diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
index 046337d2..cbd95abe 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ type resolvedIds struct {
 type ResolvedRemote struct {
 	DisplayName string
 	RemotePtr   sstore.RemotePtrType
-	RemoteState *sstore.RemoteState
-	RState      remote.RemoteRuntimeState
 	MShell      *remote.MShellProc
+	RState      remote.RemoteRuntimeState
+	RemoteState *sstore.RemoteState
 }
 
 type ResolveItem struct {
@@ -118,6 +118,22 @@ func resolveByPosition(items []ResolveItem, curId string, posStr string) *Resolv
 	return &items[pos-1]
 }
 
+func resolveRemoteArg(remoteArg string) (*sstore.RemotePtrType, error) {
+	rrUser, rrRemote, rrName, err := parseFullRemoteRef(remoteArg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if rrUser != "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("remoteusers not supported")
+	}
+	msh := remote.GetRemoteByName(rrRemote)
+	if msh == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	rcopy := msh.GetRemoteCopy()
+	return &sstore.RemotePtrType{RemoteId: rcopy.RemoteId, Name: rrName}, nil
+}
+
 func resolveUiIds(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, rtype int) (resolvedIds, error) {
 	rtn := resolvedIds{}
 	uictx := pk.UIContext
@@ -125,17 +141,6 @@ func resolveUiIds(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, rtype i
 		rtn.SessionId = uictx.SessionId
 		rtn.ScreenId = uictx.ScreenId
 		rtn.WindowId = uictx.WindowId
-		if uictx.Remote != nil && rtn.SessionId != "" && rtn.WindowId != "" {
-			rr, err := resolveRemoteFromPtr(ctx, uictx.Remote, rtn.SessionId, rtn.WindowId)
-			if err != nil {
-				if rtype&R_Remote > 0 || rtype&R_RemoteConnected > 0 {
-					return rtn, err
-				}
-				// otherwise just don't set uictx.Remote
-			} else {
-				rtn.Remote = rr
-			}
-		}
 	}
 	if pk.Kwargs["window"] != "" {
 		windowId, err := resolveWindowArg(rtn.SessionId, rtn.ScreenId, pk.Kwargs["window"])
@@ -146,6 +151,30 @@ func resolveUiIds(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, rtype i
 			rtn.WindowId = windowId
 		}
 	}
+	var rptr *sstore.RemotePtrType
+	var err error
+	if pk.Kwargs["remote"] != "" {
+		rptr, err = resolveRemoteArg(pk.Kwargs["remote"])
+		if err != nil {
+			return rtn, err
+		}
+		if rptr == nil {
+			return rtn, fmt.Errorf("invalid remote argument %q passed, remote not found", pk.Kwargs["remote"])
+		}
+	} else if uictx.Remote != nil {
+		rptr = uictx.Remote
+	}
+	if rptr != nil {
+		err = rptr.Validate()
+		if err != nil {
+			return rtn, fmt.Errorf("invalid resolved remote: %v", err)
+		}
+		rr, err := resolveRemoteFromPtr(ctx, rptr, rtn.SessionId, rtn.WindowId)
+		if err != nil {
+			return rtn, err
+		}
+		rtn.Remote = rr
+	}
 	if rtype&R_Session > 0 && rtn.SessionId == "" {
 		return rtn, fmt.Errorf("no session")
 	}
@@ -285,7 +314,7 @@ func parseFullRemoteRef(fullRemoteRef string) (string, string, string, error) {
 
 func resolveRemoteFromPtr(ctx context.Context, rptr *sstore.RemotePtrType, sessionId string, windowId string) (*ResolvedRemote, error) {
 	if rptr == nil || rptr.RemoteId == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no remote to resolve")
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	msh := remote.GetRemoteById(rptr.RemoteId)
 	if msh == nil {
@@ -293,20 +322,24 @@ func resolveRemoteFromPtr(ctx context.Context, rptr *sstore.RemotePtrType, sessi
 	}
 	rstate := msh.GetRemoteRuntimeState()
 	displayName := rstate.GetDisplayName(rptr)
-	state, err := sstore.GetRemoteState(ctx, sessionId, windowId, *rptr)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot resolve remote state '%s': %w", displayName, err)
-	}
-	if state == nil {
-		state = rstate.DefaultState
-	}
-	return &ResolvedRemote{
+	rtn := &ResolvedRemote{
 		DisplayName: displayName,
 		RemotePtr:   *rptr,
-		RemoteState: state,
+		RemoteState: nil,
 		RState:      rstate,
 		MShell:      msh,
-	}, nil
+	}
+	if sessionId != "" && windowId != "" {
+		state, err := sstore.GetRemoteState(ctx, sessionId, windowId, *rptr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot resolve remote state '%s': %w", displayName, err)
+		}
+		if state == nil {
+			state = rstate.DefaultState
+		}
+		rtn.RemoteState = state
+	}
+	return rtn, nil
 }
 
 // returns (remoteDisplayName, remoteptr, state, rstate, err)
diff --git a/pkg/remote/remote.go b/pkg/remote/remote.go
index d32a44c9..9a683e3c 100644
--- a/pkg/remote/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/remote/remote.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func AddRemote(ctx context.Context, r *sstore.RemoteType) error {
 
 	existingRemote := getRemoteByCanonicalName_nolock(r.RemoteCanonicalName)
 	if existingRemote != nil {
-		erCopy := existingRemote.getRemoteCopy()
+		erCopy := existingRemote.GetRemoteCopy()
 		if !erCopy.Archived {
 			return fmt.Errorf("duplicate canonical name %q: cannot create new remote", r.RemoteCanonicalName)
 		}
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func ArchiveRemote(ctx context.Context, remoteId string) error {
 	if msh.Status == StatusConnected {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot archive connected remote")
 	}
-	rcopy := msh.getRemoteCopy()
+	rcopy := msh.GetRemoteCopy()
 	archivedRemote := &sstore.RemoteType{
 		RemoteId:            rcopy.RemoteId,
 		RemoteType:          rcopy.RemoteType,
@@ -224,7 +224,8 @@ func GetRemoteByName(name string) *MShellProc {
 	GlobalStore.Lock.Lock()
 	defer GlobalStore.Lock.Unlock()
 	for _, msh := range GlobalStore.Map {
-		if msh.Remote.RemoteAlias == name || msh.Remote.GetName() == name {
+		rcopy := msh.GetRemoteCopy()
+		if rcopy.RemoteAlias == name || rcopy.RemoteCanonicalName == name {
 			return msh
 		}
 	}
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ func GetRemoteByName(name string) *MShellProc {
 
 func getRemoteByCanonicalName_nolock(name string) *MShellProc {
 	for _, msh := range GlobalStore.Map {
-		rcopy := msh.getRemoteCopy()
+		rcopy := msh.GetRemoteCopy()
 		if rcopy.RemoteCanonicalName == name {
 			return msh
 		}
@@ -454,7 +455,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) setErrorStatus(err error) {
 	go msh.NotifyRemoteUpdate()
 }
 
-func (msh *MShellProc) getRemoteCopy() sstore.RemoteType {
+func (msh *MShellProc) GetRemoteCopy() sstore.RemoteType {
 	msh.Lock.Lock()
 	defer msh.Lock.Unlock()
 	return *msh.Remote
@@ -481,7 +482,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) GetRemoteName() string {
 }
 
 func (msh *MShellProc) Launch() {
-	remoteCopy := msh.getRemoteCopy()
+	remoteCopy := msh.GetRemoteCopy()
 	remoteName := remoteCopy.GetName()
 	if remoteCopy.Archived {
 		logf(&remoteCopy, "cannot launch archived remote")
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
index 7241df81..9efcbcae 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"path"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -138,6 +139,8 @@ func (opts WindowShareOptsType) Value() (driver.Value, error) {
 	return quickValueJson(opts)
 }
 
+var RemoteNameRe = regexp.MustCompile("^\\*?[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$")
+
 type RemotePtrType struct {
 	OwnerId  string `json:"ownerid"`
 	RemoteId string `json:"remoteid"`
@@ -148,6 +151,26 @@ func (r RemotePtrType) IsSessionScope() bool {
 	return strings.HasPrefix(r.Name, "*")
 }
 
+func (r RemotePtrType) Validate() error {
+	if r.OwnerId != "" {
+		if _, err := uuid.Parse(r.OwnerId); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid ownerid format: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	if r.RemoteId != "" {
+		if _, err := uuid.Parse(r.RemoteId); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid remoteid format: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	if r.Name != "" {
+		ok := RemoteNameRe.MatchString(r.Name)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid remote name")
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (r RemotePtrType) MakeFullRemoteRef() string {
 	if r.RemoteId == "" {
 		return ""