Hey thanks for the commit, the splitting no longer occurs and windows are re-used. However there is a bit of erratic choice when windows are picked. As usual the setup is C-x 2 C-x 3 When execute python from the top left window , a shell is popped on my top right window, but the focus of my buffer switches to the next window for no reason. I guess this wasn't intended? Additionally, if the python buffer is present in any of the current windows,(see init_setup_python_shell_visible.png) instead of just re-using that window, executing python will replace an additional window. And, as before, the buffer focus changes to the next window. (see additional_window_is_replaced_instead_of_reusing_bottom_window.png). Seems to me that the current implementation just picks the window obtained by C-x o (other-window-or-frame) without checking to see whether the python shell is in any of the windows. After that, the current buffer focus is switched to the window obtained by C-u 2 C-x o (i.e., two windows ahead of the window python was executed from). Again, thanks for looking into this, and , if it's not too much to ask, can the default placement of the chosen window for the shell be like the widest window available?,i.e. the bottom window of my 3-window setup (this would mimic a console-like environment which I'm sure users will like) -Octi On Fri, Jul 24, 2015 at 2:48 AM, Andreas Roehler