diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/MainWindow.cpp
--- a/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -500,22 +500,8 @@
     if (!profile) {
         profile = ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile();
     }
-
-    Session *session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(profile);
-
-    if (!directory.isEmpty() && profile->startInCurrentSessionDir()) {
-        session->setInitialWorkingDirectory(directory);
-    }
-
-    session->addEnvironmentEntry(QStringLiteral("KONSOLE_DBUS_WINDOW=/Windows/%1").arg(_viewManager->managerId()));
-
-    // create view before starting the session process so that the session
-    // doesn't suffer a change in terminal size right after the session
-    // starts.  Some applications such as GNU Screen and Midnight Commander
-    // don't like this happening
-    _viewManager->createView(session);
-
-    return session;
+    int sessionId = _viewManager->newSession(profile->name(), directory, false);
+    return SessionManager::instance()->idToSession(sessionId);
 }
 
 Session *MainWindow::createSSHSession(Profile::Ptr profile, const QUrl &url)
diff --git a/src/Part.cpp b/src/Part.cpp
--- a/src/Part.cpp
+++ b/src/Part.cpp
@@ -200,21 +200,14 @@
 
 void Part::createSession(const QString &profileName, const QString &directory)
 {
-    Profile::Ptr profile = ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile();
-    if (!profileName.isEmpty()) {
-        profile = ProfileManager::instance()->loadProfile(profileName);
-    }
+    auto profile = profileName.isEmpty() ?
+                ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile() :
+                ProfileManager::instance()->loadProfile(profileName);
 
     Q_ASSERT(profile);
 
-    Session *session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(profile);
-
-    // override the default directory specified in the profile
-    if (!directory.isEmpty() && profile->startInCurrentSessionDir()) {
-        session->setInitialWorkingDirectory(directory);
-    }
-
-    _viewManager->createView(session);
+    const auto initialDir = profile->startInCurrentSessionDir() ? directory : QString();
+    _viewManager->newSession(profile->name(), initialDir, false);
 }
 
 void Part::activeViewChanged(SessionController *controller)
diff --git a/src/ViewManager.h b/src/ViewManager.h
--- a/src/ViewManager.h
+++ b/src/ViewManager.h
@@ -251,18 +251,12 @@
     /** DBus slot that sets the current (active) session window */
     Q_SCRIPTABLE void setCurrentSession(int sessionId);
 
-    /** DBus slot that creates a new session in the current view.
-     * @param profile the name of the profile to be used
-     * started.
-     */
-    Q_SCRIPTABLE int newSession(const QString &profile);
-
     /** DBus slot that creates a new session in the current view.
      * @param profile the name of the profile to be used
      * @param directory the working directory where the session is
      * started.
      */
-    Q_SCRIPTABLE int newSession(const QString &profile, const QString &directory);
+    Q_SCRIPTABLE int newSession(const QString &profile = QString(), const QString &directory = QString(), bool runSession = true);
 
     // TODO: its semantic is application-wide. Move it to more appropriate place
     // DBus slot that returns the name of default profile
@@ -272,11 +266,6 @@
     // DBus slot that returns a string list of defined (known) profiles
     Q_SCRIPTABLE QStringList profileList();
 
-    /** DBus slot that creates a new session in the current view with the associated
-      * default profile and the default working directory
-      */
-    Q_SCRIPTABLE int newSession();
-
     /** DBus slot that changes the view port to the next session */
     Q_SCRIPTABLE void nextSession();
 
diff --git a/src/ViewManager.cpp b/src/ViewManager.cpp
--- a/src/ViewManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ViewManager.cpp
@@ -1066,60 +1066,29 @@
     }
 }
 
-int ViewManager::newSession()
+int ViewManager::newSession(const QString &profile, const QString &directory, bool runSession)
 {
-    Profile::Ptr profile = ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile();
-    Session *session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(profile);
-
-    session->addEnvironmentEntry(QStringLiteral("KONSOLE_DBUS_WINDOW=/Windows/%1").arg(managerId()));
-
-    createView(session);
-    session->run();
-
-    return session->sessionId();
-}
-
-int ViewManager::newSession(const QString &profile)
-{
-    const QList<Profile::Ptr> profilelist = ProfileManager::instance()->allProfiles();
     Profile::Ptr profileptr = ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile();
 
-    for (const auto &i : profilelist) {
-        if (i->name() == profile) {
-            profileptr = i;
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-
-    Session *session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(profileptr);
-
-    session->addEnvironmentEntry(QStringLiteral("KONSOLE_DBUS_WINDOW=/Windows/%1").arg(managerId()));
-
-    createView(session);
-    session->run();
-
-    return session->sessionId();
-}
-
-int ViewManager::newSession(const QString &profile, const QString &directory)
-{
-    const QList<Profile::Ptr> profilelist = ProfileManager::instance()->allProfiles();
-    Profile::Ptr profileptr = ProfileManager::instance()->defaultProfile();
-
-    for (const auto &i : profilelist) {
-        if (i->name() == profile) {
-            profileptr = i;
-            break;
+    if (!profile.isEmpty()) {
+        const QList<Profile::Ptr> profilelist = ProfileManager::instance()->allProfiles();
+        for (const auto &i : profilelist) {
+            if (i->name() == profile) {
+                profileptr = i;
+                break;
+            }
         }
     }
 
     Session *session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(profileptr);
-    session->setInitialWorkingDirectory(directory);
+    if (!directory.isEmpty())
+        session->setInitialWorkingDirectory(directory);
 
     session->addEnvironmentEntry(QStringLiteral("KONSOLE_DBUS_WINDOW=/Windows/%1").arg(managerId()));
 
     createView(session);
-    session->run();
+    if (runSession)
+        session->run();
 
     return session->sessionId();
 }