diff --git a/terminator b/terminator
index 7cd86a2f..8710c9c4 100755
--- a/terminator
+++ b/terminator
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     except (KeyError,ValueError), ex:
         err('layout creation failed, creating a window ("%s")' % ex)
         TERMINATOR.new_window()
+    finally:
+        TERMINATOR.layout_done()
 
     if OPTIONS.debug > 2:
         import terminatorlib.debugserver as debugserver
diff --git a/terminatorlib/terminal.py b/terminatorlib/terminal.py
index 3e284c8e..d2f9889c 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/terminal.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/terminal.py
@@ -1030,6 +1030,10 @@ for %s (%s)' % (name, urlplugin.__class__.__name__))
         shell = None
         command = None
 
+        if self.terminator.doing_layout == True:
+            dbg('still laying out, refusing to spawn a child')
+            return
+
         self.vte.grab_focus()
 
         options = self.config.options_get()
@@ -1200,6 +1204,10 @@ for %s (%s)' % (name, urlplugin.__class__.__name__))
 
     def create_layout(self, layout):
         """Apply our layout"""
+        if layout.has_key('command') and layout['command'] != '':
+            options = self.config.options_get()
+            options.command = layout['command']
+            self.config.options_set(options)
         print "Terminal::create_layout: Unimplemented. %s" % layout
 
     # There now begins a great list of keyboard event handlers
diff --git a/terminatorlib/terminator.py b/terminatorlib/terminator.py
index 471b9880..506fa4a1 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/terminator.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/terminator.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ class Terminator(Borg):
 
     origcwd = None
 
+    doing_layout = None
+
     groupsend = None
     groupsend_type = {'all':0, 'group':1, 'off':2}
 
@@ -48,6 +50,8 @@ class Terminator(Borg):
         if not self.keybindings:
             self.keybindings = Keybindings()
             self.keybindings.configure(self.config['keybindings'])
+        if not self.doing_layout:
+            self.doing_layout = False
 
     def register_window(self, window):
         """Register a new window widget"""
@@ -108,6 +112,8 @@ class Terminator(Borg):
         layout = None
         objects = {}
 
+        self.doing_layout = True
+
         layout = self.config.layout_get_config(layoutname)
         if not layout:
             # User specified a non-existent layout. default to one Terminal
@@ -160,6 +166,14 @@ class Terminator(Borg):
             window, terminal = self.new_window()
             window.create_layout(layout[windef])
 
+    def layout_done(self):
+        """Layout operations have finished, record that fact"""
+        self.doing_layout = False
+
+        for terminal in self.terminals:
+            if not terminal.pid:
+                terminal.spawn_child()
+
     def reconfigure(self):
         """Update configuration for the whole application"""