diff --git a/tests/wide.cpp b/tests/wide.cpp
index 00289eaa3..543343ec1 100644
--- a/tests/wide.cpp
+++ b/tests/wide.cpp
@@ -419,34 +419,43 @@ TEST_CASE("Wide") {
     uint32_t attrword;
     uint64_t channels;
     char* egc;
+    uint64_t widechans = ncplane_channels(n_) | CELL_WIDEASIAN_MASK;
+    uint64_t narchans = ncplane_channels(topp);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 0, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 1, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, ""));
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 2, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 3, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, ""));
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 4, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "a"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 5, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "b"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 6, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "c"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 7, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "d"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     CHECK(0 == ncplane_move_yx(topp, 0, 3));
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 0, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 1, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));
@@ -456,15 +465,19 @@ TEST_CASE("Wide") {
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 3, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "a"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 4, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "b"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 5, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "c"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 6, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "d"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 7, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));
@@ -473,24 +486,30 @@ TEST_CASE("Wide") {
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 0, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 1, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 2, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "a"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 3, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "b"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 4, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "c"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 5, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "d"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 6, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 7, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, ""));
@@ -502,21 +521,26 @@ TEST_CASE("Wide") {
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 1, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "a"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 2, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "b"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 3, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "c"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 4, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "d"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 5, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 6, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 7, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));
@@ -525,24 +549,30 @@ TEST_CASE("Wide") {
     CHECK(0 == notcurses_render(nc_));
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 0, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "a"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 1, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "b"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 2, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "c"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 3, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "d"));
+    CHECK(narchans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 4, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 5, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, ""));
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 6, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, "六"));
+    CHECK(widechans == channels);
     free(egc);
     REQUIRE((egc = notcurses_at_yx(nc_, 0, 7, &attrword, &channels)));
     CHECK(0 == strcmp(egc, " "));