diff --git a/kitty/gl.h b/kitty/gl.h
index 37d4d7159..263f5da10 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.h
+++ b/kitty/gl.h
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ glew_init(PyObject UNUSED *self) {
     ARB_TEST(texture_storage);
 #undef ARB_TEST
 #endif
-    glBlendFunc(GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
     glEnable(GL_BLEND);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 0c2654858..1b4874222 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ cell_prepare_to_render(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat
 static void
 draw_graphics(ImageRenderData *data, GLuint start, GLuint count) {
     bind_program(GRAPHICS_PROGRAM);
+    glBlendFunc(GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
     static bool graphics_constants_set = false;
     if (!graphics_constants_set) { 
         glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocation(program_id(GRAPHICS_PROGRAM), "image"), GRAPHICS_UNIT); check_gl(); 
@@ -378,6 +379,7 @@ draw_cells_interleaved(Screen *screen) {
     glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
 
     bind_program(CELL_FOREGROUND_PROGRAM); 
+    glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
     glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
 
     if (screen->grman->num_of_positive_refs) draw_graphics(screen->grman->render_data, screen->grman->num_of_negative_refs, screen->grman->num_of_positive_refs);