diff --git a/bashrc/.bashrc b/bashrc/.bashrc
index 5a7500b..1220d2f 100644
--- a/bashrc/.bashrc
+++ b/bashrc/.bashrc
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ alias dirs='dirs -v'
 
 alias bashsource='source ~/.bashrc'
 
-## short forms for tmux commands
+# short forms for tmux commands
+
+## run script to setup default tmux session and then attach the session
+## attaching the session needs to be done from the calling shell, otherwise
+## the setup script will only terminate after detaching or killing the session
+alias dmux='default-tmux-session && tmux attach'
+
 alias tma='tmux attach'
 alias tmd='tmux detach -P'
 
diff --git a/misc/scripts/default-tmux-session b/misc/scripts/default-tmux-session
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3d50d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/misc/scripts/default-tmux-session
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+SESSION='quak'
+# dont forget the '-d' option, otherwise the rest of
+# the commands will get executed after the session is closed
+
+if $(tmux has-session -t ${SESSION}); then
+    echo "default session ${SESSION} already exists"
+
+    # return 1 to report error and abort the `dmux` alias
+    return 1
+else
+    tmux new-session -d -s "$SESSION" -n "temp"
+    tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "dotfiles" -c $HOME/dotfiles
+    tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "docs" -c $HOME/collection
+    tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "stuff" -c $HOME
+    tmux kill-window -t "temp"
+
+    # this causes the script to exit only, when the session is ended or detached
+    # it also causes the tmux detach command with hang up signal to fail
+    # therefore the following line is commented out and an alias setup in .bashrc
+    #tmux attach -t "$SESSION"
+fi
diff --git a/misc/scripts/dmux b/misc/scripts/dmux
deleted file mode 100755
index c8d678d..0000000
--- a/misc/scripts/dmux
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-SESSION='quak'
-# dont forget the '-d' option, otherwise the rest of
-# the commands will get executed after the session is closed
-tmux new-session -d -s "$SESSION" -n "temp"
-tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "dotfiles" -c $HOME/dotfiles
-tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "docs" -c $HOME/collection
-tmux new-window -t "$SESSION" -n "stuff" -c $HOME
-tmux kill-window -t "temp"
-tmux attach -t "$SESSION"