diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 84f23cd6e..7f5f9e4ca 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - Fix copy/paste dropping spaces at soft-wrap boundaries when :opt:`strip_trailing_spaces` is set (:iss:`9834`)
 
+- Allow setting negative values for :opt:`inactive_text_alpha` to control
+  whether to only fade inactive windows or unfocused windows (:pull:`9837`)
+
 0.46.2 [2026-03-21]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index b9725dc06..e2e46e988 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -1400,12 +1400,14 @@ opt('inactive_text_alpha', '1.0',
     option_type='signed_unit_float', ctype='float',
     long_text='''
 Fade the text in inactive windows by the specified amount. This must be a
-number between negative one and one. The absolute value controls the actual
-opacity, with zero being fully faded and one being fully opaque. Negative
-values cause fading to be applied based only on whether the current window is
-active, ignoring the extra single-window unfocused case.
-'''
-    )
+number between -1 and 1. The absolute value controls the actual
+opacity, with zero being fully faded and one being fully opaque. When a positive number is
+used the text is faded even if only a single window is visible when the OS window
+is not focused. Negative numbers means that text is only faded when more than one kitty window
+is visible in an OS Window. Fading happens in all but the active window, even if the OS Window
+is not focused. Thus this is useful if you want to rely on the window manager to indicate OS Window focus
+and this feature to indicate which kitty window is active insidethe OS Window.
+''')
 
 opt('hide_window_decorations', 'no',
     option_type='hide_window_decorations', ctype='uint',
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
index fdbe17478..bee66f6ae 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
@@ -733,6 +733,19 @@ convert_from_opts_pointer_shape_when_dragging(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts)
     Py_DECREF(ret);
 }
 
+static void
+convert_from_python_drag_threshold(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
+    opts->drag_threshold = PyLong_AsLong(val);
+}
+
+static void
+convert_from_opts_drag_threshold(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
+    PyObject *ret = PyObject_GetAttrString(py_opts, "drag_threshold");
+    if (ret == NULL) return;
+    convert_from_python_drag_threshold(ret, opts);
+    Py_DECREF(ret);
+}
+
 static void
 convert_from_python_repaint_delay(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
     opts->repaint_delay = parse_ms_long_to_monotonic_t(val);
@@ -1575,6 +1588,8 @@ convert_opts_from_python_opts(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_pointer_shape_when_dragging(py_opts, opts);
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
+    convert_from_opts_drag_threshold(py_opts, opts);
+    if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_repaint_delay(py_opts, opts);
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_input_delay(py_opts, opts);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 93aa5d025..c541f84c8 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -1403,17 +1403,13 @@ draw_cells(const WindowRenderData *srd, OSWindow *os_window, bool is_active_wind
     Screen *screen = srd->screen;
     CELL_BUFFERS;
     bind_vertex_array(srd->vao_idx);
-    // We draw with inactive text alpha if:
-    // - We're not drawing the tab bar
-    // - There are multiple windows and the current window is not active
     // When inactive_text_alpha is negative, its absolute value is used as the
     // opacity and fading is based only on whether the current window is active.
-    float configured_inactive_text_alpha = (float)OPT(inactive_text_alpha);
-    bool use_active_window_only = configured_inactive_text_alpha < 0.f;
-    if (configured_inactive_text_alpha < 0.f) configured_inactive_text_alpha = -configured_inactive_text_alpha;
+    const float inactive_text_alpha = fabsf(OPT(inactive_text_alpha));
+    const bool use_active_window_only = OPT(inactive_text_alpha) < 0.f;
     float current_inactive_text_alpha = use_active_window_only ?
-        (is_tab_bar || is_active_window ? 1.0f : configured_inactive_text_alpha) :
-        (is_tab_bar || (!is_single_window && is_active_window) || (is_single_window && screen->cursor_render_info.is_focused) ? 1.0f : configured_inactive_text_alpha);
+        (is_tab_bar || is_active_window ? 1.0f : inactive_text_alpha) :
+        (is_tab_bar || (!is_single_window && is_active_window) || (is_single_window && screen->cursor_render_info.is_focused) ? 1.0f : inactive_text_alpha);
     float bg_alpha = effective_os_window_alpha(os_window);
 
     color_type default_bg = cell_update_uniform_block(