diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index 7e3852302..72b367cc0 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ def sync_os_window_title(os_window_id: int) -> None:
 
 
 def set_options(
-    opts: Options,
+    opts: Optional[Options],
     is_wayland: bool = False,
     debug_rendering: bool = False,
     debug_font_fallback: bool = False
@@ -523,6 +523,10 @@ def set_options(
     pass
 
 
+def get_options() -> Options:
+    pass
+
+
 def resolve_key_mods(kitty_mod: int, mods: int) -> int:
     pass
 
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 98ac20b3b..0b3e8ab45 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -171,10 +171,11 @@ class AppRunner:
     def __call__(self, opts: OptionsStub, args: CLIOptions, bad_lines: Sequence[BadLine] = ()) -> None:
         set_scale(opts.box_drawing_scale)
         set_options(opts, is_wayland(), args.debug_rendering, args.debug_font_fallback)
-        set_font_family(opts, debug_font_matching=args.debug_font_fallback)
         try:
+            set_font_family(opts, debug_font_matching=args.debug_font_fallback)
             _run_app(opts, args, bad_lines)
         finally:
+            set_options(None)
             free_font_data()  # must free font data before glfw/freetype/fontconfig/opengl etc are finalized
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index e6d0b4d36..51ce439c8 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -694,10 +694,25 @@ PYWRAP1(handle_for_window_id) {
     return NULL;
 }
 
+static PyObject* options_object = NULL;
+
+PYWRAP0(get_options) {
+    if (!options_object) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Must call set_options() before using get_options()");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    Py_INCREF(options_object);
+    return options_object;
+}
+
 PYWRAP1(set_options) {
     PyObject *ret, *opts;
     int is_wayland = 0, debug_rendering = 0, debug_font_fallback = 0;
     PA("O|ppp", &opts, &is_wayland, &debug_rendering, &debug_font_fallback);
+    if (opts == Py_None) {
+        Py_CLEAR(options_object);
+        Py_RETURN_NONE;
+    }
     global_state.is_wayland = is_wayland ? true : false;
 #ifdef __APPLE__
     global_state.has_render_frames = true;
@@ -814,6 +829,8 @@ PYWRAP1(set_options) {
 #undef read_adjust
 #undef S
 #undef SS
+    options_object = opts;
+    Py_INCREF(options_object);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -1206,6 +1223,7 @@ static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     MW(current_os_window, METH_NOARGS),
     MW(next_window_id, METH_NOARGS),
     MW(set_options, METH_VARARGS),
+    MW(get_options, METH_NOARGS),
     MW(click_mouse_url, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(mouse_selection, METH_VARARGS),
     MW(set_in_sequence_mode, METH_O),