diff --git a/src/lib/direct.c b/src/lib/direct.c
index aec622a26..b27f575cc 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.c
+++ b/src/lib/direct.c
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ ncdirect_dump_plane(ncdirect* n, const ncplane* np, int xoff){
     if(ncdirect_flush(n)){
       return -1;
     }
-    if(blocking_write(fileno(n->ttyfp), np->sprite->glyph, np->sprite->glyphlen) < 0){
+    if(sprite_draw(&n->tcache, NULL, np->sprite, n->ttyfp, 0, xoff)){
       return -1;
     }
     if(sprite_commit(&n->tcache, n->ttyfp, np->sprite, true)){
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index e2b65ad4f..5cc141dfa 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -682,28 +682,28 @@ sprite_scrub(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s){
 // precondition: s->invalidated is SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED or SPRIXEL_MOVED.
 // returns -1 on error, or the number of bytes written.
 static inline int
-sprite_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
+sprite_draw(const tinfo* ti, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
             int y, int x){
 //sprixel_debug(s, stderr);
   logdebug("Sprixel %u state %d\n", s->id, s->invalidated);
-  return n->tcache.pixel_draw(p, s, out, y, x);
+  return ti->pixel_draw(ti, p, s, out, y, x);
 }
 
 // precondition: s->invalidated is SPRIXEL_MOVED or SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED
 // returns -1 on error, or the number of bytes written.
 static inline int
-sprite_redraw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
+sprite_redraw(const tinfo* ti, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
               int y, int x){
 //sprixel_debug(s, stderr);
   logdebug("Sprixel %u state %d\n", s->id, s->invalidated);
-  if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_MOVED && n->tcache.pixel_move){
+  if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_MOVED && ti->pixel_move){
     // if we are kitty prior to 0.20.0, C=1 isn't available to us, and we must
     // not emit it. we use sixel_maxy_pristine as a side channel to encode
     // this version information.
-    bool noscroll = !n->tcache.sixel_maxy_pristine;
-    return n->tcache.pixel_move(s, out, noscroll);
+    bool noscroll = !ti->sixel_maxy_pristine;
+    return ti->pixel_move(s, out, noscroll);
   }else{
-    return n->tcache.pixel_draw(p, s, out, y, x);
+    return ti->pixel_draw(ti, p, s, out, y, x);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/iterm.c b/src/lib/iterm.c
index e697ac22f..4fdab71e3 100644
--- a/src/lib/iterm.c
+++ b/src/lib/iterm.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@ int iterm_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec){
 }
 
 // spit out the control sequence and data.
-int iterm_draw(const ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
-  if(goto_location(p->nc, out, y, x)){
-    return -1;
+int iterm_draw(const tinfo* ti, const ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+  (void)ti;
+  if(p){
+    if(goto_location(p->nc, out, y, x)){
+      return -1;
+    }
   }
   if(fwrite(s->glyph, s->glyphlen, 1, out) != 1){
     return -1;
diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index bbfed87e4..eb926dfe6 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -952,7 +952,9 @@ int kitty_scrub(const ncpile* p, sprixel* s){
 }
 
 // returns the number of bytes written
-int kitty_draw(const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+int kitty_draw(const tinfo* ti, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
+               int y, int x){
+  (void)ti;
   (void)p;
   (void)y;
   (void)x;
diff --git a/src/lib/linux.c b/src/lib/linux.c
index 44c6b4233..69447054e 100644
--- a/src/lib/linux.c
+++ b/src/lib/linux.c
@@ -124,16 +124,16 @@ int fbcon_scrub(const struct ncpile* p, sprixel* s){
   return 0;
 }
 
-int fbcon_draw(const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+int fbcon_draw(const tinfo* ti, const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+  (void)p;
   (void)out; // we don't write to the stream
-  const tinfo* ti = &p->nc->tcache;
   int wrote = 0;
-  for(int l = 0 ; l < s->pixy ; ++l){
+  for(unsigned l = 0 ; l < (unsigned)s->pixy && l < ti->pixy ; ++l){
     // FIXME pixel size isn't necessarily 4B, line isn't necessarily psize*pixx
     size_t offset = ((l + y * ti->cellpixy) * ti->pixx + x * ti->cellpixx) * 4;
     uint8_t* tl = ti->linux_fbuffer + offset;
     const char* src = s->glyph + (l * s->pixx * 4);
-    for(int c = 0 ; c < s->pixx ; ++c){
+    for(unsigned c = 0 ; c < (unsigned)s->pixx && c < ti->pixx ; ++c){
       uint32_t pixel;
       memcpy(&pixel, src, 4);
       if(!rgba_trans_p(pixel, 0)){
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index 16d39f6ad..af66b3034 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ clean_sprixels(notcurses* nc, ncpile* p, FILE* out){
       if(goto_location(nc, out, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l)){
         return -1;
       }
-      int r = sprite_redraw(nc, p, s, out, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l);
+      int r = sprite_redraw(&nc->tcache, p, s, out, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l);
       if(r < 0){
         return -1;
       }
@@ -923,7 +923,7 @@ rasterize_sprixels(notcurses* nc, ncpile* p, FILE* out){
 //fprintf(stderr, "3 DRAWING BITMAP %d STATE %d AT %d/%d for %p\n", s->id, s->invalidated, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l, s->n);
       int y,x;
       ncplane_yx(s->n, &y, &x);
-      int r = sprite_draw(nc, p, s, out, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l);
+      int r = sprite_draw(&nc->tcache, p, s, out, y + nc->margin_t, x + nc->margin_l);
       if(r < 0){
         return -1;
       }
diff --git a/src/lib/sixel.c b/src/lib/sixel.c
index c4da92c09..e04e5e884 100644
--- a/src/lib/sixel.c
+++ b/src/lib/sixel.c
@@ -828,7 +828,9 @@ int sixel_scrub(const ncpile* p, sprixel* s){
 }
 
 // returns the number of bytes written
-int sixel_draw(const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+int sixel_draw(const tinfo* ti, const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out,
+               int y, int x){
+  (void)ti;
   // 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){
@@ -837,15 +839,17 @@ int sixel_draw(const ncpile* p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x){
     }
     s->wipes_outstanding = false;
   }
-  if(goto_location(p->nc, out, y, x)){
-    return -1;
-  }
-  if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_MOVED){
-    for(int yy = s->movedfromy ; yy < s->movedfromy + s->dimy && yy < p->dimy ; ++yy){
-      for(int xx = s->movedfromx ; xx < s->movedfromx + s->dimx && xx < p->dimx ; ++xx){
-        struct crender *r = &p->crender[yy * p->dimx + xx];
-        if(!r->sprixel || sprixel_state(r->sprixel, yy, xx) != SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL){
-          r->s.damaged = 1;
+  if(p){
+    if(goto_location(p->nc, out, y, x)){
+      return -1;
+    }
+    if(s->invalidated == SPRIXEL_MOVED){
+      for(int yy = s->movedfromy ; yy < s->movedfromy + s->dimy && yy < p->dimy ; ++yy){
+        for(int xx = s->movedfromx ; xx < s->movedfromx + s->dimx && xx < p->dimx ; ++xx){
+          struct crender *r = &p->crender[yy * p->dimx + xx];
+          if(!r->sprixel || sprixel_state(r->sprixel, yy, xx) != SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL){
+            r->s.damaged = 1;
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.h b/src/lib/sprite.h
index d88207000..04050d95e 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.h
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.h
@@ -172,9 +172,12 @@ int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
 int iterm_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
 int fbcon_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
 int kitty_rebuild_animation(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec);
-int sixel_draw(const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x);
-int kitty_draw(const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x);
-int iterm_draw(const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x);
+int sixel_draw(const tinfo* ti, const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s,
+               FILE* out, int y, int x);
+int kitty_draw(const tinfo* ti, const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s,
+               FILE* out, int y, int x);
+int iterm_draw(const tinfo* ti, const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s,
+               FILE* out, int y, int x);
 int kitty_move(sprixel* s, FILE* out, unsigned noscroll);
 int sixel_scrub(const struct ncpile* p, sprixel* s);
 int kitty_scrub(const struct ncpile* p, sprixel* s);
@@ -198,7 +201,8 @@ int kitty_blit_animated(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
                         int leny, int lenx, const struct blitterargs* bargs);
 int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* nc, int linesize, const void* data,
                int leny, int lenx, const struct blitterargs* bargs);
-int fbcon_draw(const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x);
+int fbcon_draw(const tinfo* ti, const struct ncpile *p, sprixel* s,
+               FILE* out, int y, int x);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/termdesc.h b/src/lib/termdesc.h
index da4f729d4..213d92777 100644
--- a/src/lib/termdesc.h
+++ b/src/lib/termdesc.h
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ typedef struct tinfo {
   int (*pixel_rebuild)(struct 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)(const struct tinfo*, int fd); // called when support is detected
-  int (*pixel_draw)(const struct ncpile* p, struct sprixel* s, FILE* out,
-                    int y, int x);
+  int (*pixel_draw)(const struct tinfo*, const struct ncpile* p,
+                    struct sprixel* s, FILE* out, int y, int x);
   // execute move (erase old graphic, place at new location) if non-NULL
   int (*pixel_move)(struct sprixel* s, FILE* out, unsigned noscroll);
   int (*pixel_scrub)(const struct ncpile* p, struct sprixel* s);