diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index f4051f951..6bf444eac 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -918,6 +918,15 @@ err:
 int ncdirect_stop(ncdirect* nc){
   int ret = 0;
   if(nc){
+    if(nc->op && term_emit("op", nc->op, nc->ttyfp, true)){
+      ret = -1;
+    }
+    if(nc->sgr0 && term_emit("sgr0", nc->sgr0, nc->ttyfp, true)){
+      ret = -1;
+    }
+    if(nc->oc && term_emit("oc", nc->oc, nc->ttyfp, true)){
+      ret = -1;
+    }
     free(nc);
   }
   return ret;
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index 5dc4fe160..465142cf0 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -609,10 +609,16 @@ term_fg_rgb8(bool RGBflag, const char* setaf, int colors, FILE* out,
 }
 
 int ncdirect_bg_rgb8(ncdirect* nc, unsigned r, unsigned g, unsigned b){
+  if(r > 255 || g > 255 || b > 255){
+    return -1;
+  }
   return term_bg_rgb8(nc->RGBflag, nc->setab, nc->colors, nc->ttyfp, r, g, b);
 }
 
 int ncdirect_fg_rgb8(ncdirect* nc, unsigned r, unsigned g, unsigned b){
+  if(r > 255 || g > 255 || b > 255){
+    return -1;
+  }
   return term_fg_rgb8(nc->RGBflag, nc->setaf, nc->colors, nc->ttyfp, r, g, b);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/poc/dirgb.c b/src/poc/dirgb.c
index 650a7bd8c..985cfa4c5 100644
--- a/src/poc/dirgb.c
+++ b/src/poc/dirgb.c
@@ -5,6 +5,40 @@
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <notcurses.h>
 
+static int
+print_b(struct ncdirect* nc, int r, int g, int total){
+  int b = total - (r + g);
+  if(b > 255){
+    return 0;
+  }
+  int ret = ncdirect_fg_rgb8(nc, r, g, b);
+  if(ret){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  printf("X");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+print_gb(struct ncdirect* nc, int r, int total){
+  for(int g = 0xf ; g <= total - r && g < 256 ; g += 16){
+    if(print_b(nc, r, g, total)){
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+print_rgb(struct ncdirect* nc, int total){
+  for(int r = 0xf ; r <= total && r < 256 ; r += 16){
+    if(print_gb(nc, r, total)){
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
 // direct-mode generation of 4096 RGB foregrounds
 int main(void){
   if(!setlocale(LC_ALL, "")){
@@ -14,20 +48,10 @@ int main(void){
   if(!nc){
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
-  for(int r = 0 ; r < 256 ; r += 16){
-    for(int g = 0 ; g < 256 ; g += 16){
-      for(int b = 0 ; b < 256 ; b += 16){
-        int ret = ncdirect_fg_rgb8(nc, r, g, b);
-        if(ret){
-          ncdirect_stop(nc);
-          return EXIT_FAILURE;
-        }
-        printf("X");
-        if(fflush(stdout) == EOF){
-          fprintf(stderr, "Error flushing stdout (%s)\n", strerror(errno));
-          return EXIT_FAILURE;
-        }
-      }
+  for(int t = 0xf ; t < 768 ; t += 16){
+    if(print_rgb(nc, t)){
+      ncdirect_stop(nc);
+      return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
   }
   printf("\n");