diff --git a/kittens/transfer/main.go b/kittens/transfer/main.go
index c1fb8d4b6..dbc2afcea 100644
--- a/kittens/transfer/main.go
+++ b/kittens/transfer/main.go
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@ func read_bypass(loc string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func main(cmd *cli.Command, opts *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
-	if err != nil {
-		rc = 1
-	}
 	if opts.PermissionsBypass != "" {
 		val, err := read_bypass(opts.PermissionsBypass)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -54,6 +51,17 @@ func main(cmd *cli.Command, opts *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 		}
 		opts.PermissionsBypass = strings.TrimSpace(val)
 	}
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return 1, fmt.Errorf("Must specify at least one file to transfer")
+	}
+	if opts.Direction == "send" {
+		err = send_main(opts, args)
+	} else {
+		err = receive_main(opts, args)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		rc = 1
+	}
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/kittens/transfer/receive.go b/kittens/transfer/receive.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ac1ae9fef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kittens/transfer/receive.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2023, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package transfer
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+func receive_main(opts *Options, args []string) (err error) {
+
+	return
+}
diff --git a/kittens/transfer/send.go b/kittens/transfer/send.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1d1a35fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kittens/transfer/send.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2023, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package transfer
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+func send_main(opts *Options, args []string) (err error) {
+	fmt.Println("Scanning files…")
+	files = files_for_send(opts, args)
+	fmt.Printf("Found %d files and directories, requesting transfer permission…", len(files))
+	fmt.Println()
+
+	return
+}
diff --git a/kittens/transfer/utils.go b/kittens/transfer/utils.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b10759e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kittens/transfer/utils.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+// License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2023, Kovid Goyal, <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+package transfer
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"kitty/tools/utils"
+)
+
+var _ = fmt.Print
+
+var global_cwd, global_home string
+
+func cwd_path() string {
+	if global_cwd == "" {
+		ans, _ := os.Getwd()
+		return ans
+	}
+	return global_cwd
+}
+
+func home_path() string {
+	if global_home == "" {
+		return utils.Expanduser("~")
+	}
+	return global_home
+}
+
+func abspath(path string, use_home ...bool) string {
+	var base string
+	if len(use_home) > 0 && use_home[0] {
+		base = home_path()
+	} else {
+		base = cwd_path()
+	}
+	return filepath.Join(base, path)
+}
+
+func expand_home(path string) string {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "~"+string(os.PathSeparator)) {
+		path = strings.TrimLeft(path[2:], string(os.PathSeparator))
+		path = filepath.Join(home_path(), path)
+	} else if path == "~" {
+		path = home_path()
+	}
+	return path
+}
+
+func random_id() string {
+	bytes := []byte{0, 0}
+	rand.Read(bytes)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x%s", os.Getpid(), hex.EncodeToString(bytes))
+}
+
+func run_with_paths(cwd, home string, f func()) {
+	global_cwd, global_home = cwd, home
+	defer func() { global_cwd, global_home = "", "" }()
+	f()
+}