diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index f352fd731..265223b0c 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -917,8 +917,6 @@ int sprite_kitty_cell_wipe(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int y, int x);
 int sixel_wipe(const notcurses* nc, sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell);
 int sprite_destroy(const struct notcurses* nc, const struct ncpile* p, FILE* out, sprixel* s);
 void sprixel_free(sprixel* s);
-void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
-void sprixel_movefrom(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
 void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s);
 int sprite_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out);
 int kitty_draw(const notcurses* n, const ncpile *p, sprixel* s, FILE* out);
@@ -937,6 +935,22 @@ int sprite_init(const notcurses* nc);
 int kitty_shutdown(int fd);
 int sixel_shutdown(int fd);
 sprixel* sprixel_by_id(const notcurses* nc, uint32_t id);
+// these three all use absolute coordinates
+void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
+void sprixel_movefrom(sprixel* s, int y, int x);
+
+// is the sprixel backend kitty?
+static inline bool sprixel_kitty_p(const tinfo* t){
+  return t->pixel_shutdown == kitty_shutdown;
+}
+
+// get the TAM entry for these (absolute) coordinates
+static inline sprixcell_e sprixel_state(sprixel* s, int y, int x){
+  int localy = y - s->n->absy;
+  int localx = x - s->n->absx;
+  return s->n->tacache[localy * s->dimx + localx];
+}
+
 
 static inline void
 pool_release(egcpool* pool, nccell* c){
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index f6582da49..01b011043 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ clean_sprixels(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out){
       ncplane_yx(s->n, &y, &x);
       y += s->y;
       x += s->x;
-//fprintf(stderr, "DRAWING BITMAP %d AT %d/%d for %p\n", s->id, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx, s->n);
+//fprintf(stderr, "DRAWING BITMAP %d STATE %d AT %d/%d for %p\n", s->id, s->invalidated, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx, s->n);
       if(goto_location(nc, out, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx) == 0){
         if(sprite_draw(nc, p, s, out)){
           return -1;
@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ rasterize_sprixels(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out){
       ncplane_yx(s->n, &y, &x);
       y += s->y;
       x += s->x;
-//fprintf(stderr, "DRAWING BITMAP %d AT %d/%d for %p\n", s->id, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx, s->n);
+//fprintf(stderr, "DRAWING BITMAP %d STATE %d AT %d/%d for %p\n", s->id, s->invalidated, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx, s->n);
       if(goto_location(nc, out, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx) == 0){
         if(sprite_draw(nc, p, s, out)){
           return -1;
@@ -1009,7 +1009,15 @@ rasterize_core(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out, unsigned phase){
           nc->rstate.bgpalelidable = false;
         }
 //fprintf(stderr, "RAST %08x [%s] to %d/%d cols: %u %016lx\n", srccell->gcluster, pool_extended_gcluster(&nc->pool, srccell), y, x, srccell->width, srccell->channels);
-        if(rvec[damageidx].sprixel){
+        // this is used to invalidate the sprixel in the first text round,
+        // which is only necessary for sixel, not kitty.
+        if(rvec[damageidx].sprixel
+            && sprixel_state(rvec[damageidx].sprixel, y, x) != SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT
+            && sprixel_state(rvec[damageidx].sprixel, y, x) != SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED
+            && !rvec[damageidx].s.p_beats_sprixel
+            && !sprixel_kitty_p(&nc->tcache)){
+//fprintf(stderr, "INVALIDATING at %d/%d (%u)\n", y, x, rvec[damageidx].s.p_beats_sprixel);
+
           sprixel_invalidate(rvec[damageidx].sprixel, y, x);
         }
         if(term_putc(out, &nc->pool, srccell)){
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.c b/src/lib/sprite.c
index e929dbf69..4558cb55b 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.c
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s){
   }
 }
 
-// y and x are absolute coordinates
+// y and x are absolute coordinates.
 void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s, int y, int x){
 //fprintf(stderr, "INVALIDATING AT %d/%d\n", y, x);
   if(s->invalidated != SPRIXEL_HIDE && s->n){
diff --git a/src/tests/pixel.cpp b/src/tests/bitmap.cpp
similarity index 96%
rename from src/tests/pixel.cpp
rename to src/tests/bitmap.cpp
index cce3ef076..05d1d8edb 100644
--- a/src/tests/pixel.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/bitmap.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "main.h"
 #include <vector>
 
-TEST_CASE("Pixel") {
+TEST_CASE("Bitmaps") {
   auto nc_ = testing_notcurses();
   REQUIRE(nullptr != nc_);
   ncplane* ncp_ = notcurses_stdplane(nc_);
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Pixel") {
     struct ncvisual_options vopts = {
       .n = nullptr,
       .scaling = NCSCALE_NONE,
-      .y = 0, .x = 0,
+      .y = 2, .x = 2,
       .begy = 0, .begx = 0,
       .leny = y, .lenx = x,
       .blitter = NCBLIT_PIXEL,
@@ -193,6 +193,11 @@ TEST_CASE("Pixel") {
       CHECK((i % 2) == tam[(i / dimx) + (i % dimx)]);
       ncpixel_set_a(&v[py * x + px], 0);
     }
+    for(int yy = vopts.y ; yy < vopts.y + dimy ; ++yy){
+      for(int xx = vopts.x ; xx < vopts.x + dimx ; ++xx){
+        CHECK(((yy * dimx + xx) % 2) == sprixel_state(s, yy, xx));
+      }
+    }
     ncplane_destroy(n);
   }