diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 841c36835..41235834a 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ typedef enum {
   SPRIXCELL_NORMAL,         // no transparent pixels in this cell
   SPRIXCELL_CONTAINS_TRANS, // this cell has transparent pixels
   SPRIXCELL_ANNIHILATED,    // this cell has been wiped
+  SPRIXCELL_UNHIDDEN,       // this cell needs be unwiped
 } sprixcell_e;
 
 // there is a context-wide set of displayed pixel glyphs ("sprixels"); i.e.
@@ -761,8 +762,9 @@ plane_debug(const ncplane* n, bool details){
 void sprixel_free(sprixel* s);
 void sprixel_invalidate(sprixel* s);
 void sprixel_hide(sprixel* s);
-// dimy and dimx are cell geometry, not pixel
+// takes ownership of g on success
 sprixel* sprixel_update(sprixel* s, char* g, int bytes);
+// dimy and dimx are cell geometry, not pixel. takes ownership of s on success.
 sprixel* sprixel_create(ncplane* n, char* s, int bytes, int placey, int placex,
                         int sprixelid, int dimy, int dimx, int pixy, int pixx,
                         int parse_start, sprixcell_e* tacache);
@@ -1180,7 +1182,11 @@ plane_blit_sixel(ncplane* n, char* s, int bytes, int placey, int placex,
   for(int y = placey ; y < placey + leny && y < ncplane_dim_y(n) ; ++y){
     for(int x = placex ; x < placex + lenx && x < ncplane_dim_x(n) ; ++x){
       nccell* c = ncplane_cell_ref_yx(n, y, x);
-      memcpy(&c->gcluster, &gcluster, sizeof(gcluster));
+      if(x == placex){
+        memcpy(&c->gcluster, &gcluster, sizeof(gcluster));
+      }else{
+        c->gcluster = 0;
+      }
       c->width = lenx;
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index 7868866ab..2cd658ff3 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ int kitty_blit(ncplane* nc, int linesize, const void* data,
     return -1;
   }
   int parse_start = 0;
+  // closes fp on success
   sprixcell_e* tacache = write_kitty_data(fp, rows, cols, linesize, leny, lenx, data,
                                           bargs->u.pixel.sprixelid, &parse_start);
   if(tacache == NULL){
diff --git a/src/lib/sixel.c b/src/lib/sixel.c
index 6e8ae2c07..b471dc7a9 100644
--- a/src/lib/sixel.c
+++ b/src/lib/sixel.c
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ write_sixel_data(FILE* fp, int lenx, sixeltable* stab, int* parse_start, sprixce
 // are programmed as a set of registers, which are then referenced by the
 // stacks. There is also a RLE component, handled in rasterization.
 // A pixel block is indicated by setting cell_pixels_p().
-int sixel_blit_inner(ncplane* nc, int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab,
+int sixel_blit_inner(ncplane* n, int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab,
                      const blitterargs* bargs){
   char* buf = NULL;
   size_t size = 0;
@@ -494,31 +494,55 @@ int sixel_blit_inner(ncplane* nc, int leny, int lenx, sixeltable* stab,
     return -1;
   }
   int parse_start = 0;
-  unsigned cols = lenx / bargs->u.pixel.celldimx + !!(lenx % bargs->u.pixel.celldimx);
-  unsigned rows = leny / bargs->u.pixel.celldimy + !!(leny % bargs->u.pixel.celldimy);
-  sprixcell_e* tacache = malloc(sizeof(*tacache) * rows * cols);
-  memset(tacache, 0, sizeof(*tacache) * rows * cols);
-  if(tacache == NULL){
-    free(buf);
-    return -1;
+  int cols = lenx / bargs->u.pixel.celldimx + !!(lenx % bargs->u.pixel.celldimx);
+  int rows = leny / bargs->u.pixel.celldimy + !!(leny % bargs->u.pixel.celldimy);
+  sprixcell_e* tacache = 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->sprite){
+    sprixel* s = n->sprite;
+    if(s->dimy == rows && s->dimx == cols){
+      tacache = s->tacache;
+      reuse = true;
+    }
   }
+  if(!reuse){
+    tacache = malloc(sizeof(*tacache) * rows * cols);
+    if(tacache == NULL){
+      fclose(fp);
+      free(buf);
+      return -1;
+    }
+    memset(tacache, 0, sizeof(*tacache) * rows * cols);
+  }
+  // calls fclose() on success
   if(write_sixel_data(fp, lenx, stab, &parse_start, tacache)){
-    free(tacache);
+    if(!reuse){
+      free(tacache);
+    }
+    fclose(fp);
     free(buf);
     return -1;
   }
-  // takes ownership of |buf| on success
-  if(plane_blit_sixel(nc, buf, size, bargs->placey, bargs->placex,
-                      rows, cols, bargs->u.pixel.sprixelid, leny, lenx,
-                      parse_start, tacache) < 0){
-    free(tacache);
-    free(buf);
-    return -1;
+  // both paths take ownership of buf on success
+  if(reuse){
+    sprixel_update(n->sprite, buf, size);
+  }else{
+    if(plane_blit_sixel(n, buf, size, bargs->placey, bargs->placex,
+                        rows, cols, bargs->u.pixel.sprixelid, leny, lenx,
+                        parse_start, tacache) < 0){
+      if(!reuse){
+        free(tacache);
+      }
+      free(buf);
+      return -1;
+    }
   }
   return 1;
 }
 
-int sixel_blit(ncplane* nc, int linesize, const void* data,
+int sixel_blit(ncplane* n, int linesize, const void* data,
                int leny, int lenx, const blitterargs* bargs){
   int sixelcount = (lenx - bargs->begx) * ((leny - bargs->begy + 5) / 6);
   int colorregs = bargs->u.pixel.colorregs;
@@ -552,7 +576,7 @@ int sixel_blit(ncplane* nc, int linesize, const void* data,
     return -1;
   }
   refine_color_table(data, linesize, bargs->begy, bargs->begx, leny, lenx, &stable);
-  int r = sixel_blit_inner(nc, leny, lenx, &stable, bargs);
+  int r = sixel_blit_inner(n, leny, lenx, &stable, bargs);
   free(stable.data);
   free(stable.deets);
   free(stable.table);
diff --git a/src/lib/sprite.c b/src/lib/sprite.c
index 03db8a832..091c832a5 100644
--- a/src/lib/sprite.c
+++ b/src/lib/sprite.c
@@ -30,14 +30,16 @@ sprixel* sprixel_by_id(notcurses* nc, uint32_t id){
 }
 
 // s ought already have been scrubbed according to the T-A matrix
-sprixel* sprixel_update(sprixel* s, const char* g, int bytes){
+sprixel* sprixel_update(sprixel* s, char* g, int bytes){
   free(s->glyph);
   s->glyph = g;
   s->glyphlen = bytes;
   s->invalidated = SPRIXEL_INVALIDATED;
+  return s;
 }
 
-// y and x are the cell geometry, not the pixel geometry
+// 'y' and 'x' are the cell geometry, not the pixel geometry. takes
+// ownership of 's' on success.
 sprixel* sprixel_create(ncplane* n, char* s, int bytes, int placey, int placex,
                         int sprixelid, int dimy, int dimx, int pixy, int pixx,
                         int parse_start, sprixcell_e* tacache){