diff --git a/src/lib/direct.c b/src/lib/direct.c
index b8bc342de..646200a46 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.c
+++ b/src/lib/direct.c
@@ -689,10 +689,8 @@ ncdirect_render_visual(ncdirect* n, ncvisual* ncv,
     bargs.transcolor = vopts->transcolor | 0x1000000ull;
   }
   if(bset->geom == NCBLIT_PIXEL){
-    bargs.u.pixel.celldimx = n->tcache.cellpixx;
-    bargs.u.pixel.celldimy = n->tcache.cellpixy;
     bargs.u.pixel.colorregs = n->tcache.color_registers;
-    if((bargs.u.pixel.spx = sprixel_alloc(ncdv, nopts.rows, nopts.cols)) == NULL){
+    if((bargs.u.pixel.spx = sprixel_alloc(&n->tcache, ncdv, nopts.rows, nopts.cols)) == NULL){
       free_plane(ncdv);
       return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 29ff39119..32a8ebc81 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -393,8 +393,6 @@ typedef struct blitterargs {
       int placex;
     } cell;            // for cells
     struct {
-      int celldimx;    // horizontal pixels per cell
-      int celldimy;    // vertical pixels per cell
       int colorregs;   // number of color registers
       sprixel* spx;    // sprixel object
     } pixel;           // for pixels
@@ -653,7 +651,7 @@ void sprixel_free(sprixel* s);
 void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s);
 
 // dimy and dimx are cell geometry, not pixel.
-sprixel* sprixel_alloc(ncplane* n, int dimy, int dimx);
+sprixel* sprixel_alloc(const tinfo* ti, ncplane* n, int dimy, int dimx);
 sprixel* sprixel_recycle(ncplane* n);
 // takes ownership of s on success.
 int sprixel_load(sprixel* spx, char* s, int bytes, int pixy, int pixx, int parse_start);
diff --git a/src/lib/iterm.c b/src/lib/iterm.c
index c636978ef..e697ac22f 100644
--- a/src/lib/iterm.c
+++ b/src/lib/iterm.c
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ int iterm_blit(ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
   if(write_iterm_graphic(s, data, leny, linesize, lenx)){
     goto error;
   }
+  scrub_tam_boundaries(tam, leny, lenx, s->cellpxy, s->cellpxx);
   if(plane_blit_sixel(s, s->glyph, s->glyphlen, leny, lenx, parse_start, tam) < 0){
     goto error;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index c594289a4..f7dcede52 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ int kitty_rebuild(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell, uint8_t* auxvec){
 // size in pixels. posy and posx are the origin of the cell to be copied,
 // again in pixels. data is the image source. around the edges, we might
 // get truncated regions.
-static inline uint8_t*
+static inline void*
 kitty_anim_auxvec(int dimy, int dimx, int posy, int posx,
                   int cellpxy, int cellpxx, const uint32_t* data,
                   int rowstride, uint8_t* existing, uint32_t transcolor){
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ sprixel* kitty_recycle(ncplane* n){
   int dimy = hides->dimy;
   int dimx = hides->dimx;
   sprixel_hide(hides);
-  return sprixel_alloc(n, dimy, dimx);
+  return sprixel_alloc(&ncplane_notcurses_const(n)->tcache, n, dimy, dimx);
 }
 
 int kitty_wipe(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
@@ -501,9 +501,10 @@ write_kitty_data(FILE* fp, int linesize, int leny, int lenx, int cols,
     return -1;
   }
   bool translucent = bargs->flags & NCVISUAL_OPTION_BLEND;
-  int sprixelid = bargs->u.pixel.spx->id;
-  int cdimy = bargs->u.pixel.celldimy;
-  int cdimx = bargs->u.pixel.celldimx;
+  sprixel* s = bargs->u.pixel.spx;
+  int sprixelid = s->id;
+  int cdimy = s->cellpxy;
+  int cdimx = s->cellpxx;
   uint32_t transcolor = bargs->transcolor;
   int total = leny * lenx; // total number of pixels (4 * total == bytecount)
   // number of 4KiB chunks we'll need
diff --git a/src/lib/linux.c b/src/lib/linux.c
index 373316dfa..d50d5abc2 100644
--- a/src/lib/linux.c
+++ b/src/lib/linux.c
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
                int leny, int lenx, const struct blitterargs* bargs){
   int cols = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimx;
   int rows = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimy;
-  int cdimx = bargs->u.pixel.celldimx;
-  int cdimy = bargs->u.pixel.celldimy;
   sprixel* s = bargs->u.pixel.spx;
+  int cdimx = s->cellpxx;
+  int cdimy = s->cellpxy;
   s->glyphlen = leny * lenx * 4;
   s->glyph = malloc(s->glyphlen);
   if(s->glyph == NULL){
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
       src += 4;
     }
   }
+  scrub_tam_boundaries(tam, leny, lenx, cdimy, cdimx);
   if(plane_blit_sixel(s, s->glyph, s->glyphlen, leny, lenx, 0, tam) < 0){
     goto error;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/sixel.c b/src/lib/sixel.c
index a88fab86f..1e7770357 100644
--- a/src/lib/sixel.c
+++ b/src/lib/sixel.c
@@ -359,8 +359,9 @@ extract_color_table(const uint32_t* data, int linesize, int cols,
                     tament* tam, const blitterargs* bargs){
   const int begx = bargs->begx;
   const int begy = bargs->begy;
-  const int cdimy = bargs->u.pixel.celldimy;
-  const int cdimx = bargs->u.pixel.celldimx;
+  sprixel* s = bargs->u.pixel.spx;
+  const int cdimy = s->cellpxy;
+  const int cdimx = s->cellpxx;
   unsigned char mask = 0xc0;
   int pos = 0; // pixel position
   for(int visy = begy ; visy < (begy + leny) ; visy += 6){ // pixel row
@@ -692,8 +693,7 @@ sixel_reblit(sprixel* s){
 // scaled geometry in pixels. We calculate output geometry herein, and supply
 // transparent filler input for any missing rows.
 static inline int
-sixel_blit_inner(int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab,
-                 const blitterargs* bargs, tament* tam){
+sixel_blit_inner(int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab, sprixel* s, tament* tam){
   char* buf = NULL;
   size_t size = 0;
   FILE* fp = open_memstream(&buf, &size);
@@ -712,16 +712,14 @@ sixel_blit_inner(int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab,
     free(buf);
     return -1;
   }
-  scrub_tam_boundaries(tam, outy, lenx, bargs->u.pixel.celldimy,
-                       bargs->u.pixel.celldimx);
+  scrub_tam_boundaries(tam, outy, lenx, s->cellpxy, s->cellpxx);
   // take ownership of buf on success
-  if(plane_blit_sixel(bargs->u.pixel.spx, buf, size,
-                      outy, lenx, parse_start, tam) < 0){
+  if(plane_blit_sixel(s, buf, size, outy, lenx, parse_start, tam) < 0){
     free(buf);
     return -1;
   }
   sixelmap_trim(stab->map);
-  bargs->u.pixel.spx->smap = stab->map;
+  s->smap = stab->map;
   return 1;
 }
 
@@ -781,7 +779,7 @@ int sixel_blit(ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data, int leny, int lenx,
   }
   refine_color_table(data, linesize, bargs->begy, bargs->begx, leny, lenx, &stable);
   // takes ownership of sixelmap on success
-  int r = sixel_blit_inner(leny, lenx, &stable, bargs, tam);
+  int r = sixel_blit_inner(leny, lenx, &stable, bargs->u.pixel.spx, tam);
   if(r < 0){
     sixelmap_free(stable.map);
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.c b/src/lib/sprite.c
index 9080bc93c..cca200307 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.c
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ sprixel* sprixel_recycle(ncplane* n){
     int dimy = hides->dimy;
     int dimx = hides->dimx;
     sprixel_hide(hides);
-    return sprixel_alloc(n, dimy, dimx);
+    return sprixel_alloc(&nc->tcache, n, dimy, dimx);
   }
   return n->sprite;
 }
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s, int y, int x){
   }
 }
 
-sprixel* sprixel_alloc(ncplane* n, int dimy, int dimx){
+sprixel* sprixel_alloc(const tinfo* ti, ncplane* n, int dimy, int dimx){
   sprixel* ret = malloc(sizeof(sprixel));
   if(ret){
     memset(ret, 0, sizeof(*ret));
@@ -128,20 +128,18 @@ sprixel* sprixel_alloc(ncplane* n, int dimy, int dimx){
       sprixelid_nonce = 1;
     }
 //fprintf(stderr, "LOOKING AT %p (p->n = %p)\n", ret, ret->n);
-    if(ncplane_pile(ret->n)){
+    ret->cellpxy = ti->cellpixy;
+    ret->cellpxx = ti->cellpixx;
+    if(ncplane_pile(ret->n)){ // rendered mode
       ncpile* np = ncplane_pile(ret->n);
       if( (ret->next = np->sprixelcache) ){
         ret->next->prev = ret;
       }
       np->sprixelcache = ret;
       ret->prev = NULL;
-      const notcurses* nc = ncplane_notcurses_const(ret->n);
-      ret->cellpxy = nc->tcache.cellpixy;
-      ret->cellpxx = nc->tcache.cellpixx;
 //fprintf(stderr, "%p %p %p\n", nc->sprixelcache, ret, nc->sprixelcache->next);
     }else{ // ncdirect case
       ret->next = ret->prev = NULL;
-      ret->cellpxy = ret->cellpxx = -1;
     }
   }
   return ret;
diff --git a/src/lib/visual.c b/src/lib/visual.c
index 76ee4cb85..a87412f1a 100644
--- a/src/lib/visual.c
+++ b/src/lib/visual.c
@@ -951,13 +951,11 @@ ncplane* ncvisual_render_pixels(notcurses* nc, ncvisual* ncv, const struct blits
   bargs.leny = leny;
   bargs.lenx = lenx;
   bargs.flags = flags;
-  bargs.u.pixel.celldimx = nc->tcache.cellpixx;
-  bargs.u.pixel.celldimy = nc->tcache.cellpixy;
   bargs.u.pixel.colorregs = nc->tcache.color_registers;
   if(n->sprite == NULL){
-    int cols = disppixx / bargs.u.pixel.celldimx + !!(disppixx % bargs.u.pixel.celldimx);
-    int rows = outy / bargs.u.pixel.celldimy + !!(outy % bargs.u.pixel.celldimy);
-    if((n->sprite = sprixel_alloc(n, rows, cols)) == NULL){
+    int cols = disppixx / nc->tcache.cellpixx + !!(disppixx % nc->tcache.cellpixx);
+    int rows = outy / nc->tcache.cellpixy + !!(outy % nc->tcache.cellpixy);
+    if((n->sprite = sprixel_alloc(&nc->tcache, n, rows, cols)) == NULL){
       ncplane_destroy(createdn);
       return NULL;
     }