diff --git a/src/Surface.zig b/src/Surface.zig
index 1442af869..fe751299c 100644
--- a/src/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/Surface.zig
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ const DerivedConfig = struct {
     clipboard_paste_protection: bool,
     clipboard_paste_bracketed_safe: bool,
     copy_on_select: configpkg.CopyOnSelect,
-    confirm_close_surface: bool,
+    confirm_close_surface: configpkg.ConfirmCloseSurface,
     cursor_click_to_move: bool,
     desktop_notifications: bool,
     font: font.SharedGridSet.DerivedConfig,
@@ -784,13 +784,19 @@ pub fn deactivateInspector(self: *Surface) void {
 /// True if the surface requires confirmation to quit. This should be called
 /// by apprt to determine if the surface should confirm before quitting.
 pub fn needsConfirmQuit(self: *Surface) bool {
-    // If the child has exited then our process is certainly not alive.
-    // We check this first to avoid the locking overhead below.
-    if (self.child_exited) return false;
-
-    // If we are configured to not hold open surfaces explicitly, just
-    // always say there is nothing alive.
-    if (!self.config.confirm_close_surface) return false;
+    // Contract:
+    // always -> confirm always (even if the child process has exited)
+    // true -> confirm only if we have child process running
+    // false -> no need to confirm, just exit
+    switch (self.config.confirm_close_surface) {
+        .false => return false,
+        .true => {
+            if (self.child_exited) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        },
+        .always => {}
+    }
 
     // We have to talk to the terminal.
     self.renderer_state.mutex.lock();
diff --git a/src/config.zig b/src/config.zig
index b7e818f8e..9918bdfc1 100644
--- a/src/config.zig
+++ b/src/config.zig
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ pub const RepeatableString = Config.RepeatableString;
 pub const RepeatablePath = Config.RepeatablePath;
 pub const ShellIntegrationFeatures = Config.ShellIntegrationFeatures;
 pub const WindowPaddingColor = Config.WindowPaddingColor;
+pub const ConfirmCloseSurface = Config.ConfirmCloseSurface;
 
 // Alternate APIs
 pub const CAPI = @import("config/CAPI.zig");
diff --git a/src/config/Config.zig b/src/config/Config.zig
index c6702bb74..02b4be3b3 100644
--- a/src/config/Config.zig
+++ b/src/config/Config.zig
@@ -1306,7 +1306,7 @@ keybind: Keybinds = .{},
 
 /// Confirms that a surface should be closed before closing it. This defaults to
 /// true. If set to false, surfaces will close without any confirmation.
-@"confirm-close-surface": bool = true,
+@"confirm-close-surface": ConfirmCloseSurface = ConfirmCloseSurface.true,
 
 /// Whether or not to quit after the last surface is closed.
 ///
@@ -5331,6 +5331,13 @@ pub const AutoUpdate = enum {
     download,
 };
 
+/// See confirm-close-surface
+pub const ConfirmCloseSurface = enum {
+    false,
+    true,
+    always,
+};
+
 /// See theme
 pub const Theme = struct {
     light: []const u8,