diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index ed3f47fc..c95700dc 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -39,11 +39,12 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_new_pane_entry = {
 	.name = "new-pane",
 	.alias = "newp",
 
-	.args = { "bc:de:fF:hIkl:m:p:PR:s:S:t:vZ", 0, -1, NULL },
+	.args = { "bc:de:fF:hIkl:Lm:p:PR:s:S:t:vx:X:y:Y:Z", 0, -1, NULL },
 	.usage = "[-bdefhIklPvZ] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] "
 		 "[-F format] [-l size] [-m message] [-p percentage] "
 	         "[-s style] [-S active-border-style] "
-	         "[-R inactive-border-style] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE " "
+	         "[-R inactive-border-style] [-x width] [-y height] "
+	         "[-X x-position] [-Y y-position] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE " "
 	         "[shell-command [argument ...]]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_PANE, 0 },
@@ -70,15 +71,48 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_split_window_entry = {
 };
 
 static struct layout_cell *
-cmd_split_window_get_tiled_layout_cell(struct cmdq_item *item,
-    struct args *args, struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp, int flags)
+cmd_split_window_get_floating_cell(struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args,
+    struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp)
+{
+	struct layout_cell	*lc = NULL;
+	char			*cause = NULL;
+	u_int			 x, y, sx, sy;
+
+	if (window_pane_floating_geometry(w, wp, &x, &y, &sx, &sy, item, args,
+	    &cause) != 0) {
+		cmdq_error(item, "invalid floating pane geometry %s", cause);
+		free(cause);
+		return (NULL);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Floating panes sit in layout cells which are not in the layout_root
+	 * tree so we call it with parent == NULL.
+	 */
+	lc = layout_create_cell(NULL);
+	lc->xoff = x;
+	lc->yoff = y;
+	lc->sx = sx;
+	lc->sy = sy;
+
+	return (lc);
+}
+
+static struct layout_cell *
+cmd_split_window_get_tiled_cell(struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args,
+    struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp, int flags)
 {
 	enum layout_type	 type;
 	struct layout_cell	*lc = NULL;
 	char			*cause = NULL;
 	int			 size;
 
-	if (window_pane_tile_geometry(w, wp, &size, &flags, &type, item, args,
+	if (wp->flags & PANE_FLOATING) {
+		cmdq_error(item, "can't split a floating pane");
+		return (NULL);
+	}
+
+	if (window_pane_tiled_geometry(w, wp, &size, &flags, &type, item, args,
 	    &cause) != 0) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "invalid tiled geometry %s", cause);
 		free(cause);
@@ -89,6 +123,7 @@ cmd_split_window_get_tiled_layout_cell(struct cmdq_item *item,
 	lc = layout_split_pane(wp, type, size, flags);
 	if (lc == NULL)
 		cmdq_error(item, "no space for new pane");
+
 	return (lc);
 }
 
@@ -106,15 +141,19 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct window_pane	*wp = target->wp, *new_wp;
 	struct layout_cell	*lc = NULL;
 	struct cmd_find_state	 fs;
-	int			 flags, input;
+	int			 input, is_floating, flags = 0;
 	const char		*template, *style;
 	char			*cause = NULL, *cp;
 	struct args_value	*av;
 	u_int			 count = args_count(args);
 
+	if (cmd_get_entry(self) == &cmd_new_pane_entry)
+		is_floating = 0; /* !args_has(args, 'L'); */
+	else
+		is_floating = 0;
 	input = (args_has(args, 'I') && count == 0);
 
-	flags = 0;
+	flags = is_floating ? SPAWN_FLOATING : 0;
 	if (args_has(args, 'b'))
 		flags |= SPAWN_BEFORE;
 	if (args_has(args, 'f'))
@@ -122,7 +161,10 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (input || (count == 1 && *args_string(args, 0) == '\0'))
 		flags |= SPAWN_EMPTY;
 
-	lc = cmd_split_window_get_tiled_layout_cell(item, args, w, wp, flags);
+	if (is_floating)
+		lc = cmd_split_window_get_floating_cell(item, args, w, wp);
+	else
+		lc = cmd_split_window_get_tiled_cell(item, args, w, wp, flags);
 	if (lc == NULL)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 
@@ -169,8 +211,8 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		}
 		options_set_string(new_wp->options, "window-active-style", 0,
 		    "%s", style);
-		new_wp->flags |= (PANE_REDRAW|PANE_STYLECHANGED
-		    |PANE_THEMECHANGED);
+		new_wp->flags |= (PANE_REDRAW|PANE_STYLECHANGED|
+		    PANE_THEMECHANGED);
 	}
 	style = args_get(args, 'S');
 	if (style != NULL) {
@@ -201,7 +243,8 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		switch (window_pane_start_input(new_wp, item, &cause)) {
 		case -1:
 			server_client_remove_pane(new_wp);
-			layout_close_pane(new_wp);
+			if (!is_floating)
+				layout_close_pane(new_wp);
 			window_remove_pane(wp->window, new_wp);
 			cmdq_error(item, "%s", cause);
 			free(cause);
@@ -216,8 +259,11 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	}
 	if (!args_has(args, 'd'))
 		cmd_find_from_winlink_pane(current, wl, new_wp, 0);
-	window_pop_zoom(wp->window);
-	server_redraw_window(wp->window);
+
+	if (!is_floating) {
+		window_pop_zoom(wp->window);
+		server_redraw_window(wp->window);
+	}
 	server_status_session(s);
 
 	if (args_has(args, 'P')) {
diff --git a/spawn.c b/spawn.c
index 1d284144..dddb3ce1 100644
--- a/spawn.c
+++ b/spawn.c
@@ -282,6 +282,13 @@ spawn_pane(struct spawn_context *sc, char **cause)
 			layout_assign_pane(sc->lc, new_wp, 0);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If window currently zoomed, window_set_active_pane calls
+	 * window_unzoom which it copies back the saved_layout_cell.
+	 */
+	if (w->flags & WINDOW_ZOOMED)
+		new_wp->saved_layout_cell = new_wp->layout_cell;
+
 	/*
 	 * Now we have a pane with nothing running in it ready for the new
 	 * process. Work out the command and arguments and store the working
@@ -374,7 +381,7 @@ spawn_pane(struct spawn_context *sc, char **cause)
 		goto complete;
 	}
 
-    /* Store current working directory and change to new one. */
+	/* Store current working directory and change to new one. */
 	if (getcwd(path, sizeof path) != NULL) {
 		if (chdir(new_wp->cwd) == 0)
 			actual_cwd = new_wp->cwd;
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 5ac1d4f7..097ba090 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1346,6 +1346,9 @@ struct window {
 	u_int			 new_xpixel;
 	u_int			 new_ypixel;
 
+	u_int			 last_new_pane_x;
+	u_int			 last_new_pane_y;
+
 	struct utf8_data	*fill_character;
 	int			 flags;
 #define WINDOW_BELL 0x1
@@ -3421,9 +3424,12 @@ enum client_theme window_pane_get_theme(struct window_pane *);
 void		 window_pane_send_theme_update(struct window_pane *);
 struct style_range *window_pane_border_status_get_range(struct window_pane *,
 			u_int, u_int);
-int		 window_pane_tile_geometry(struct window *,
+int              window_pane_tiled_geometry(struct window *,
 		     struct window_pane *, int *, int *, enum layout_type *,
 		     struct cmdq_item *, struct args *, char **);
+int              window_pane_floating_geometry(struct window *,
+		     struct window_pane *, u_int *, u_int *, u_int *, u_int *,
+		     struct cmdq_item *, struct args *, char **);
 
 /* layout.c */
 u_int		 layout_count_cells(struct layout_cell *);
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index ac48246f..e6e6eba7 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -541,6 +541,7 @@ window_set_active_pane(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp, int notify)
 	}
 
 	tty_update_window_offset(w);
+	server_redraw_window(w);
 
 	if (notify)
 		notify_window("window-pane-changed", w);
@@ -585,6 +586,8 @@ window_redraw_active_switch(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp)
 					wp->flags |= PANE_REDRAW;
 			}
 		}
+		if (wp == w->active)
+			break;
 
 		/* If the pane is floating, move to the front. */
 		if (wp->flags & PANE_FLOATING) {
@@ -593,9 +596,9 @@ window_redraw_active_switch(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp)
 			wp->flags |= PANE_REDRAW;
 		}
 
-		if (wp == w->active)
-			break;
 		wp = w->active;
+		if (wp == NULL)
+			break;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -613,7 +616,7 @@ window_get_active_at(struct window *w, u_int x, u_int y)
 			continue;
 		window_pane_full_size_offset(wp, &xoff, &yoff, &sx, &sy);
 		if (~wp->flags & PANE_FLOATING) {
-			/* Tiled - to and including bottom or right border.  */
+			/* Tiled - to and including bottom or right border. */
 			if ((int)x < xoff || x > xoff + sx)
 				continue;
 			if (pane_status == PANE_STATUS_TOP) {
@@ -689,7 +692,6 @@ window_zoom(struct window_pane *wp)
 
 	if (w->flags & WINDOW_ZOOMED)
 		return (-1);
-
 	if (window_count_panes(w, 1) == 1)
 		return (-1);
 
@@ -726,7 +728,7 @@ window_unzoom(struct window *w, int notify)
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(wp, &w->panes, entry) {
 		wp->layout_cell = wp->saved_layout_cell;
 		wp->saved_layout_cell = NULL;
-		wp->flags ^= PANE_ZOOMED;
+		wp->flags &= ~PANE_ZOOMED;
 	}
 	layout_fix_panes(w, NULL);
 
@@ -779,7 +781,7 @@ window_add_pane(struct window *w, struct window_pane *other, u_int hlimit,
 			TAILQ_INSERT_BEFORE(other, wp, entry);
 	} else {
 		log_debug("%s: @%u after %%%u", __func__, w->id, wp->id);
-		if (flags & SPAWN_FULLSIZE)
+		if (flags & (SPAWN_FULLSIZE|SPAWN_FLOATING))
 			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&w->panes, wp, entry);
 		else
 			TAILQ_INSERT_AFTER(&w->panes, other, wp, entry);
@@ -787,8 +789,8 @@ window_add_pane(struct window *w, struct window_pane *other, u_int hlimit,
 	if (~flags & SPAWN_FLOATING)
 		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 	else {
-		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 		wp->flags |= PANE_FLOATING;
+		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&w->z_index, wp, zentry);
 	}
 	return (wp);
 }
@@ -946,7 +948,7 @@ window_pane_printable_flags(struct window_pane *wp)
 {
 	struct window	*w = wp->window;
 	static char	 flags[32];
-	u_int		 pos = 0;
+	int		 pos = 0;
 
 	if (wp == w->active)
 		flags[pos++] = '*';
@@ -2057,8 +2059,9 @@ window_pane_border_status_get_range(struct window_pane *wp, u_int x, u_int y)
 	return (style_ranges_get_range(srs, x - wp->xoff - 2));
 }
 
+/* Work out geometry for tiled panes. */
 int
-window_pane_tile_geometry(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp,
+window_pane_tiled_geometry(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp,
     int *out_size, int *out_flags, enum layout_type *out_type,
     struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args, char **cause)
 {
@@ -2106,3 +2109,62 @@ window_pane_tile_geometry(struct window *w, struct window_pane *wp,
 	*out_type = type;
 	return (0);
 }
+
+/* Work out geometry for floating panes. */
+int
+window_pane_floating_geometry(struct window *w, __unused struct window_pane *wp,
+    u_int *out_x, u_int *out_y, u_int *out_sx, u_int *out_sy,
+    struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args, char **cause)
+{
+	u_int	x, y, sx = w->sx / 2, sy = w->sy / 2;
+
+	if (args_has(args, 'x')) {
+		sx = args_percentage_and_expand(args, 'x', 0, USHRT_MAX, w->sx,
+		    item, cause);
+		if (*cause != NULL)
+			return (-1);
+	}
+	if (args_has(args, 'y')) {
+		sy = args_percentage_and_expand(args, 'y', 0, USHRT_MAX, w->sy,
+		    item, cause);
+		if (*cause != NULL)
+			return (-1);
+	}
+
+	if (args_has(args, 'X')) {
+		x = args_percentage_and_expand(args, 'X', 0, USHRT_MAX, w->sx,
+		    item, cause);
+		if (*cause != NULL)
+			return (-1);
+	} else {
+		if (w->last_new_pane_x == 0)
+			x = 4;
+		else {
+			x = w->last_new_pane_x + 4;
+			if (w->last_new_pane_x > w->sx)
+				x = 4;
+		}
+		w->last_new_pane_x = x;
+	}
+	if (args_has(args, 'Y')) {
+		y = args_percentage_and_expand(args, 'Y', 0, USHRT_MAX, w->sy,
+		    item, cause);
+		if (*cause != NULL)
+			return (-1);
+	} else {
+		if (w->last_new_pane_y == 0)
+			y = 2;
+		else {
+			y = w->last_new_pane_y + 2;
+			if (w->last_new_pane_y > w->sy)
+				y = 2;
+		}
+		w->last_new_pane_y = y;
+	}
+
+	*out_x = x;
+	*out_y = y;
+	*out_sx = sx;
+	*out_sy = sy;
+	return (0);
+}