diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
index 25d96c4d6..5453f02c5 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.cc
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@ String ClientManager::generate_name() const
 
 Client* ClientManager::create_client(std::unique_ptr<UserInterface>&& ui, int pid,
                                      String name, EnvVarMap env_vars, StringView init_cmds,
-                                     Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
+                                     StringView init_buffer, Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
                                      Client::OnExitCallback on_exit)
 {
-    Buffer& buffer = BufferManager::instance().get_first_buffer();
+    Buffer& buffer = init_buffer.empty() ? BufferManager::instance().get_first_buffer()
+                                         : BufferManager::instance().get_buffer(init_buffer);
+
     WindowAndSelections ws = get_free_window(buffer);
     Client* client = new Client{std::move(ui), std::move(ws.window),
                                 std::move(ws.selections), pid,
diff --git a/src/client_manager.hh b/src/client_manager.hh
index 2323e07b3..8edeb7903 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.hh
+++ b/src/client_manager.hh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public:
 
     Client* create_client(std::unique_ptr<UserInterface>&& ui, int pid,
                           String name, EnvVarMap env_vars, StringView init_cmds,
-                          Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
+                          StringView init_buffer, Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
                           Client::OnExitCallback on_exit);
 
     bool   empty() const { return m_clients.empty(); }
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 2b09ccd6f..844b45742 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ enum class ServerFlags
 constexpr bool with_bit_ops(Meta::Type<ServerFlags>) { return true; }
 
 int run_server(StringView session, StringView server_init,
-               StringView client_init, Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
+               StringView client_init, StringView init_buffer, Optional<BufferCoord> init_coord,
                ServerFlags flags, UIType ui_type, DebugFlags debug_flags,
                ConstArrayView<StringView> files)
 {
@@ -836,9 +836,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView server_init,
 
     if (not files.empty()) try
     {
-        // create buffers in reverse order so that the first given buffer
-        // is the most recently created one.
-        for (auto& file : files | reverse())
+        for (auto& file : files)
         {
             try
             {
@@ -867,7 +865,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView server_init,
         if (not server.is_daemon())
         {
             local_client = client_manager.create_client(
-                 create_local_ui(ui_type), getpid(), {}, get_env_vars(), client_init, std::move(init_coord),
+                 create_local_ui(ui_type), getpid(), {}, get_env_vars(), client_init, init_buffer, std::move(init_coord),
                  [](int status) { local_client_exit = status; });
 
             if (startup_error and local_client)
@@ -1234,7 +1232,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                              ((argc == 1 or (ignore_kakrc and argc == 2))
                               and isatty(0)                               ? ServerFlags::StartupInfo : ServerFlags::None);
                 auto debug_flags = option_from_string(Meta::Type<DebugFlags>{}, parser.get_switch("debug").value_or(""));
-                return run_server(session, server_init, client_init, init_coord, flags, ui_type, debug_flags, files);
+                return run_server(session, server_init, client_init, files.empty() ? StringView{} : files[0], init_coord, flags, ui_type, debug_flags, files);
             }
             catch (convert_to_client_mode& convert)
             {
diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
index 99fda3e1e..50dda1b03 100644
--- a/src/remote.cc
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ private:
                 auto* ui = new RemoteUI{sock, dimensions};
                 ClientManager::instance().create_client(
                     std::unique_ptr<UserInterface>(ui), pid, std::move(name),
-                    std::move(env_vars), init_cmds, init_coord,
+                    std::move(env_vars), init_cmds, {}, init_coord,
                     [ui](int status) { ui->exit(status); });
 
                 Server::instance().remove_accepter(this);