diff --git a/kitty/graphics.c b/kitty/graphics.c
index 18872ea61..5edc0bdde 100644
--- a/kitty/graphics.c
+++ b/kitty/graphics.c
@@ -564,11 +564,11 @@ cmp_by_zindex_and_image(const void *a_, const void *b_) {
     return ans; 
 }
 
-void
+bool
 grman_update_layers(GraphicsManager *self, unsigned int scrolled_by, float screen_left, float screen_top, float dx, float dy, unsigned int num_cols, unsigned int num_rows) {
     if (self->last_scrolled_by != scrolled_by) self->layers_dirty = true;
     self->last_scrolled_by = scrolled_by;
-    if (!self->layers_dirty) return;
+    if (!self->layers_dirty) return false;
     self->layers_dirty = false;
     size_t i, j;
     self->num_of_negative_refs = 0; self->num_of_positive_refs = 0;
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ grman_update_layers(GraphicsManager *self, unsigned int scrolled_by, float scree
         rd->src_rect = ref->src_rect; rd->dest_rect = r;
         rd->texture_id = img->texture_id;
     }}
-    if (!self->count) return;
+    if (!self->count) return false;
     // Sort visible refs in draw order (z-index, img)
     qsort(self->render_data, self->count, sizeof(ImageRenderData), cmp_by_zindex_and_image);
     // Calculate the group counts
@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@ grman_update_layers(GraphicsManager *self, unsigned int scrolled_by, float scree
         }
         self->render_data[start].group_count = i - start;
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 // }}}
diff --git a/kitty/graphics.h b/kitty/graphics.h
index 08ed02e78..e5da9837d 100644
--- a/kitty/graphics.h
+++ b/kitty/graphics.h
@@ -78,4 +78,4 @@ PyTypeObject GraphicsManager_Type;
 GraphicsManager* grman_realloc(GraphicsManager *, index_type lines, index_type columns);
 void grman_clear(GraphicsManager*);
 const char* grman_handle_command(GraphicsManager *self, const GraphicsCommand *g, const uint8_t *payload, Cursor *c, bool *is_dirty);
-void grman_update_layers(GraphicsManager *self, unsigned int scrolled_by, float screen_left, float screen_top, float dx, float dy, unsigned int num_cols, unsigned int num_rows);
+bool grman_update_layers(GraphicsManager *self, unsigned int scrolled_by, float screen_left, float screen_top, float dx, float dy, unsigned int num_cols, unsigned int num_rows);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index c04c0f4b3..f50a2075e 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -287,7 +287,12 @@ cell_prepare_to_render(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat
         unmap_vao_buffer(vao_idx, selection_buffer); address = NULL;
     }
 
-    grman_update_layers(screen->grman, screen->scrolled_by, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, screen->columns, screen->lines);
+    if (grman_update_layers(screen->grman, screen->scrolled_by, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, screen->columns, screen->lines)) {
+        sz = sizeof(ImageRenderData) * screen->grman->count;
+        address = alloc_and_map_vao_buffer(vao_idx, sz, graphics_buffer, GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_WRITE_ONLY);
+        memcpy(address, screen->grman->render_data, sz);
+        unmap_vao_buffer(vao_idx, graphics_buffer); address = NULL;
+    }
 
     cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, cursor);