diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index e13c38249..77fa3a6af 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ typedef enum {
 // reconstruction of annihilated cells, valid only for SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED.
 typedef struct tament {
   sprixcell_e state;
-  uint8_t auxvector; // palette entries for sixel, alphas for kitty
+  uint8_t* auxvector; // palette entries for sixel, alphas for kitty
 } tament;
 
 // a sprixel represents a bitmap, using whatever local protocol is available.
@@ -959,6 +959,9 @@ sprixel* sprixel_by_id(const ncpile* n, uint32_t id);
 void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
 void sprixel_movefrom(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
 
+// create an auxiliary vector suitable for a sprixcell, and zero it out
+uint8_t* sprixel_auxiliary_vector(const sprixel* s);
+
 int sixel_blit(ncplane* nc, int linesize, const void* data,
                int leny, int lenx, const blitterargs* bargs);
 
@@ -991,7 +994,7 @@ sprixel_debug(FILE* out, const sprixel* s){
 // precondition: s->invalidated is SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED or SPRIXEL_MOVED.
 static inline int
 sprite_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out){
-sprixel_debug(stderr, s);
+//sprixel_debug(stderr, s);
   return n->tcache.pixel_draw(n, p, s, out);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index 39b68c111..36d30a4d1 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ int kitty_wipe(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
 //fprintf(stderr, "CACHED WIPE %d %d/%d\n", s->id, ycell, xcell);
     return 0; // already annihilated, needn't draw glyph in kitty
   }
+  uint8_t* auxvec = sprixel_auxiliary_vector(s);
 //fprintf(stderr, "NEW WIPE %d %d/%d\n", s->id, ycell, xcell);
   const int totalpixels = s->pixy * s->pixx;
   const int xpixels = nc->tcache.cellpixx;
@@ -343,6 +344,7 @@ int kitty_wipe(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
         if(--targy == 0){
           // FIXME make sure state is MIXED if we had any transparency
           s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].state = state;
+          s->n->tam[s->dimx * ycell + xcell].auxvector = auxvec;
           return 0;
         }
         thisrow = targx;
@@ -361,6 +363,7 @@ int kitty_wipe(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
     }
     ++c;
   }
+  free(auxvec);
   return -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index e8a540978..55e022747 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -269,7 +269,14 @@ void free_plane(ncplane* p){
     if(p->sprite){
       sprixel_hide(p->sprite);
     }
-    free(p->tam);
+    if(p->tam){
+      for(int y = 0 ; y < p->leny ; ++y){
+        for(int x = 0 ; x < p->lenx ; ++x){
+          free(p->tam[y * p->lenx + x].auxvector);
+        }
+      }
+      free(p->tam);
+    }
     egcpool_dump(&p->pool);
     free(p->name);
     free(p->fb);
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index e43057f41..a3402d7d6 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ paint_sprixel(ncplane* p, struct crender* rvec, int starty, int startx,
           crender->sprixel = s;
         }
         if(sprixel_state(s, absy, absx) == SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED){
-fprintf(stderr, "REBUILDING AT %d/%d\n", y, x);
+//fprintf(stderr, "REBUILDING AT %d/%d\n", y, x);
           sprite_rebuild(nc, s, y, x);
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.c b/src/lib/sprite.c
index 9dc16879f..c608832d8 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.c
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.c
@@ -153,3 +153,10 @@ int sprite_init(const notcurses* nc){
   }
   return nc->tcache.pixel_init(nc->ttyfd);
 }
+
+uint8_t* sprixel_auxiliary_vector(const sprixel* s){
+  int pixels = s->cellpxy * s->cellpxx;
+  uint8_t* ret = malloc(sizeof(*ret) * pixels);
+  memset(ret, 0, sizeof(*ret) * pixels);
+  return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/visual.cpp b/src/tests/visual.cpp
index 3ffef7983..60844afd1 100644
--- a/src/tests/visual.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/visual.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ TEST_CASE("Visual") {
     };
     auto newn = ncvisual_render(nc_, ncv, &vopts);
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
-sleep(2);
     CHECK(0 == ncvisual_inflate(ncv, 3));
     CHECK(6 == ncv->rows);
     CHECK(6 == ncv->cols);
@@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ sleep(2);
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
     CHECK(0 == ncplane_destroy(newn));
     CHECK(0 == ncplane_destroy(enewn));
-sleep(2);
     ncvisual_destroy(ncv);
   }