diff --git a/kitty/fonts.c b/kitty/fonts.c
index c454cc176..cf9799a7a 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.c
+++ b/kitty/fonts.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ fallback_font(Cell *cell) {
     }
     if (get_fallback_font == NULL || i == (sizeof(fallback_fonts)/sizeof(fallback_fonts[0])-1)) return &missing_font;
     Py_UCS4 buf[10];
-    size_t n = cell_as_unicode(cell, true, buf);
+    size_t n = cell_as_unicode(cell, true, buf, ' ');
     PyObject *face = PyObject_CallFunction(get_fallback_font, "NOO", PyUnicode_FromKindAndData(PyUnicode_4BYTE_KIND, buf, n), bold ? Py_True : Py_False, italic ? Py_True : Py_False);
     if (face == NULL) { PyErr_Print(); return &missing_font; }
     if (face == Py_None) { Py_DECREF(face); return &missing_font; }
diff --git a/kitty/freetype.c b/kitty/freetype.c
index d8e399421..13c4a3327 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype.c
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@ get_load_flags(int hinting, int hintstyle, int base) {
 }
 
 static inline bool 
-load_glyph(Face *self, int glyph_index) {
-    int flags = get_load_flags(self->hinting, self->hintstyle, FT_LOAD_RENDER);
+load_glyph(Face *self, int glyph_index, int load_type) {
+    int flags = get_load_flags(self->hinting, self->hintstyle, load_type);
     int error = FT_Load_Glyph(self->face, glyph_index, flags);
     if (error) { set_freetype_error("Failed to load glyph, with error:", error); Py_CLEAR(self); return false; }
     return true;
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ calc_cell_width(Face *self) {
     unsigned int ans = 0;
     for (char_type i = 32; i < 128; i++) {
         int glyph_index = FT_Get_Char_Index(self->face, i);
-        if (load_glyph(self, glyph_index)) {
+        if (load_glyph(self, glyph_index, FT_LOAD_DEFAULT)) {
             ans = MAX(ans, (unsigned long)ceilf((float)self->face->glyph->metrics.horiAdvance / 64.f));
         }
     }
diff --git a/kitty/line.c b/kitty/line.c
index e30b0440a..0ed16c284 100644
--- a/kitty/line.c
+++ b/kitty/line.c
@@ -166,9 +166,9 @@ text_at(Line* self, Py_ssize_t xval) {
 }
 
 size_t
-cell_as_unicode(Cell *cell, bool include_cc, Py_UCS4 *buf) {
+cell_as_unicode(Cell *cell, bool include_cc, Py_UCS4 *buf, char_type zero_char) {
     size_t n = 1;
-    buf[0] = cell->ch;
+    buf[0] = cell->ch ? cell->ch : zero_char;
     if (include_cc) {
         char_type cc = cell->cc;
         Py_UCS4 cc1 = cc & CC_MASK, cc2;
@@ -191,9 +191,8 @@ unicode_in_range(Line *self, index_type start, index_type limit, bool include_cc
         char_type ch = self->cells[i].ch;
         if (ch == 0) {
             if (previous_width == 2) { previous_width = 0; continue; };
-            ch = ' ';
         }
-        n += cell_as_unicode(self->cells + i, include_cc, buf + n);
+        n += cell_as_unicode(self->cells + i, include_cc, buf + n, ' ');
         previous_width = self->cells[i].attrs & WIDTH_MASK;
     }
     return PyUnicode_FromKindAndData(PyUnicode_4BYTE_KIND, buf, n);
diff --git a/kitty/lineops.h b/kitty/lineops.h
index 0976824ba..e0fea2403 100644
--- a/kitty/lineops.h
+++ b/kitty/lineops.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ index_type line_url_start_at(Line *self, index_type x);
 index_type line_url_end_at(Line *self, index_type x);
 index_type line_as_ansi(Line *self, Py_UCS4 *buf, index_type buflen);
 unsigned int line_length(Line *self);
-size_t cell_as_unicode(Cell *cell, bool include_cc, Py_UCS4 *buf);
+size_t cell_as_unicode(Cell *cell, bool include_cc, Py_UCS4 *buf, char_type);
 PyObject* unicode_in_range(Line *self, index_type start, index_type limit, bool include_cc, char leading_char);
 
 void linebuf_init_line(LineBuf *, index_type);