diff --git a/kitty/keys.c b/kitty/keys.c
index 8a018e686..b1a26534e 100644
--- a/kitty/keys.c
+++ b/kitty/keys.c
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ on_key_input(int key, int scancode, int action, int mods, const char* text, int
     switch(state) {
         case 1:  // update pre-edit text
             update_ime_position(global_state.callback_os_window, w, screen);
+            screen_draw_overlay_text(screen, text);
             return;
         case 2:  // commit text
             if (text && *text) {
diff --git a/kitty/lineops.h b/kitty/lineops.h
index 6592f81c7..3a9d7e762 100644
--- a/kitty/lineops.h
+++ b/kitty/lineops.h
@@ -41,6 +41,17 @@ xlimit_for_line(Line *line) {
     return xlimit;
 }
 
+static inline void
+line_save_cells(Line *line, index_type start, index_type num, GPUCell *gpu_cells, CPUCell *cpu_cells) {
+    memcpy(gpu_cells + sizeof(GPUCell) * start, line->gpu_cells + sizeof(GPUCell) * start, sizeof(GPUCell) * num);
+    memcpy(cpu_cells + sizeof(CPUCell) * start, line->cpu_cells + sizeof(CPUCell) * start, sizeof(CPUCell) * num);
+}
+
+static inline void
+line_reset_cells(Line *line, index_type start, index_type num, GPUCell *gpu_cells, CPUCell *cpu_cells) {
+    memcpy(line->gpu_cells + sizeof(GPUCell) * start, gpu_cells + sizeof(GPUCell) * start, sizeof(GPUCell) * num);
+    memcpy(line->cpu_cells + sizeof(CPUCell) * start, cpu_cells + sizeof(CPUCell) * start, sizeof(CPUCell) * num);
+}
 
 void line_clear_text(Line *self, unsigned int at, unsigned int num, char_type ch);
 void line_apply_cursor(Line *self, Cursor *cursor, unsigned int at, unsigned int num, bool clear_char);
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 12babc22f..8d0407a53 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ typedef struct {
     unsigned int x; int y;
 } FullSelectionBoundary;
 
-
 // Constructor/destructor {{{
 
 static inline void
@@ -41,6 +40,22 @@ init_tabstops(bool *tabstops, index_type count) {
     }
 }
 
+static inline bool
+init_overlay_line(Screen *self, index_type columns) {
+    free(self->overlay_line.cpu_cells);
+    free(self->overlay_line.gpu_cells);
+    self->overlay_line.cpu_cells = PyMem_Calloc(columns, sizeof(CPUCell));
+    self->overlay_line.gpu_cells = PyMem_Calloc(columns, sizeof(GPUCell));
+    if (!self->overlay_line.cpu_cells || !self->overlay_line.gpu_cells) {
+        PyErr_NoMemory(); return false;
+    }
+    self->overlay_line.is_active = false;
+    self->overlay_line.xnum = 0;
+    self->overlay_line.ynum = 0;
+    self->overlay_line.xstart = 0;
+    return true;
+}
+
 #define RESET_CHARSETS \
         self->g0_charset = translation_table(0); \
         self->g1_charset = self->g0_charset; \
@@ -104,13 +119,18 @@ new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject UNUSED *kwds) {
         self->tabstops = self->main_tabstops;
         init_tabstops(self->main_tabstops, self->columns);
         init_tabstops(self->alt_tabstops, self->columns);
+        if (!init_overlay_line(self, self->columns)) { Py_CLEAR(self); return NULL; }
     }
     return (PyObject*) self;
 }
 
+static void deactivate_overlay_line(Screen *self);
+static inline Line* range_line_(Screen *self, int y);
+
 void
 screen_reset(Screen *self) {
     if (self->linebuf == self->alt_linebuf) screen_toggle_screen_buffer(self);
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self);
     linebuf_clear(self->linebuf, BLANK_CHAR);
     historybuf_clear(self->historybuf);
     grman_clear(self->grman, false, self->cell_size);
@@ -159,6 +179,7 @@ realloc_lb(LineBuf *old, unsigned int lines, unsigned int columns, index_type *n
 
 static bool
 screen_resize(Screen *self, unsigned int lines, unsigned int columns) {
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self);
     lines = MAX(1, lines); columns = MAX(1, columns);
 
     bool is_main = self->linebuf == self->main_linebuf;
@@ -170,6 +191,8 @@ screen_resize(Screen *self, unsigned int lines, unsigned int columns) {
         cursor_is_beyond_content = num_content_lines_before > 0 && self->cursor->y >= num_content_lines_before; \
         num_content_lines = num_content_lines_after; \
 }
+    // Resize overlay line
+    if (!init_overlay_line(self, columns)) return false;
 
     // Resize main linebuf
     HistoryBuf *nh = realloc_hb(self->historybuf, self->historybuf->ynum, columns);
@@ -246,6 +269,8 @@ dealloc(Screen* self) {
     Py_CLEAR(self->alt_linebuf);
     Py_CLEAR(self->historybuf);
     Py_CLEAR(self->color_profile);
+    PyMem_Free(self->overlay_line.cpu_cells);
+    PyMem_Free(self->overlay_line.gpu_cells);
     PyMem_Free(self->main_tabstops);
     Py_TYPE(self)->tp_free((PyObject*)self);
 } // }}}
@@ -374,6 +399,37 @@ screen_draw(Screen *self, uint32_t och) {
     linebuf_mark_line_dirty(self->linebuf, self->cursor->y);
 }
 
+void
+screen_draw_overlay_text(Screen *self, const char *utf8_text) {
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self);
+    if (!utf8_text || !utf8_text[0]) return;
+    Line *line = range_line_(self, self->cursor->y);
+    if (!line) return;
+    line_save_cells(line, 0, self->columns, self->overlay_line.gpu_cells, self->overlay_line.cpu_cells);
+    self->overlay_line.is_active = true;
+    self->overlay_line.ynum = self->cursor->y;
+    self->overlay_line.xstart = self->cursor->x;
+    self->overlay_line.xnum = 0;
+    uint32_t codepoint = 0, state = UTF8_ACCEPT;
+    bool orig_line_wrap_mode = self->modes.mDECAWM;
+    self->modes.mDECAWM = false;
+    self->cursor->reverse ^= true;
+    index_type before;
+    while (*utf8_text) {
+        switch(decode_utf8(&state, &codepoint, *(utf8_text++))) {
+            case UTF8_ACCEPT:
+                before = self->cursor->x;
+                screen_draw(self, codepoint);
+                self->overlay_line.xnum += self->cursor->x - before;
+                break;
+            case UTF8_REJECT:
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+    self->cursor->reverse ^= true;
+    self->modes.mDECAWM = orig_line_wrap_mode;
+}
+
 void
 screen_align(Screen *self) {
     self->margin_top = 0; self->margin_bottom = self->lines - 1;
@@ -733,6 +789,7 @@ screen_cursor_to_column(Screen *self, unsigned int column) {
 }
 
 #define INDEX_UP \
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self); \
     linebuf_index(self->linebuf, top, bottom); \
     INDEX_GRAPHICS(-1) \
     if (self->linebuf == self->main_linebuf && bottom == self->lines - 1) { \
@@ -764,6 +821,7 @@ screen_scroll(Screen *self, unsigned int count) {
 }
 
 #define INDEX_DOWN \
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self); \
     linebuf_reverse_index(self->linebuf, top, bottom); \
     linebuf_clear_line(self->linebuf, top); \
     INDEX_GRAPHICS(1) \
@@ -1518,6 +1576,20 @@ screen_open_url(Screen *self) {
     return true;
 }
 
+static void
+deactivate_overlay_line(Screen *self) {
+    if (self->overlay_line.is_active && self->overlay_line.xnum && self->overlay_line.ynum < self->lines) {
+        Line *line = range_line_(self, self->overlay_line.ynum);
+        line_reset_cells(line, self->overlay_line.xstart, self->overlay_line.xnum, self->overlay_line.gpu_cells, self->overlay_line.cpu_cells);
+        if (self->cursor->y == self->overlay_line.ynum) self->cursor->x = self->overlay_line.xstart;
+    }
+    self->overlay_line.is_active = false;
+    self->overlay_line.ynum = 0;
+    self->overlay_line.xnum = 0;
+    self->overlay_line.xstart = 0;
+}
+
+
 // }}}
 
 // Python interface {{{
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index 80d4e5bac..29fa3420b 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -53,12 +53,20 @@ typedef struct {
     index_type start_of_data, count;
 } SavemodesBuffer;
 
+typedef struct {
+    CPUCell *cpu_cells;
+    GPUCell *gpu_cells;
+    bool is_active;
+    index_type xstart, ynum, xnum;
+} OverlayLine;
+
 
 typedef struct {
     PyObject_HEAD
 
     unsigned int columns, lines, margin_top, margin_bottom, charset, scrolled_by, last_selection_scrolled_by;
     CellPixelSize cell_size;
+    OverlayLine overlay_line;
     id_type window_id;
     uint32_t utf8_state, utf8_codepoint, *g0_charset, *g1_charset, *g_charset;
     unsigned int current_charset;
@@ -175,6 +183,7 @@ bool screen_open_url(Screen*);
 void screen_dirty_sprite_positions(Screen *self);
 void screen_rescale_images(Screen *self);
 void screen_report_size(Screen *, unsigned int which);
+void screen_draw_overlay_text(Screen *self, const char *utf8_text);
 #define DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(name) void screen_##name(Screen *screen);
 DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(bell)
 DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(backspace)