diff --git a/kitty/data-types.h b/kitty/data-types.h
index b01dffa8f..8bbb70f35 100644
--- a/kitty/data-types.h
+++ b/kitty/data-types.h
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@
 #define MIN(x, y) (((x) > (y)) ? (y) : (x))
 
 typedef Py_UCS4 char_type;
-typedef uint64_t color_type;
-typedef uint32_t decoration_type;
+typedef uint32_t color_type;
 typedef uint32_t combining_type;
 typedef unsigned int index_type;
 
@@ -31,7 +30,8 @@ typedef unsigned int index_type;
 #define SGR_PROTOCOL 2
 #define URXVT_PROTOCOL 3
 
-#define CELL_SIZE (sizeof(char_type) + sizeof(color_type) + sizeof(decoration_type) + sizeof(combining_type))
+#define CELL_FIELD_COUNT 5
+#define CELL_SIZE (CELL_FIELD_COUNT * 4)
 // The data cell size must be a multiple of 3
 #define DATA_CELL_SIZE 2 * 3
 
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ typedef unsigned int index_type;
 #define REVERSE_SHIFT 6
 #define STRIKE_SHIFT 7
 #define COL_MASK 0xFFFFFFFF
-#define COL_SHIFT  32
-#define HAS_BG_MASK (0xFF << COL_SHIFT)
 #define CC_MASK 0xFFFF
 #define CC_SHIFT 16
 #define UTF8_ACCEPT 0
@@ -77,7 +75,8 @@ typedef unsigned int index_type;
 
 #define COPY_CELL(src, s, dest, d) \
         (dest)->chars[d] = (src)->chars[s]; \
-        (dest)->colors[d] = (src)->colors[s]; \
+        (dest)->fg_colors[d] = (src)->fg_colors[s]; \
+        (dest)->bg_colors[d] = (src)->bg_colors[s]; \
         (dest)->decoration_fg[d] = (src)->decoration_fg[s]; \
         (dest)->combining_chars[d] = (src)->combining_chars[s];
 
@@ -85,18 +84,17 @@ typedef unsigned int index_type;
 
 #define COPY_LINE(src, dest) \
     memcpy((dest)->chars, (src)->chars, sizeof(char_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
-    memcpy((dest)->colors, (src)->colors, sizeof(color_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
-    memcpy((dest)->decoration_fg, (src)->decoration_fg, sizeof(decoration_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
+    memcpy((dest)->fg_colors, (src)->fg_colors, sizeof(color_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
+    memcpy((dest)->bg_colors, (src)->bg_colors, sizeof(color_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
+    memcpy((dest)->decoration_fg, (src)->decoration_fg, sizeof(color_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); \
     memcpy((dest)->combining_chars, (src)->combining_chars, sizeof(combining_type) * MIN((src)->xnum, (dest)->xnum)); 
 
-#define CLEAR_LINE(l, at, num) \
-    for (index_type i = (at); i < (num); i++) (l)->chars[i] = (1 << ATTRS_SHIFT) | 32; \
-    memset((l)->colors, (at), (num) * sizeof(color_type)); \
-    memset((l)->decoration_fg, (at), (num) * sizeof(decoration_type)); \
-    memset((l)->combining_chars, (at), (num) * sizeof(combining_type));
-
-#define COLORS_TO_CURSOR(col, c) \
-    c->fg = col & COL_MASK; c->bg = (col >> COL_SHIFT)
+#define CLEAR_LINE(l, num) \
+    for (index_type i = 0; i < (num); i++) (l)->chars[i] = (1 << ATTRS_SHIFT) | 32; \
+    memset((l)->fg_colors, 0, (num) * sizeof(color_type)); \
+    memset((l)->bg_colors, 0, (num) * sizeof(color_type)); \
+    memset((l)->decoration_fg, 0, (num) * sizeof(color_type)); \
+    memset((l)->combining_chars, 0, (num) * sizeof(combining_type));
 
 #define METHOD(name, arg_type) {#name, (PyCFunction)name, arg_type, name##_doc},
 
@@ -145,8 +143,9 @@ typedef struct {
     PyObject_HEAD
 
     char_type *chars;
-    color_type *colors;
-    decoration_type *decoration_fg;
+    color_type *fg_colors;
+    color_type *bg_colors;
+    color_type *decoration_fg;
     combining_type *combining_chars;
     index_type xnum, ynum;
     bool continued;
@@ -166,8 +165,9 @@ typedef struct {
 
     // Pointers into buf
     char_type *chars;
-    color_type *colors;
-    decoration_type *decoration_fg;
+    color_type *fg_colors;
+    color_type *bg_colors;
+    color_type *decoration_fg;
     combining_type *combining_chars;
 } LineBuf;
 PyTypeObject LineBuf_Type;
diff --git a/kitty/history.c b/kitty/history.c
index 41efd7d45..cdec6c1b7 100644
--- a/kitty/history.c
+++ b/kitty/history.c
@@ -72,8 +72,9 @@ init_line(HistoryBuf *self, index_type num, Line *l) {
     uint8_t *start_ptr = start_of(self, num);
     l->continued = *start_ptr;
     l->chars = (char_type*)(start_ptr + 1);
-    l->colors = (color_type*)(l->chars + self->xnum);
-    l->decoration_fg = (decoration_type*)(l->colors + self->xnum);
+    l->fg_colors = (color_type*)(l->chars + self->xnum);
+    l->bg_colors = (color_type*)(l->fg_colors + self->xnum);
+    l->decoration_fg = (color_type*)(l->bg_colors + self->xnum);
     l->combining_chars = (combining_type*)(l->decoration_fg + self->xnum);
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/line-buf.c b/kitty/line-buf.c
index 93aa92bc5..2cc953c17 100644
--- a/kitty/line-buf.c
+++ b/kitty/line-buf.c
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@ new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject UNUSED *kwds) {
             Py_CLEAR(self);
         } else {
             self->chars = (char_type*)self->buf;
-            self->colors = (color_type*)(self->chars + self->block_size);
-            self->decoration_fg = (decoration_type*)(self->colors + self->block_size);
+            self->fg_colors = (color_type*)(self->chars + self->block_size);
+            self->bg_colors = (color_type*)(self->fg_colors + self->block_size);
+            self->decoration_fg = (color_type*)(self->bg_colors + self->block_size);
             self->combining_chars = (combining_type*)(self->decoration_fg + self->block_size);
             self->line->xnum = xnum;
             for(index_type i = 0; i < ynum; i++) {
@@ -89,7 +90,8 @@ dealloc(LineBuf* self) {
 
 #define INIT_LINE(lb, l, ynum) \
     (l)->chars           = (lb)->chars + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum; \
-    (l)->colors          = (lb)->colors + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum; \
+    (l)->fg_colors          = (lb)->fg_colors + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum; \
+    (l)->bg_colors          = (lb)->bg_colors + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum; \
     (l)->decoration_fg   = (lb)->decoration_fg + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum; \
     (l)->combining_chars = (lb)->combining_chars + (ynum) * (lb)->xnum;
 
@@ -150,19 +152,22 @@ static inline int
 allocate_line_storage(Line *line, bool initialize) {
     if (initialize) {
         line->chars = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(char_type));
-        line->colors = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(color_type));
-        line->decoration_fg = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(decoration_type));
+        line->fg_colors = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(color_type));
+        line->bg_colors = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(color_type));
+        line->decoration_fg = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(color_type));
         line->combining_chars = PyMem_Calloc(line->xnum, sizeof(combining_type));
         for (index_type i = 0; i < line->xnum; i++) line->chars[i] = (1 << ATTRS_SHIFT) | 32;
     } else {
         line->chars = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(char_type));
-        line->colors = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(color_type));
-        line->decoration_fg = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(decoration_type));
+        line->fg_colors = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(color_type));
+        line->bg_colors = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(color_type));
+        line->decoration_fg = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(color_type));
         line->combining_chars = PyMem_Malloc(line->xnum * sizeof(combining_type));
     }
-    if (line->chars == NULL || line->colors == NULL || line->decoration_fg == NULL || line->combining_chars == NULL) {
+    if (line->chars == NULL || line->fg_colors == NULL || line->bg_colors == NULL || line->decoration_fg == NULL || line->combining_chars == NULL) {
         PyMem_Free(line->chars); line->chars = NULL;
-        PyMem_Free(line->colors); line->colors = NULL;
+        PyMem_Free(line->fg_colors); line->fg_colors = NULL;
+        PyMem_Free(line->bg_colors); line->bg_colors = NULL;
         PyMem_Free(line->decoration_fg); line->decoration_fg = NULL;
         PyMem_Free(line->combining_chars); line->combining_chars = NULL;
         PyErr_NoMemory();
@@ -210,7 +215,7 @@ copy_line_to(LineBuf *self, PyObject *args) {
 void linebuf_clear_line(LineBuf *self, index_type y) {
     Line l;
     INIT_LINE(self, &l, self->line_map[y]);
-    CLEAR_LINE(&l, 0, self->xnum);
+    CLEAR_LINE(&l, self->xnum);
     self->continued_map[y] = 0;
 }
 
@@ -295,7 +300,7 @@ void linebuf_insert_lines(LineBuf *self, unsigned int num, unsigned int y, unsig
         Line l;
         for (i = y; i < y + num; i++) {
             INIT_LINE(self, &l, self->line_map[i]);
-            CLEAR_LINE(&l, 0, self->xnum);
+            CLEAR_LINE(&l, self->xnum);
             self->continued_map[i] = 0;
         }
     }
@@ -330,7 +335,7 @@ linebuf_delete_lines(LineBuf *self, index_type num, index_type y, index_type bot
     Line l;
     for (i = ylimit - num; i < ylimit; i++) {
         INIT_LINE(self, &l, self->line_map[i]);
-        CLEAR_LINE(&l, 0, self->xnum);
+        CLEAR_LINE(&l, self->xnum);
         self->continued_map[i] = 0;
     }
 }
diff --git a/kitty/line.c b/kitty/line.c
index c4a5ae9fb..b2e449326 100644
--- a/kitty/line.c
+++ b/kitty/line.c
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ static void
 dealloc(Line* self) {
     if (self->needs_free) {
         PyMem_Free(self->chars);
-        PyMem_Free(self->colors);
+        PyMem_Free(self->fg_colors);
+        PyMem_Free(self->bg_colors);
         PyMem_Free(self->decoration_fg);
         PyMem_Free(self->combining_chars);
     }
@@ -170,9 +171,8 @@ line_as_ansi(Line *self, Py_UCS4 *buf, index_type buflen) {
                     WRITE_SGR(0); break;
             }
         }
-        color_type col = self->colors[pos];
-        CHECK_COLOR(fg, col & COL_MASK, 38);
-        CHECK_COLOR(bg, col >> COL_SHIFT, 48);
+        CHECK_COLOR(fg, self->fg_colors[pos], 38);
+        CHECK_COLOR(bg, self->bg_colors[pos], 48);
         CHECK_COLOR(decoration_fg, self->decoration_fg[pos], DECORATION_FG_CODE);
         WRITE_CH(ch);
         char_type cc = self->combining_chars[pos];
@@ -226,15 +226,6 @@ width(Line *self, PyObject *val) {
     return PyLong_FromUnsignedLong((unsigned long) (attrs & WIDTH_MASK));
 }
 
-static PyObject*
-basic_cell_data(Line *self, PyObject *val) {
-#define basic_cell_data_doc "basic_cell_data(x) -> ch, attrs, colors"
-    unsigned long x = PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(val);
-    if (x >= self->xnum) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Out of bounds"); return NULL; }
-    char_type ch = self->chars[x];
-    return Py_BuildValue("IBK", (unsigned int)(ch & CHAR_MASK), (unsigned char)(ch >> ATTRS_SHIFT), (unsigned long long)self->colors[x]);
-}
-
 void line_add_combining_char(Line *self, uint32_t ch, unsigned int x) {
     combining_type c = self->combining_chars[x];
     if (c & CC_MASK) self->combining_chars[x] = (c & CC_MASK) | ( (ch & CC_MASK) << CC_SHIFT );
@@ -279,12 +270,13 @@ set_text(Line* self, PyObject *args) {
         return NULL;
     }
     attrs = CURSOR_TO_ATTRS(cursor, 1);
-    color_type col = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK) | ((color_type)(cursor->bg & COL_MASK) << COL_SHIFT);
-    decoration_type dfg = cursor->decoration_fg & COL_MASK;
+    color_type fg = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK), bg = cursor->bg & COL_MASK;
+    color_type dfg = cursor->decoration_fg & COL_MASK;
 
     for (index_type i = cursor->x; offset < limit && i < self->xnum; i++, offset++) {
         self->chars[i] = (PyUnicode_READ(kind, buf, offset) & CHAR_MASK) | attrs;
-        self->colors[i] = col;
+        self->fg_colors[i] = fg;
+        self->bg_colors[i] = bg;
         self->decoration_fg[i] = dfg;
         self->combining_chars[i] = 0;
     }
@@ -307,7 +299,7 @@ cursor_from(Line* self, PyObject *args) {
     ans->x = x; ans->y = y;
     char_type attrs = self->chars[x] >> ATTRS_SHIFT;
     ATTRS_TO_CURSOR(attrs, ans);
-    COLORS_TO_CURSOR(self->colors[x], ans);
+    ans->fg = self->fg_colors[x]; ans->bg = self->bg_colors[x];
     ans->decoration_fg = self->decoration_fg[x] & COL_MASK;
 
     return (PyObject*)ans;
@@ -335,8 +327,8 @@ clear_text(Line* self, PyObject *args) {
 void 
 line_apply_cursor(Line *self, Cursor *cursor, unsigned int at, unsigned int num, bool clear_char) {
     char_type attrs = CURSOR_TO_ATTRS(cursor, 1);
-    color_type col = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK) | ((color_type)(cursor->bg & COL_MASK) << COL_SHIFT);
-    decoration_type dfg = cursor->decoration_fg & COL_MASK;
+    color_type fg = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK), bg = (cursor->bg & COL_MASK);
+    color_type dfg = cursor->decoration_fg & COL_MASK;
     if (!clear_char) attrs = ((attrs >> ATTRS_SHIFT) & ~WIDTH_MASK) << ATTRS_SHIFT;
     
     for (index_type i = at; i < self->xnum && i < at + num; i++) {
@@ -347,7 +339,7 @@ line_apply_cursor(Line *self, Cursor *cursor, unsigned int at, unsigned int num,
             char_type w = ((self->chars[i] >> ATTRS_SHIFT) & WIDTH_MASK) << ATTRS_SHIFT;
             self->chars[i] = (self->chars[i] & CHAR_MASK) | attrs | w;
         }
-        self->colors[i] = col;
+        self->fg_colors[i] = fg; self->bg_colors[i] = bg;
         self->decoration_fg[i] = dfg;
     }
 }
@@ -407,7 +399,8 @@ line_set_char(Line *self, unsigned int at, uint32_t ch, unsigned int width, Curs
         attrs = (((self->chars[at] >> ATTRS_SHIFT) & ~3) | (width & 3)) << ATTRS_SHIFT;
     } else {
         attrs = CURSOR_TO_ATTRS(cursor, width & 3);
-        self->colors[at] = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK) | ((color_type)(cursor->bg & COL_MASK) << COL_SHIFT);
+        self->fg_colors[at] = (cursor->fg & COL_MASK);
+        self->bg_colors[at] = (cursor->bg & COL_MASK);
         self->decoration_fg[at] = cursor->decoration_fg & COL_MASK;
     }
     self->chars[at] = (ch & CHAR_MASK) | attrs;
@@ -449,8 +442,9 @@ __len__(PyObject *self) {
 static int __eq__(Line *a, Line *b) {
     return a->xnum == b->xnum && \
                     memcmp(a->chars, b->chars, sizeof(char_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
-                    memcmp(a->colors, b->colors, sizeof(color_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
-                    memcmp(a->decoration_fg, b->decoration_fg, sizeof(decoration_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
+                    memcmp(a->fg_colors, b->fg_colors, sizeof(color_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
+                    memcmp(a->bg_colors, b->bg_colors, sizeof(color_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
+                    memcmp(a->decoration_fg, b->decoration_fg, sizeof(color_type) * a->xnum) == 0 && \
                     memcmp(a->combining_chars, b->combining_chars, sizeof(combining_type) * a->xnum) == 0;
 }
 
@@ -483,7 +477,6 @@ static PyMethodDef methods[] = {
     METHOD(as_ansi, METH_NOARGS)
     METHOD(is_continued, METH_NOARGS)
     METHOD(width, METH_O)
-    METHOD(basic_cell_data, METH_O)
         
     {NULL}  /* Sentinel */
 };
@@ -522,7 +515,8 @@ copy_char(Line* self, PyObject *args) {
         return NULL;
     }
     to->chars[dest] = self->chars[src];
-    to->colors[dest] = self->colors[src];
+    to->fg_colors[dest] = self->fg_colors[src];
+    to->bg_colors[dest] = self->bg_colors[src];
     to->decoration_fg[dest] = self->decoration_fg[src];
     to->combining_chars[dest] = self->combining_chars[src];
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
diff --git a/kitty/rewrap.h b/kitty/rewrap.h
index 930b97400..2747cb9e7 100644
--- a/kitty/rewrap.h
+++ b/kitty/rewrap.h
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@
 
 static inline void copy_range(Line *src, index_type src_at, Line* dest, index_type dest_at, index_type num) {
     memcpy(dest->chars + dest_at, src->chars + src_at, num * sizeof(char_type));
-    memcpy(dest->colors + dest_at, src->colors + src_at, num * sizeof(color_type));
-    memcpy(dest->decoration_fg + dest_at, src->decoration_fg + src_at, num * sizeof(decoration_type));
+    memcpy(dest->fg_colors + dest_at, src->fg_colors + src_at, num * sizeof(color_type));
+    memcpy(dest->bg_colors + dest_at, src->bg_colors + src_at, num * sizeof(color_type));
+    memcpy(dest->decoration_fg + dest_at, src->decoration_fg + src_at, num * sizeof(color_type));
     memcpy(dest->combining_chars + dest_at, src->combining_chars + src_at, num * sizeof(combining_type));
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/sprites.c b/kitty/sprites.c
index 7b7706c59..7ae1e5845 100644
--- a/kitty/sprites.c
+++ b/kitty/sprites.c
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ update_cell_range_data(ScreenModes *modes, SpriteMap *self, Line *line, unsigned
         data[offset] = sp->x;
         data[offset+1] = sp->y;
         data[offset+2] = sp->z;
-        data[offset+(reverse ? 4 : 3)] = to_color(color_profile, line->colors[i] & COL_MASK, default_fg);
-        data[offset+(reverse ? 3 : 4)] = to_color(color_profile, line->colors[i] >> COL_SHIFT, default_bg);
+        data[offset+(reverse ? 4 : 3)] = to_color(color_profile, line->fg_colors[i] & COL_MASK, default_fg);
+        data[offset+(reverse ? 3 : 4)] = to_color(color_profile, line->bg_colors[i] & COL_MASK, default_bg);
         unsigned int decoration_fg = to_color(color_profile, line->decoration_fg[i] & COL_MASK, data[offset+3]);
         data[offset+5] = (decoration_fg & COL_MASK) | (decoration << 24) | (strikethrough << 26);
         previous_ch = ch; previous_width = (attrs) & WIDTH_MASK;