diff --git a/kitty/line.c b/kitty/line.c
index dcf1ecb7b..9f3894317 100644
--- a/kitty/line.c
+++ b/kitty/line.c
@@ -583,6 +583,27 @@ left_shift(Line *self, PyObject *args) {
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static color_type
+resolve_color(ColorProfile *cp, color_type val, color_type defval) {
+    switch(val & 0xff) {
+        case 1:
+            return cp->color_table[(val >> 8) & 0xff];
+        case 2:
+            return val >> 8;
+        default:
+            return defval;
+    }
+}
+
+bool
+colors_for_cell(Line *self, ColorProfile *cp, index_type *x, color_type *fg, color_type *bg) {
+    if (*x >= self->xnum) return false;
+    if (*x > 0 && !self->gpu_cells[*x].attrs.width && self->gpu_cells[*x-1].attrs.width == 2) (*x)--;
+    *fg = resolve_color(cp, self->gpu_cells[*x].fg, *fg);
+    *bg = resolve_color(cp, self->gpu_cells[*x].bg, *bg);
+    return true;
+}
+
 char_type
 line_get_char(Line *self, index_type at) {
     char_type ch = self->cpu_cells[at].ch;
diff --git a/kitty/lineops.h b/kitty/lineops.h
index 3dd040165..578a2e29d 100644
--- a/kitty/lineops.h
+++ b/kitty/lineops.h
@@ -119,3 +119,4 @@ void historybuf_clear(HistoryBuf *self);
 void mark_text_in_line(PyObject *marker, Line *line);
 bool line_has_mark(Line *, uint16_t mark);
 PyObject* as_text_generic(PyObject *args, void *container, get_line_func get_line, index_type lines, ANSIBuf *ansibuf);
+bool colors_for_cell(Line *self, ColorProfile *cp, index_type *x, color_type *fg, color_type *bg);
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 8a8d61bb3..f9817c2ac 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -1509,28 +1509,6 @@ screen_fake_move_cursor_to_position(Screen *self, index_type x, index_type y) {
     return count > 0;
 }
 
-static color_type
-resolve_color(ColorProfile *cp, color_type val, color_type defval) {
-    switch(val & 0xff) {
-        case 1:
-            return cp->color_table[(val >> 8) & 0xff];
-        case 2:
-            return val >> 8;
-        default:
-            return defval;
-    }
-}
-
-bool
-resolve_cell_colors(Screen *self, index_type x, index_type y, color_type *fg, color_type *bg, color_type default_fg, color_type default_bg) {
-    if (x < self->columns && y < self->lines) {
-        linebuf_init_line(self->linebuf, y);
-        GPUCell *g = self->linebuf->line->gpu_cells + x;
-        *fg = resolve_color(self->color_profile, g->fg, default_fg);
-        *bg = resolve_color(self->color_profile, g->bg, default_bg);
-        return true;
-    } else { *fg = 0; *bg = 0; return false; }
-}
 // }}}
 
 // Editing {{{
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index 86352f636..50c518e7c 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ void screen_report_key_encoding_flags(Screen *self);
 bool screen_detect_url(Screen *screen, unsigned int x, unsigned int y);
 int screen_cursor_at_a_shell_prompt(const Screen *);
 bool screen_fake_move_cursor_to_position(Screen *, index_type x, index_type y);
-bool resolve_cell_colors(Screen *self, index_type x, index_type y, color_type *fg, color_type *bg, color_type default_fg, color_type default_bg);
 #define DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(name) void screen_##name(Screen *screen);
 DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(bell)
 DECLARE_CH_SCREEN_HANDLER(backspace)
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 110bfc2d4..9c329d899 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -291,8 +291,12 @@ cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, G
                     rd->cursor_fg_sprite_idx = UNDERLINE_IDX; break;
             }
         } else rd->cursor_fg_sprite_idx = UNFOCUSED_IDX;
-        color_type cell_fg, cell_bg;
-        resolve_cell_colors(screen, screen->cursor->x, screen->cursor->y, &cell_fg, &cell_bg, rd->default_fg, rd->default_bg);
+        color_type cell_fg = rd->default_fg, cell_bg = rd->default_bg;
+        if (screen->cursor->y < screen->lines) {
+            linebuf_init_line(screen->linebuf, screen->cursor->y);
+            index_type x = screen->cursor->x;
+            colors_for_cell(screen->linebuf->line, screen->color_profile, &x, &cell_fg, &cell_bg);
+        }
         if (screen->color_profile->overridden.cursor_color.type == COLOR_IS_INDEX || screen->color_profile->overridden.cursor_color.type == COLOR_IS_RGB) {
             // since the program is controlling the cursor color we hope it has chosen one
             // that has good contrast with the text color of the cell