diff --git a/src/demo/fallin.c b/src/demo/fallin.c
index 5ceeceb09..c71ca3f35 100644
--- a/src/demo/fallin.c
+++ b/src/demo/fallin.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ int fallin_demo(struct notcurses* nc){
   //  * newy/newx: actual geometry of current brick
   //  * usey/usex: 
   ncplane_greyscale(stdn);
-  for(int y = 0 ; y < dimy ; ++y){
+  for(int y = 1 ; y < dimy ; ++y){
     int x = 0;
     while(x < dimx){
       if(usemap[y * dimx + x]){ // skip if we've already been copied
diff --git a/src/lib/direct.cpp b/src/lib/direct.cpp
index d06875bb2..d03f96a9f 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/direct.cpp
@@ -529,12 +529,17 @@ int ncdirect_render_image(ncdirect* n, const char* file, ncalign_e align,
   return ncdirect_raster_frame(n, faken, align);
 }
 
-// FIXME need to update channels
 int ncdirect_set_fg_palindex(ncdirect* nc, int pidx){
+  if(channels_set_fg_palindex(&nc->channels, pidx) < 0){
+    return -1;
+  }
   return term_emit("setaf", tiparm(nc->tcache.setaf, pidx), nc->ttyfp, false);
 }
 
 int ncdirect_set_bg_palindex(ncdirect* nc, int pidx){
+  if(channels_set_bg_palindex(&nc->channels, pidx) < 0){
+    return -1;
+  }
   return term_emit("setab", tiparm(nc->tcache.setab, pidx), nc->ttyfp, false);
 }