diff --git a/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig b/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
index 79c997144..c3f05d6d4 100644
--- a/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
+++ b/src/input/KeyEncoder.zig
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ fn kitty(
             }
         }
 
-        if (self.kitty_flags.report_associated) associated: {
+        if (self.kitty_flags.report_associated and seq.event != .release) associated: {
             if (comptime builtin.target.isDarwin()) {
                 // macOS has special logic because alt+key can produce unicode
                 // characters. If we are treating option as alt, then we do NOT
@@ -1364,6 +1364,29 @@ test "kitty: report associated" {
     try testing.expectEqualStrings("\x1b[106:74;2;74u", actual);
 }
 
+test "kitty: report associated on release" {
+    var buf: [128]u8 = undefined;
+    var enc: KeyEncoder = .{
+        .event = .{
+            .action = .release,
+            .key = .j,
+            .mods = .{ .shift = true },
+            .utf8 = "J",
+            .unshifted_codepoint = 106,
+        },
+        .kitty_flags = .{
+            .disambiguate = true,
+            .report_all = true,
+            .report_alternates = true,
+            .report_associated = true,
+            .report_events = true,
+        },
+    };
+
+    const actual = try enc.kitty(&buf);
+    try testing.expectEqualStrings("[106:74;2:3u", actual[1..]);
+}
+
 test "kitty: alternates omit control characters" {
     var buf: [128]u8 = undefined;
     var enc: KeyEncoder = .{