diff --git a/kitty/borders.py b/kitty/borders.py
index fc0d4a624..98868eba6 100644
--- a/kitty/borders.py
+++ b/kitty/borders.py
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
 from ctypes import addressof
+from functools import partial
 from itertools import chain
 from threading import Lock
-from functools import partial
 
 from .constants import GLfloat, GLint, GLuint, viewport_size
-from .fast_data_types import GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, glMultiDrawArrays, glUniform3fv
+from .fast_data_types import (
+    GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, glMultiDrawArrays, glUniform3fv
+)
 from .shaders import ShaderProgram
 from .utils import pt_to_px
 
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ void main() {
         self.vao_id = self.add_vertex_arrays(self.vertex_array('rect'))
 
     def send_data(self, data):
-        self.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, data)
+        self.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, data, usage=GL_STATIC_DRAW)
 
     def set_colors(self, color_buf):
         glUniform3fv(self.uniform_location('colors'), 3, addressof(color_buf))
diff --git a/kitty/char_grid.py b/kitty/char_grid.py
index 9dff39db1..8f3d80fb6 100644
--- a/kitty/char_grid.py
+++ b/kitty/char_grid.py
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ from .constants import (
 )
 from .fast_data_types import (
     CURSOR_BEAM, CURSOR_BLOCK, CURSOR_UNDERLINE, DATA_CELL_SIZE, GL_BLEND,
-    GL_LINE_LOOP, GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, GL_UNSIGNED_INT,
-    ColorProfile, glDisable, glDrawArrays, glDrawArraysInstanced, glEnable,
-    glUniform1i, glUniform2f, glUniform2i, glUniform2ui, glUniform4f
+    GL_LINE_LOOP, GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, ColorProfile, glDisable,
+    glDrawArrays, glDrawArraysInstanced, glEnable, glUniform1i, glUniform2f,
+    glUniform2i, glUniform2ui, glUniform4f
 )
 from .rgb import to_color
 from .shaders import ShaderProgram, load_shaders
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ class CharGrid:
                     bg = bg >> 8 if bg & 2 else self.highlight_bg
                     self.screen.apply_selection(addressof(buf), start[0], start[1], end[0], end[1], fg, bg)
             if self.render_buf_is_dirty or self.last_rendered_selection != sel:
-                cell_program.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, buf, usage=GL_STREAM_DRAW)
+                cell_program.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, buf)
                 self.render_buf_is_dirty = False
                 self.last_rendered_selection = sel
         return sg
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.py b/kitty/shaders.py
index 7bcd151b0..b189e27d6 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.py
+++ b/kitty/shaders.py
@@ -13,21 +13,20 @@ from threading import Lock
 from .fast_data_types import (
     BOLD, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE, GL_COMPILE_STATUS, GL_FLOAT,
     GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, GL_LINK_STATUS, GL_MAX_ARRAY_TEXTURE_LAYERS,
-    GL_MAX_TEXTURE_SIZE, GL_NEAREST, GL_R8, GL_RED, GL_STATIC_DRAW,
-    GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_TEXTURE0, GL_TEXTURE_2D_ARRAY,
-    GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_S,
-    GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL_TRUE, GL_UNPACK_ALIGNMENT, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE,
-    GL_VERTEX_SHADER, ITALIC, SpriteMap, copy_image_sub_data, glActiveTexture,
-    glAttachShader, glBindBuffer, glBindTexture, glBindVertexArray,
-    glCompileShader, glCopyImageSubData, glCreateProgram, glCreateShader,
-    glDeleteBuffer, glDeleteProgram, glDeleteShader, glDeleteTexture,
-    glDeleteVertexArray, glEnableVertexAttribArray, glGenBuffers,
-    glGenTextures, glGenVertexArrays, glGetAttribLocation, glGetBufferSubData,
-    glGetIntegerv, glGetProgramInfoLog, glGetProgramiv, glGetShaderInfoLog,
-    glGetShaderiv, glGetUniformLocation, glLinkProgram, glPixelStorei,
-    glShaderSource, glTexParameteri, glTexStorage3D,
-    glTexSubImage3D, glUseProgram, glVertexAttribDivisor,
-    glVertexAttribPointer, replace_or_create_buffer
+    GL_MAX_TEXTURE_SIZE, GL_NEAREST, GL_R8, GL_RED, GL_STREAM_DRAW,
+    GL_TEXTURE0, GL_TEXTURE_2D_ARRAY, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER,
+    GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_S, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL_TRUE,
+    GL_UNPACK_ALIGNMENT, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, GL_VERTEX_SHADER, ITALIC, SpriteMap,
+    copy_image_sub_data, glActiveTexture, glAttachShader, glBindBuffer,
+    glBindTexture, glBindVertexArray, glCompileShader, glCopyImageSubData,
+    glCreateProgram, glCreateShader, glDeleteBuffer, glDeleteProgram,
+    glDeleteShader, glDeleteTexture, glDeleteVertexArray,
+    glEnableVertexAttribArray, glGenBuffers, glGenTextures, glGenVertexArrays,
+    glGetAttribLocation, glGetBufferSubData, glGetIntegerv,
+    glGetProgramInfoLog, glGetProgramiv, glGetShaderInfoLog, glGetShaderiv,
+    glGetUniformLocation, glLinkProgram, glPixelStorei, glShaderSource,
+    glTexParameteri, glTexStorage3D, glTexSubImage3D, glUseProgram,
+    glVertexAttribDivisor, glVertexAttribPointer, replace_or_create_buffer
 )
 from .fonts.render import render_cell
 from .utils import safe_print
@@ -281,7 +280,7 @@ class ShaderProgram:  # {{{
             glDeleteVertexArray(vao_id)
             buffer_manager.delete(buf_id)
 
-    def send_vertex_data(self, vao_id, data, usage=GL_STATIC_DRAW):
+    def send_vertex_data(self, vao_id, data, usage=GL_STREAM_DRAW):
         bufid = self.vertex_arrays[vao_id]
         buffer_manager.set_data(bufid, data, usage=usage)
 
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 6826dd41a..fd0cb6016 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ from .constants import (
     shell_path, viewport_size
 )
 from .fast_data_types import (
-    DATA_CELL_SIZE, DECAWM, GL_STREAM_DRAW, ColorProfile, Screen,
-    glfw_post_empty_event
+    DATA_CELL_SIZE, DECAWM, ColorProfile, Screen, glfw_post_empty_event
 )
 from .layout import Rect, all_layouts
 from .utils import color_as_int
@@ -344,7 +343,7 @@ class TabManager:
         sprites.render_dirty_cells()
         if self.vao_id is None:
             self.vao_id = cell_program.create_sprite_map()
-        cell_program.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, self.sprite_map, usage=GL_STREAM_DRAW)
+        cell_program.send_vertex_data(self.vao_id, self.sprite_map)
 
     def activate_tab_at(self, x):
         x = (x - self.window_geometry.left) // cell_size.width