diff --git a/src/lib/direct.cpp b/src/lib/direct.cpp
index 35f324f84..459a0f9a9 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/direct.cpp
@@ -400,7 +400,6 @@ ncdirect_dump_plane(ncdirect* n, const ncplane* np, int xoff){
   const bool bgdefault = ncdirect_bg_default_p(n);
   const uint32_t fgrgb = channels_fg_rgb(n->channels);
   const uint32_t bgrgb = channels_bg_rgb(n->channels);
-  bool pixelmode = false;
   for(int y = 0 ; y < dimy ; ++y){
     if(xoff){
       if(ncdirect_cursor_move_yx(n, -1, xoff)){
@@ -414,28 +413,15 @@ ncdirect_dump_plane(ncdirect* n, const ncplane* np, int xoff){
       if(egc == nullptr){
         return -1;
       }
-      if(!channels_pixel_p(channels)){
-        if(pixelmode){
-          if(term_emit(n->tcache.pixeloff, n->ttyfp, false)){
-            return -1;
-          }
-          pixelmode = false;
-        }
-        if(channels_fg_alpha(channels) == CELL_ALPHA_TRANSPARENT){
-          ncdirect_set_fg_default(n);
-        }else{
-          ncdirect_set_fg_rgb(n, channels_fg_rgb(channels));
-        }
-        if(channels_bg_alpha(channels) == CELL_ALPHA_TRANSPARENT){
-          ncdirect_set_bg_default(n);
-        }else{
-          ncdirect_set_bg_rgb(n, channels_bg_rgb(channels));
-        }
-      }else if(!pixelmode){
-        if(term_emit(n->tcache.pixelon, n->ttyfp, false)){
-          return -1;
-        }
-        pixelmode = true;
+      if(channels_fg_alpha(channels) == CELL_ALPHA_TRANSPARENT){
+        ncdirect_set_fg_default(n);
+      }else{
+        ncdirect_set_fg_rgb(n, channels_fg_rgb(channels));
+      }
+      if(channels_bg_alpha(channels) == CELL_ALPHA_TRANSPARENT){
+        ncdirect_set_bg_default(n);
+      }else{
+        ncdirect_set_bg_rgb(n, channels_bg_rgb(channels));
       }
 //fprintf(stderr, "%03d/%03d [%s] (%03dx%03d)\n", y, x, egc, dimy, dimx);
       if(fprintf(n->ttyfp, "%s", strlen(egc) == 0 ? " " : egc) < 0){
@@ -447,23 +433,16 @@ ncdirect_dump_plane(ncdirect* n, const ncplane* np, int xoff){
     // yes, we want to reset colors and emit an explicit new line following
     // each line of output; this is necessary if our output is lifted out and
     // used in something e.g. paste(1).
-    if(pixelmode){
-      if(term_emit(n->tcache.pixeloff, n->ttyfp, false)){
-        return -1;
-      }
-      pixelmode = false;
-    }else{
-      // FIXME replace with a SGR clear
-      ncdirect_set_fg_default(n);
-      ncdirect_set_bg_default(n);
-      if(putc('\n', n->ttyfp) == EOF){
+    // FIXME replace with a SGR clear
+    ncdirect_set_fg_default(n);
+    ncdirect_set_bg_default(n);
+    if(putc('\n', n->ttyfp) == EOF){
+      return -1;
+    }
+    if(y == toty){
+      if(ncdirect_cursor_down(n, 1)){
         return -1;
       }
-      if(y == toty){
-        if(ncdirect_cursor_down(n, 1)){
-          return -1;
-        }
-      }
     }
   }
   // restore the previous colors
diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index d7a06d79a..bfa79f01e 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -128,8 +128,6 @@ typedef struct rasterstate {
   bool bgpalelidable;
   bool fgdefelidable;
   bool bgdefelidable;
-  // are we in a pixel graphics mode?
-  bool pixelmode;
 } rasterstate;
 
 // Tablets are the toplevel entitites within an ncreel. Each corresponds to
diff --git a/src/lib/render.c b/src/lib/render.c
index 3f41fb843..1120151e8 100644
--- a/src/lib/render.c
+++ b/src/lib/render.c
@@ -580,58 +580,22 @@ ncfputc(char c, FILE* out){
 #endif
 }
 
-static int
-enter_pixel_mode(notcurses* nc, FILE* out){
-  if(!nc->rstate.pixelmode){
-    if(term_emit(nc->tcache.pixelon, out, false)){
-      return -1;
-    }
-  }
-  nc->rstate.pixelmode = true;
-  return 0;
-}
-
-static int
-leave_pixel_mode(notcurses* nc, FILE* out){
-  if(term_emit(nc->tcache.pixeloff, out, false)){
-    return -1;
-  }
-  nc->rstate.pixelmode = false;
-  return 0;
-}
-
 // write the nccell's UTF-8 extended grapheme cluster to the provided FILE*.
 static int
-term_putc(notcurses* nc, FILE* out, const egcpool* e, const nccell* c){
-  if(cell_pixels_p(c)){
-    if(!nc->rstate.pixelmode){
-      if(enter_pixel_mode(nc, out)){
+term_putc(FILE* out, const egcpool* e, const nccell* c){
+  if(cell_simple_p(c)){
+//fprintf(stderr, "[%.4s] %08x\n", (const char*)&c->gcluster, c->gcluster); }
+    // we must not have any 'cntrl' characters at this point
+    if(c->gcluster == 0){
+      if(ncfputc(' ', out) == EOF){
         return -1;
       }
-    }
-    if(ncfputs(egcpool_extended_gcluster(e, c), out) == EOF){
+    }else if(ncfputs((const char*)&c->gcluster, out) == EOF){
       return -1;
     }
   }else{
-    if(nc->rstate.pixelmode){
-      if(leave_pixel_mode(nc, out)){
-        return -1;
-      }
-    }
-    if(cell_simple_p(c)){
-  //fprintf(stderr, "[%.4s] %08x\n", (const char*)&c->gcluster, c->gcluster); }
-      // we must not have any 'cntrl' characters at this point
-      if(c->gcluster == 0){
-        if(ncfputc(' ', out) == EOF){
-          return -1;
-        }
-      }else if(ncfputs((const char*)&c->gcluster, out) == EOF){
-        return -1;
-      }
-    }else{
-      if(ncfputs(egcpool_extended_gcluster(e, c), out) == EOF){
-        return -1;
-      }
+    if(ncfputs(egcpool_extended_gcluster(e, c), out) == EOF){
+      return -1;
     }
   }
   return 0;
@@ -863,19 +827,17 @@ update_palette(notcurses* nc, FILE* out){
 // our understanding of our horizontal location is faulty.
 // FIXME fall back to synthesized moves in the absence of capabilities (i.e.
 // textronix lacks cup; fake it with horiz+vert moves)
+// if hardposupdate is non-zero, we always perform a cup
 static inline int
-goto_location(notcurses* nc, FILE* out, int y, int x){
+goto_location(notcurses* nc, FILE* out, int y, int x, unsigned hardposupdate){
   int ret = 0;
   // if we don't have hpa, force a cup even if we're only 1 char away. the only
   // terminal i know supporting cup sans hpa is vt100, and vt100 can suck it.
   // you can't use cuf for backwards moves anyway; again, vt100 can suck it.
-  if(nc->rstate.y == y && nc->tcache.hpa){ // only need move x
+  if(nc->rstate.y == y && nc->tcache.hpa && !hardposupdate){ // only need move x
     if(nc->rstate.x == x){ // needn't move shit
       return 0;
     }
-    if(nc->rstate.pixelmode && leave_pixel_mode(nc, out)){
-      return -1;
-    }
     if(x == nc->rstate.x + 1 && nc->tcache.cuf1){
       ret = term_emit(nc->tcache.cuf1, out, false);
     }else{
@@ -883,9 +845,6 @@ goto_location(notcurses* nc, FILE* out, int y, int x){
     }
   }else{
     // cup is required, no need to check for existence
-    if(nc->rstate.pixelmode && leave_pixel_mode(nc, out)){
-      return -1;
-    }
     ret = term_emit(tiparm(nc->tcache.cup, y, x), out, false);
   }
   if(ret == 0){
@@ -958,6 +917,7 @@ notcurses_rasterize_inner(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out){
   // we explicitly move the cursor at the beginning of each output line, so no
   // need to home it expliticly.
   update_palette(nc, out);
+  bool hardposupdate = false;
 //fprintf(stderr, "pile %p ymax: %d xmax: %d\n", p, p->dimy + nc->stdplane->absy, p->dimx + nc->stdplane->absx);
   for(y = nc->stdplane->absy ; y < p->dimy + nc->stdplane->absy ; ++y){
     const int innery = y - nc->stdplane->absy;
@@ -975,9 +935,10 @@ notcurses_rasterize_inner(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out){
         }
       }else{
         ++nc->stats.cellemissions;
-        if(goto_location(nc, out, y, x)){
+        if(goto_location(nc, out, y, x, hardposupdate)){
           return -1;
         }
+        hardposupdate = false;
         if(!cell_pixels_p(srccell)){
           // set the style. this can change the color back to the default; if it
           // does, we need update our elision possibilities.
@@ -1069,9 +1030,13 @@ notcurses_rasterize_inner(notcurses* nc, const ncpile* p, FILE* out){
           }
         }
 //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(term_putc(nc, out, &nc->pool, srccell)){
+        if(term_putc(out, &nc->pool, srccell)){
           return -1;
         }
+        // if we just emitted a sixel, always force a hard cursor relocation
+        if(cell_pixels_p(srccell)){
+          hardposupdate = true;
+        }
         ++nc->rstate.x;
         if(srccell->width >= 2){
           x += srccell->width - 1;
@@ -1400,7 +1365,7 @@ int notcurses_cursor_enable(notcurses* nc, int y, int x){
   if(nc->ttyfd < 0 || !nc->tcache.cnorm){
     return -1;
   }
-  if(goto_location(nc, nc->ttyfp, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx)){
+  if(goto_location(nc, nc->ttyfp, y + nc->stdplane->absy, x + nc->stdplane->absx, 0)){
     return -1;
   }
   // if we were already positive, we're already visible, no need to write cnorm