diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index 9d1fe1d3d..a3f016973 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -1054,47 +1054,26 @@ kitty_blit_core(ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data, int leny, int lenx,
                 const blitterargs* bargs, ncpixelimpl_e level){
 //fprintf(stderr, "IMAGE: start %p end %p\n", data, (const char*)data + leny * linesize);
   int cols = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimx;
-  int rows = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimy;
   sprixel* s = bargs->u.pixel.spx;
   if(init_sprixel_animation(s)){
     return -1;
   }
-  tament* tam = NULL;
-  bool reuse = false;
-  // if we have a sprixel attached to this plane, see if we can reuse it
-  // (we need the same dimensions) and thus immediately apply its T-A table.
-  if(n->tam){
-    if(n->leny == rows && n->lenx == cols){
-      tam = n->tam;
-      reuse = true;
-    }
-  }
   int parse_start = 0;
-  if(!reuse){
-    tam = malloc(sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-    if(tam == NULL){
-      goto error;
-    }
-    memset(tam, 0, sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-  }
   fbuf* f = &s->glyph;
   if(write_kitty_data(f, linesize, leny, lenx, cols, data,
-                      bargs, tam, &parse_start, level)){
+                      bargs, n->tam, &parse_start, level)){
     goto error;
   }
   if(level == NCPIXEL_KITTY_STATIC){
     s->animating = false;
   }
   // take ownership of |buf| and |tam| on success.
-  if(plane_blit_sixel(s, &s->glyph, leny, lenx, parse_start, tam, SPRIXEL_UNSEEN) < 0){
+  if(plane_blit_sixel(s, &s->glyph, leny, lenx, parse_start, n->tam, SPRIXEL_UNSEEN) < 0){
     goto error;
   }
   return 1;
 
 error:
-  if(!reuse){
-    free(tam);
-  }
   fbuf_free(&s->glyph);
   return -1;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/linux.c b/src/lib/linux.c
index 17fecf4e1..76cc8278d 100644
--- a/src/lib/linux.c
+++ b/src/lib/linux.c
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ int fbcon_wipe(sprixel* s, int ycell, int xcell){
 int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
                int leny, int lenx, const struct blitterargs* bargs){
   uint32_t transcolor = bargs->transcolor;
-  int cols = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimx;
-  int rows = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimy;
   sprixel* s = bargs->u.pixel.spx;
   int cdimx = s->cellpxx;
   int cdimy = s->cellpxy;
@@ -42,21 +40,6 @@ int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
   if(fbuf_reserve(&s->glyph, flen)){
     return -1;
   }
-  tament* tam = NULL;
-  bool reuse = false;
-  if(n->tam){
-    if(n->leny == rows && n->lenx == cols){
-      tam = n->tam;
-      reuse = true;
-    }
-  }
-  if(!reuse){
-    tam = malloc(sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-    if(tam == NULL){
-      goto error;
-    }
-    memset(tam, 0, sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-  }
   for(int l = 0 ; l < leny ; ++l){
     int ycell = l / cdimy;
     size_t soffset = l * linesize;
@@ -66,32 +49,32 @@ int fbcon_blit(struct ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
     for(int c = 0 ; c < lenx ; ++c){
       int xcell = c / cdimx;
       int tyx = xcell + ycell * bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimx;
-      if(tam[tyx].state >= SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED){
+      if(n->tam[tyx].state >= SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED){
         if(rgba_trans_p(*(uint32_t*)src, transcolor)){
           ncpixel_set_a((uint32_t*)src, 0); // in case it was transcolor
           if(c % cdimx == 0 && l % cdimy == 0){
-            tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED_TRANS;
+            n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED_TRANS;
           }
         }else{
-          tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED;
+          n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED;
         }
         dst[3] = 0;
         const int vyx = (l % cdimy) * cdimx + (c % cdimx);
-        tam[tyx].auxvector[vyx] = src[3];
+        n->tam[tyx].auxvector[vyx] = src[3];
       }else{
         if(rgba_trans_p(*(uint32_t*)src, transcolor)){
           ncpixel_set_a((uint32_t*)src, 0); // in case it was transcolor
           if(c % cdimx == 0 && l % cdimy == 0){
-            tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT;
-          }else if(tam[tyx].state == SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL){
-            tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_MIXED_SIXEL;
+            n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT;
+          }else if(n->tam[tyx].state == SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL){
+            n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_MIXED_SIXEL;
           }
           dst[3] = 0;
         }else{
           if(c % cdimx == 0 && l % cdimy == 0){
-            tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL;
-          }else if(tam[tyx].state == SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT){
-            tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_MIXED_SIXEL;
+            n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_OPAQUE_SIXEL;
+          }else if(n->tam[tyx].state == SPRIXCELL_TRANSPARENT){
+            n->tam[tyx].state = SPRIXCELL_MIXED_SIXEL;
           }
           memcpy(dst + 3, src + 3, 1);
         }
@@ -103,16 +86,13 @@ 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, leny, lenx, 0, tam, SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED) < 0){
+  scrub_tam_boundaries(n->tam, leny, lenx, cdimy, cdimx);
+  if(plane_blit_sixel(s, &s->glyph, leny, lenx, 0, n->tam, SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED) < 0){
     goto error;
   }
   return 1;
 
 error:
-  if(!reuse){
-    free(tam);
-  }
   fbuf_free(&s->glyph);
   s->glyph.size = 0;
   return -1;
diff --git a/src/lib/sixel.c b/src/lib/sixel.c
index f7ccc3b4d..5261bdfdd 100644
--- a/src/lib/sixel.c
+++ b/src/lib/sixel.c
@@ -911,38 +911,16 @@ int sixel_blit(ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data, int leny, int lenx,
   memset(stable.deets, 0, sizeof(*stable.deets) * colorregs);
   int cols = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimx;
   int rows = bargs->u.pixel.spx->dimy;
-  tament* tam = NULL;
-  bool reuse = false;
-  // if we have a sprixel attached to this plane, see if we can reuse it
-  // (we need the same dimensions) and thus immediately apply its T-A table.
-  if(n->tam){
-    if(n->leny == rows && n->lenx == cols){
-      tam = n->tam;
-      reuse = true;
-    }
+  typeof(bargs->u.pixel.spx->needs_refresh) rmatrix;
+  rmatrix = malloc(sizeof(*rmatrix) * rows * cols);
+  if(rmatrix == NULL){
+    sixelmap_free(stable.map);
+    free(stable.deets);
+    return -1;
   }
-  if(!reuse){
-    tam = malloc(sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-    if(tam == NULL){
-      sixelmap_free(stable.map);
-      free(stable.deets);
-      return -1;
-    }
-    memset(tam, 0, sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
-  }else{
-    typeof(bargs->u.pixel.spx->needs_refresh) rmatrix;
-    rmatrix = malloc(sizeof(*rmatrix) * rows * cols);
-    if(rmatrix == NULL){
-      sixelmap_free(stable.map);
-      free(stable.deets);
-      return -1;
-    }
-    bargs->u.pixel.spx->needs_refresh = rmatrix;
-  }
-  if(extract_color_table(data, linesize, cols, leny, lenx, &stable, tam, bargs)){
-    if(!reuse){
-      free(tam);
-    }
+  bargs->u.pixel.spx->needs_refresh = rmatrix;
+  assert(n->tam);
+  if(extract_color_table(data, linesize, cols, leny, lenx, &stable, n->tam, bargs)){
     free(bargs->u.pixel.spx->needs_refresh);
     sixelmap_free(stable.map);
     free(stable.deets);
@@ -950,7 +928,7 @@ 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->u.pixel.spx, tam);
+  int r = sixel_blit_inner(leny, lenx, &stable, bargs->u.pixel.spx, n->tam);
   if(r < 0){
     sixelmap_free(stable.map);
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/visual.c b/src/lib/visual.c
index f5ef6a506..b8bff6d37 100644
--- a/src/lib/visual.c
+++ b/src/lib/visual.c
@@ -930,6 +930,15 @@ make_sprixel_plane(notcurses* nc, ncplane* parent, ncvisual* ncv,
   return n;
 }
 
+static tament*
+create_tam(int rows, int cols){
+  tament* tam = malloc(sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
+  if(tam){
+    memset(tam, 0, sizeof(*tam) * rows * cols);
+  }
+  return tam;
+}
+
 // when a sprixel is blitted to a plane, that plane becomes a sprixel plane. it
 // must not be used with other output mechanisms unless erased. the plane will
 // be shrunk to fit the output, and the output is always placed at the origin.
@@ -1010,15 +1019,28 @@ ncplane* ncvisual_render_pixels(notcurses* nc, ncvisual* ncv, const struct blits
   bargs.lenx = lenx;
   bargs.flags = flags;
   bargs.u.pixel.colorregs = nc->tcache.color_registers;
+  int cols = disppixx / nc->tcache.cellpixx + !!(disppixx % nc->tcache.cellpixx);
+  int rows = outy / nc->tcache.cellpixy + !!(outy % nc->tcache.cellpixy);
   if(n->sprite == 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;
     }
+    if((n->tam = create_tam(rows, cols)) == NULL){
+      ncplane_destroy(createdn);
+      return NULL;;
+    }
   }else{
     n->sprite = sprixel_recycle(n);
+    if(n->sprite->dimy != rows || n->sprite->dimx != cols){
+      free(n->tam);
+      if((n->tam = create_tam(rows, cols)) == NULL){
+        ncplane_destroy(createdn);
+        return NULL;;
+      }
+    }
+    n->sprite->dimx = cols;
+    n->sprite->dimy = rows;
   }
   bargs.u.pixel.spx = n->sprite;
   // FIXME need to pull off the ncpile's sprixellist if anything below fails!