diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 5106a133b..ec786abb1 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ typedef struct sprixel {
   char* glyph;       // glyph; can be quite large
   int id;            // embedded into glusters field of nccell
   struct ncplane* n; // associated ncplane, provides location and size
-  int invalidated;
+  enum {
+    SPRIXEL_NOCHANGE,
+    SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED,
+    SPRIXEL_HIDE,
+  } invalidated;
   struct sprixel* next;
 } sprixel;
 
@@ -686,6 +690,7 @@ plane_debug(const ncplane* n, bool details){
 }
 
 void sprixel_free(sprixel* s);
+void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s);
 sprixel* sprixel_create(ncplane* n, const char* s, int bytes);
 
 static inline void
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 4e27e584b..dae07fffd 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -655,6 +655,9 @@ int ncplane_destroy(ncplane* ncp){
     logerror(ncplane_notcurses(ncp), "Won't destroy standard plane\n");
     return -1;
   }
+  if(ncp->sprite){
+    sprixel_hide(ncp->sprite);
+  }
 //notcurses_debug(ncplane_notcurses(ncp), stderr);
   int ret = 0;
   // dissolve our binding from behind (->bprev is either NULL, or its
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index 00d823f12..e8634386c 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ emit_bg_palindex(notcurses* nc, FILE* out, const nccell* srccell){
 static int
 rasterize_sprixels(notcurses* nc, FILE* out){
   for(sprixel* s = nc->sprixelcache ; s ; s = s->next){
-    if(s->invalidated){
+    if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED){
       int y, x;
       ncplane_yx(s->n, &y, &x);
       if(goto_location(nc, out, y, x)){
@@ -933,8 +933,10 @@ rasterize_sprixels(notcurses* nc, FILE* out){
       if(ncfputs(s->glyph, out) < 0){
         return -1;
       }
-      s->invalidated = false;
+      s->invalidated = SPRIXEL_NOCHANGE;
       nc->rstate.hardcursorpos = true;
+    }else if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_HIDE){
+      // FIXME delete it
     }
   }
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.c b/src/lib/sprite.c
index 0cd34a1bd..26c96174b 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.c
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.c
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ void sprixel_free(sprixel* s){
   }
 }
 
+void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s){
+  s->n->sprite = NULL;
+  s->invalidated = SPRIXEL_HIDE;
+}
+
 sprixel* sprixel_create(ncplane* n, const char* s, int bytes){
   sprixel* ret = malloc(sizeof(sprixel));
   if(ret){
@@ -14,7 +19,7 @@ sprixel* sprixel_create(ncplane* n, const char* s, int bytes){
       free(ret);
       return NULL;
     }
-    ret->invalidated = 1;
+    ret->invalidated = SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED;
     ret->n = n;
     if(ncplane_pile(n)){
       notcurses* nc = ncplane_notcurses(n);