diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index ee636ace0..43ef13dd6 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -1312,21 +1312,19 @@ int ncplane_putc_yx(ncplane* n, int y, int x, const cell* c){
 
 static inline int
 cell_load_direct(ncplane* n, cell* c, const char* gcluster, int bytes, int cols){
-  if(bytes >= 0 && cols >= 0 && bytes <= 1){
+  if(bytes < 0 || cols < 0){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(bytes <= 1){
     cell_release(n, c);
     c->channels &= ~CELL_WIDEASIAN_MASK;
     c->gcluster = *gcluster;
-    return !!c->gcluster;
-  }
-  if(bytes < 0){
-    return -1;
+    return bytes;
   }
   if(cols > 1){
     c->channels |= CELL_WIDEASIAN_MASK;
-  }else if(cols >= 0){
-    c->channels &= ~CELL_WIDEASIAN_MASK;
   }else{
-    return -1;
+    c->channels &= ~CELL_WIDEASIAN_MASK;
   }
   if(!cell_simple_p(c)){
     if(strcmp(gcluster, cell_extended_gcluster(n, c)) == 0){