diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index d9b5a7475..a5ad4c77c 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ typedef struct tinfo {
   // this means dialing down their alpha to 0 (in equivalent space).
   int (*pixel_wipe)(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
   // perform the inverse of pixel_wipe, restoring an annihilated sprixcell.
-  int (*pixel_rebuild)(sprixel* s, int y, int x, const uint8_t* auxvec);
+  int (*pixel_rebuild)(sprixel* s, int y, int x, uint8_t* auxvec);
   int (*pixel_remove)(int id, FILE* out); // kitty only, issue actual delete command
   int (*pixel_init)(int fd);     // called when support is detected
   int (*pixel_draw)(const struct notcurses* n, const struct ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out);
@@ -939,8 +939,8 @@ int sixel_wipe(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell);
 // throughout to 0. the same trick doesn't work on sixel, but there we
 // can just print directly over the bitmap.
 int kitty_wipe(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell);
-int sixel_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, const uint8_t* auxvec);
-int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, const uint8_t* auxvec);
+int sixel_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
+int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
 
 void sprixel_free(sprixel* s);
 void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s);
@@ -991,17 +991,16 @@ sprite_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out){
 static inline int
 sprite_rebuild(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
   int ret = 0;
-  uint8_t* auxvec = s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].auxvector;
   // special case the transition back to SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT; this can be
   // done in O(1), since the actual glyph needn't change.
   if(s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].state == SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED_TRANS){
     s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].state = SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT;
   }else if(s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].state == SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED){
+    uint8_t* auxvec = s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].auxvector;
     // sets the new state itself
     ret = nc->tcache.pixel_rebuild(s, ycell, xcell, auxvec);
   }
   s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].auxvector = NULL;
-  free(auxvec);
   return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index decdd7542..43a380571 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ kitty_restore(char* triplet, int skip, int max, int pleft,
 #define RGBA_MAXLEN 768 // 768 base64-encoded pixels in 4096 bytes
 // restore an annihilated sprixcell by copying the alpha values from the
 // auxiliary vector back into the actual data. we then free the auxvector.
-int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, const uint8_t* auxvec){
+int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec){
   const int totalpixels = s->pixy * s->pixx;
   const int xpixels = s->cellpxx;
   const int ypixels = s->cellpxy;
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, const uint8_t* auxvec){
 //fprintf(stderr, "CLEARED ROW, TARGY: %d\n", targy - 1);
         if(--targy == 0){
           s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].state = state;
+          free(auxvec);
           return 0;
         }
         thisrow = targx;
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index 85e0d13c5..0dc8a1566 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ paint_sprixel(ncplane* p, struct crender* rvec, int starty, int startx,
         // if sprite_wipe_cell() fails, we presumably do not have the
         // ability to wipe, and must reprint the character
         if(sprite_wipe(nc, p->sprite, y, x)){
-    //fprintf(stderr, "damaging due to wipe [%s] %d/%d\n", nccell_extended_gcluster(crender->p, &crender->c), y, x);
+//fprintf(stderr, "damaging due to wipe [%s] %d/%d\n", nccell_extended_gcluster(crender->p, &crender->c), y, x);
           crender->s.damaged = 1;
         }
         crender->s.p_beats_sprixel = 1;
diff --git a/src/lib/sixel.c b/src/lib/sixel.c
index d8988a639..f9b06013d 100644
--- a/src/lib/sixel.c
+++ b/src/lib/sixel.c
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ deepclean_output(FILE* fp, const sprixel* s, int y, int *x, int rle,
     unsigned char mask = 0;
     for(int yi = y ; yi < y + 6 ; ++yi){
       const int tidx = (yi / s->cellpxy) * s->dimx + (xi / s->cellpxx);
+      // FIXME need to make auxvec here
       const bool nihil = (s->n->tam[tidx].state == SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED) ||
                          (s->n->tam[tidx].state == SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED_TRANS);
       if(!nihil){
@@ -713,8 +714,8 @@ err:
 
 int sixel_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out){
   (void)n;
-  // if we've wiped any cells, we need actually wipe them out now, or else
-  // we'll get flicker when we move to the new location
+  // if we've wiped or rebuilt any cells, effect those changes now, or else
+  // we'll get flicker when we move to the new location.
   if(s->wipes_outstanding){
     if(sixel_deepclean(s)){
       return -1;
@@ -747,8 +748,9 @@ int sixel_init(int fd){
   return tty_emit("\e[?80;8452h", fd);
 }
 
-int sixel_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, const uint8_t* auxvec){
-  (void)s;
+// only called for cells in SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED
+int sixel_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec){
+  s->wipes_outstanding = true;
   (void)ycell;
   (void)xcell;
   (void)auxvec;