, 2):
+            ft = FileTransmission()
+            ft.handle_serialized_command(serialized_cmd(action='send', id='x', quiet=quiet))
+            self.ae(ft.test_responses, [] if quiet == 2 else [{'status': 'EPERM:User refused the transfer', 'id': 'x'}])
+            self.assertFalse(ft.active_cmds)
+        # simple single file send
         ft = FileTransmission()
-        ft.handle_serialized_command(serialized_cmd(action='send', id='1', dest=os.path.join(self.tdir, '1.bin')))
-        self.assertIn('1', ft.active_cmds)
-        self.ae(os.path.basename(ft.active_cmds['1'].dest), '1.bin')
-        self.assertIsNone(ft.active_cmds['1'].file)
+        dest = os.path.join(self.tdir, '1.bin')
+        ft.handle_serialized_command(serialized_cmd(action='send', dest=dest))
+        self.assertIn('', ft.active_cmds)
+        self.ae(os.path.basename(ft.active_cmds[''].dest), '1.bin')
+        self.assertIsNone(ft.active_cmds[''].file)
+        self.ae(ft.test_responses, [{'status': 'OK'}])
+        ft.handle_serialized_command(serialized_cmd(action='data', data='abcd'))
+        self.assertIsNotNone(ft.active_cmds[''].file)
+        ft.handle_serialized_command(serialized_cmd(action='end_data', data='123'))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.active_cmds)
+        self.ae(ft.test_responses, [{'status': 'OK'}, {'status': 'COMPLETED'}])
+        with open(dest) as f:
+            self.ae(f.read(), 'abcd123')