diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 5896932e1..3adf9b461 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ To update |kitty|, :doc:`follow the instructions <binary>`.
 
 - Improve handling of infinite length ligatures in newer versions of FiraCode
   and CascadiaCode. Now such ligatures are detected based on glyph naming
-  convention, this removes the gap in the ligatures at cell boundaries (:iss:`2695`)
+  convention. This removes the gap in the ligatures at cell boundaries (:iss:`2695`)
 
 
 0.19.3 [2020-12-19]
diff --git a/kitty/fonts.c b/kitty/fonts.c
index 934ee9d24..074f35932 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.c
+++ b/kitty/fonts.c
@@ -667,9 +667,10 @@ render_alpha_mask(uint8_t *alpha_mask, pixel* dest, Region *src_rect, Region *de
         pixel *d = dest + dest_stride * dr;
         uint8_t *s = alpha_mask + src_stride * sr;
         for(size_t sc = src_rect->left, dc = dest_rect->left; sc < src_rect->right && dc < dest_rect->right; sc++, dc++) {
-            pixel val = d[dc];
+            uint8_t src_alpha = d[dc] & 0xff;
             uint8_t alpha = s[sc];
-            d[dc] = 0xffffff00 | MIN(0xffu, alpha + (val & 0xff));
+            uint8_t combined_alpha = MAX(alpha, src_alpha);
+            d[dc] = 0xffffff00 | MIN(0xffu, combined_alpha);
         }
     }
 }