diff --git a/kitty/gl.h b/kitty/gl.h
index 811a2620e..d0a04a157 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.h
+++ b/kitty/gl.h
@@ -563,6 +563,24 @@ NamedBufferData(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static PyObject* 
+replace_or_create_buffer(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
+    int usage;
+    unsigned long size, prev_sz, target;
+    PyObject *address;
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "kkkO!i", &target, &size, &prev_sz, &PyLong_Type, &address, &usage)) return NULL;
+    void *data = PyLong_AsVoidPtr(address);
+    if (data == NULL) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "Not a valid data pointer"); return NULL; }
+    glBindBuffer(GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, target); 
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
+    if (prev_sz == 0 || prev_sz != size) glBufferData(GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, size, data, usage); 
+    else glBufferSubData(GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, 0, size, data);
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+    CHECK_ERROR;
+    glBindBuffer(GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, 0);
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+
 static PyObject* 
 TexParameteri(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     int target, name, param;
@@ -717,6 +735,7 @@ int add_module_gl_constants(PyObject *module) {
 #define GL_METHODS \
     {"enable_automatic_opengl_error_checking", (PyCFunction)enable_automatic_error_checking, METH_O, NULL}, \
     {"copy_image_sub_data", (PyCFunction)copy_image_sub_data, METH_VARARGS, NULL}, \
+    {"replace_or_create_buffer", (PyCFunction)replace_or_create_buffer, METH_VARARGS, NULL}, \
     {"glewInit", (PyCFunction)_glewInit, METH_NOARGS, NULL}, \
     {"check_for_extensions", (PyCFunction)check_for_extensions, METH_NOARGS, NULL}, \
     METH(Viewport, METH_VARARGS) \
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.py b/kitty/shaders.py
index 7fd34c99d..fbac94b8b 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.py
+++ b/kitty/shaders.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, GL_R32UI, GL_FLOAT, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, glBindBuffer,
     glPixelStorei, glTexBuffer, glActiveTexture, glTexStorage3D,
     glCopyImageSubData, glTexSubImage3D, ITALIC, BOLD, SpriteMap,
-    glEnableVertexAttribArray, glVertexAttribPointer, copy_image_sub_data
+    glEnableVertexAttribArray, glVertexAttribPointer, copy_image_sub_data,
+    replace_or_create_buffer
 )
 from .utils import safe_print
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ class Sprites:
     # extensions one they become available.
 
     def __init__(self):
+        self.prev_sprite_map_sz = 0
         self.xnum = self.ynum = 1
         self.sampler_num = 0
         self.buffer_sampler_num = 1
@@ -157,8 +159,9 @@ class Sprites:
         return glGenBuffers(1)
 
     def set_sprite_map(self, buf_id, data, usage=GL_STREAM_DRAW):
+        prev_sz, self.prev_sprite_map_sz = self.prev_sprite_map_sz, sizeof(data)
+        replace_or_create_buffer(buf_id, self.prev_sprite_map_sz, prev_sz, addressof(data), usage)
         self.bind_sprite_map(buf_id)
-        glNamedBufferData(buf_id, sizeof(data), addressof(data), usage)
 
     def bind_sprite_map(self, buf_id):
         glBindBuffer(GL_TEXTURE_BUFFER, buf_id)