diff --git a/kittens/dnd/main.go b/kittens/dnd/main.go
index 85b02d377..49dc80984 100644
--- a/kittens/dnd/main.go
+++ b/kittens/dnd/main.go
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ func run_loop(opts *Options, drop_dests map[string]drop_dest, drag_sources map[s
 	lp.OnInitialize = func() (string, error) {
 		lp.AllowLineWrapping(false)
 		if allow_drops {
-			lp.StartAcceptingDrops(slices.Collect(maps.Keys(drop_dests))...)
+			lp.StartAcceptingDrops(opts.MachineId, slices.Collect(maps.Keys(drop_dests))...)
 		}
 		if allow_drags {
-			lp.StartOfferingDrags()
+			lp.StartOfferingDrags(opts.MachineId)
 		}
 		lp.SetWindowTitle("Drag and drop")
 		return "", render_screen()
diff --git a/kittens/dnd/main.py b/kittens/dnd/main.py
index 37356a369..8e3d55313 100644
--- a/kittens/dnd/main.py
+++ b/kittens/dnd/main.py
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ choices=copy,move,either
 The set of allowed actions when dragging. If :code:`either` is chosen then the drop destination can pick
 which action it wants. If the action is a move, then the dragged files are deleted when the drag finishes
 and the kitten exits after the drag.
+
+
+--machine-id
+The machine id to use instead of the actual machine id.
 '''.format
 
 help_text = '''\
diff --git a/kitty/dnd.c b/kitty/dnd.c
index cf042ab44..1f4c813ba 100644
--- a/kitty/dnd.c
+++ b/kitty/dnd.c
@@ -2184,9 +2184,18 @@ dnd_test_probe_state(PyObject *self UNUSED, PyObject *args) {
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Ks", &window_id, &q)) return NULL;
     Window *w = window_for_window_id((id_type)window_id);
     if (!w) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Window not found"); return NULL; }
+    if (strcmp(q, "drop_wanted") == 0) {
+        return Py_NewRef(w->drop.wanted ? Py_True : Py_False);
+    }
+    if (strcmp(q, "drag_can_offer") == 0) {
+        return Py_NewRef(w->drag_source.can_offer ? Py_True : Py_False);
+    }
     if (strcmp(q, "drop_is_remote_client") == 0) {
         return Py_NewRef(w->drop.is_remote_client ? Py_True : Py_False);
     }
+    if (strcmp(q, "drag_is_remote_client") == 0) {
+        return Py_NewRef(w->drag_source.is_remote_client ? Py_True : Py_False);
+    }
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
index 186dde7ff..2be0f4bd5 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/dnd_kitten.py
@@ -51,13 +51,18 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
             self.pty.write_to_child(chunk)
             self.pty.write_to_child(b'\x1b\\', flush=is_last and flush)
 
-    def finish_setup(self, cmd=None):
-        cmd = cmd or [kitten_exe(), 'dnd']
+    def finish_setup(self, remote_client: bool = False):
+        cmd = [kitten_exe(), 'dnd']
+        if remote_client:
+            cmd.append('--machine-id=remote-client-for-test')
         self.pty = self.enterContext(PTY(argv=cmd, rows=25, columns=80, window_id=self.capture.window_id))
         self.pty.callbacks.printbuf = self
         self.screen = self.pty.screen
         self.pty.wait_till(lambda: bool(self.pty.callbacks.titlebuf))
-        self.assertFalse(self.probe_state('drop_is_remote_client'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.probe_state('drop_wanted'))
+        self.assertEqual(remote_client, self.probe_state('drop_is_remote_client'))
+        if self.probe_state('drag_can_offer'):
+            self.assertEqual(remote_client, self.probe_state('drag_is_remote_client'))
 
     def append(self, text):
         self.messages_from_kitten += text
@@ -80,4 +85,6 @@ class TestDnDKitten(BaseTest):
         del self.pty
 
     def test_dnd_kitten_drop(self):
-        self.finish_setup()
+        for remote_client in (False, True):
+            with self.subTest(remote_client=remote_client):
+                self.finish_setup(remote_client=remote_client)
diff --git a/tools/cmd/mouse_demo/main.go b/tools/cmd/mouse_demo/main.go
index 786eec251..035f23809 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/mouse_demo/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/mouse_demo/main.go
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ func Run(args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 	lp.OnInitialize = func() (string, error) {
 		lp.SetWindowTitle("kitty mouse features demo")
 		lp.SetCursorVisible(false)
-		lp.StartAcceptingDrops("text/plain", "text/uri-list")
+		lp.StartAcceptingDrops("", "text/plain", "text/uri-list")
 		draw_screen()
 		return "", nil
 	}
diff --git a/tools/tui/loop/api.go b/tools/tui/loop/api.go
index d3f7aa502..e35a9f524 100644
--- a/tools/tui/loop/api.go
+++ b/tools/tui/loop/api.go
@@ -707,13 +707,24 @@ func (self *Loop) QueueDnDData(metadata map[string]string, payload string, as_ba
 	return ans
 }
 
-func (self *Loop) StartAcceptingDrops(mime_types ...string) {
-	self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "a"}, strings.Join(mime_types, " "), false)
-	if ans, err := machine_id.MachineId(); err == nil {
+func effective_machine_id(m string) string {
+	if m == "" {
+		if ans, err := machine_id.MachineId(); err == nil {
+			m = ans
+		}
+	}
+	if m != "" {
 		mac := hmac.New(sha256.New, []byte("tty-dnd-protocol-machine-id"))
-		mac.Write(utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(ans))
-		ans = "1:" + hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))
-		self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "a", "x": "1"}, ans, false)
+		mac.Write(utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(m))
+		m = "1:" + hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))
+	}
+	return m
+}
+
+func (self *Loop) StartAcceptingDrops(machine_id string, mime_types ...string) {
+	self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "a"}, strings.Join(mime_types, " "), false)
+	if m := effective_machine_id(machine_id); m != "" {
+		self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "a", "x": "1"}, m, false)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -721,12 +732,10 @@ func (self *Loop) StopAcceptingDrops() {
 	self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "A"}, "", false)
 }
 
-func (self *Loop) StartOfferingDrags() {
+func (self *Loop) StartOfferingDrags(machine_id string) {
 	payload := ""
-	if ans, err := machine_id.MachineId(); err == nil {
-		mac := hmac.New(sha256.New, []byte("tty-dnd-protocol-machine-id"))
-		mac.Write(utils.UnsafeStringToBytes(ans))
-		payload = "1:" + hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))
+	if m := effective_machine_id(machine_id); m != "" {
+		payload = m
 	}
 	self.QueueDnDData(map[string]string{"t": "o", "x": "1"}, payload, false)
 }