diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 3a70eae4d..dac06045a 100755
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class VisualSelect:
         for wid in self.window_ids:
             w = boss.window_id_map.get(wid)
             if w is not None:
-                w.screen.set_window_number()
+                w.screen.set_window_char()
         return boss
 
 
@@ -867,6 +867,7 @@ class Boss:
         choose_msg: str,
         only_window_ids: Container[int] = ()
     ) -> None:
+        import string
         self.cancel_current_visual_select()
         tm = tab.tab_manager_ref()
         if tm is not None:
@@ -877,22 +878,24 @@ class Boss:
             return
         pending_sequences: SubSequenceMap = {}
         fmap = get_name_to_functional_number_map()
-        num = 0
+        alphabet = '0' + string.ascii_uppercase
         for idx, window in tab.windows.iter_windows_with_number(only_visible=True):
             if only_window_ids and window.id not in only_window_ids:
                 continue
             ac = KeyAction('visual_window_select_action_trigger', (window.id,))
-            num = idx + 1
-            is_last = num == 10
-            if is_last:
-                num = 0
-            window.screen.set_window_number(num)
+            if idx >= 9:
+                num = idx - 9
+                if num >= len(alphabet):
+                    break
+                ch = alphabet[num]
+            else:
+                ch = str(idx + 1)
+            window.screen.set_window_char(ch)
             self.current_visual_select.window_ids.append(window.id)
             for mods in (0, GLFW_MOD_CONTROL, GLFW_MOD_CONTROL | GLFW_MOD_SHIFT, GLFW_MOD_SUPER, GLFW_MOD_ALT, GLFW_MOD_SHIFT):
-                pending_sequences[(SingleKey(mods=mods, key=ord(str(num))),)] = ac
-                pending_sequences[(SingleKey(mods=mods, key=fmap[f'KP_{num}']),)] = ac
-            if is_last:
-                break
+                pending_sequences[(SingleKey(mods=mods, key=ord(ch.lower())),)] = ac
+                if ch in string.digits:
+                    pending_sequences[(SingleKey(mods=mods, key=fmap[f'KP_{ch}']),)] = ac
         if len(self.current_visual_select.window_ids) > 1:
             self.set_pending_sequences(pending_sequences, default_pending_action=KeyAction('visual_window_select_action_trigger', (0,)))
             redirect_mouse_handling(True)
diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index 1d5665f8c..c62bc74a6 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ class Screen:
     def ignore_bells_for(self, duration: float = 1) -> None:
         pass
 
-    def set_window_number(self, num: int = -1) -> None:
+    def set_window_char(self, ch: str = "") -> None:
         pass
 
     def current_key_encoding_flags(self) -> int:
diff --git a/kitty/freetype_render_ui_text.c b/kitty/freetype_render_ui_text.c
index 044f9e09d..040b80cf0 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype_render_ui_text.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype_render_ui_text.c
@@ -502,6 +502,14 @@ static void cleanup_resize(void *p) {
 }
 #define RESIZE_AFTER_FUNCTION __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_resize)))
 
+static void*
+report_freetype_error_for_char(int error, char ch, const char *operation) {
+    char buf[128];
+    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Failed to %s glyph for character: %c, with error: ", operation, ch);
+    set_freetype_error(buf, error);
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 uint8_t*
 render_single_ascii_char_as_mask(FreeTypeRenderCtx ctx_, const char ch, size_t *result_width, size_t *result_height) {
     RenderCtx *ctx = (RenderCtx*)ctx_;
@@ -518,10 +526,10 @@ render_single_ascii_char_as_mask(FreeTypeRenderCtx ctx_, const char ch, size_t *
     face->pixel_size = (FT_UInt)(face->pixel_size / ratio);
     if (face->pixel_size != temp.orig_sz) FT_Set_Pixel_Sizes(face->freetype, avail_height, avail_height);
     int error = FT_Load_Glyph(face->freetype, glyph_index, get_load_flags(face->hinting, face->hintstyle, FT_LOAD_DEFAULT));
-    if (error) { PyErr_Format(PyExc_Exception, "failed to load glyph for character: %c", ch); return NULL;}
+    if (error) return report_freetype_error_for_char(error, ch, "load");
     if (face->freetype->glyph->format != FT_GLYPH_FORMAT_BITMAP) {
         error = FT_Render_Glyph(face->freetype->glyph, FT_RENDER_MODE_NORMAL);
-        if (error) { PyErr_Format(PyExc_Exception, "failed to render glyph for character: %c", ch); return NULL;}
+        if (error) return report_freetype_error_for_char(error, ch, "render");
     }
     uint8_t *rendered = NULL;
     switch(face->freetype->glyph->bitmap.pixel_mode) {
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index f9817c2ac..3792915e1 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ screen_reset(Screen *self) {
     if (self->overlay_line.is_active) deactivate_overlay_line(self);
     memset(self->main_key_encoding_flags, 0, sizeof(self->main_key_encoding_flags));
     memset(self->alt_key_encoding_flags, 0, sizeof(self->alt_key_encoding_flags));
-    self->display_window_number = 0;
+    self->display_window_char = 0;
     self->prompt_settings.val = 0;
     self->last_graphic_char = 0;
     self->main_savepoint.is_valid = false;
@@ -2762,10 +2762,10 @@ reset_dirty(Screen *self, PyObject *a UNUSED) {
 }
 
 static PyObject*
-set_window_number(Screen *self, PyObject *a) {
-    int num = -1;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(a, "|i", &num)) return NULL;
-    self->display_window_number = MAX(0, num + 1);
+set_window_char(Screen *self, PyObject *a) {
+    const char *text = "";
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(a, "|s", &text)) return NULL;
+    self->display_window_char = text[0];
     self->is_dirty = true;
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
@@ -3590,7 +3590,7 @@ static PyMethodDef methods[] = {
     MND(draw, METH_O)
     MND(apply_sgr, METH_O)
     MND(cursor_position, METH_VARARGS)
-    MND(set_window_number, METH_VARARGS)
+    MND(set_window_char, METH_VARARGS)
     MND(set_mode, METH_VARARGS)
     MND(reset_mode, METH_VARARGS)
     MND(reset, METH_NOARGS)
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index 50c518e7c..863149cdc 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ typedef struct {
         };
         unsigned int val;
     } prompt_settings;
-    unsigned int display_window_number;
+    char display_window_char;
 } Screen;
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 7a5f17011..522e1fe8b 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -584,8 +584,10 @@ draw_window_number(OSWindow *os_window, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat
     GLfloat left = os_window->viewport_width * (xstart + 1.f) / 2.f;
     GLfloat right = left + os_window->viewport_width * width / 2.f;
     GLfloat title_bar_height = 0;
-    if (window->title && PyUnicode_Check(window->title)) title_bar_height = render_window_title(
-            os_window, screen, xstart, ystart, width, window, left, right);
+    size_t height_px = (size_t)(os_window->viewport_height * height / 2.f), width_px = 0;
+    if (window->title && PyUnicode_Check(window->title) && (height_px > (os_window->fonts_data->cell_height + 1) * 2)) {
+        title_bar_height = render_window_title(os_window, screen, xstart, ystart, width, window, left, right);
+    }
     if (title_bar_height > 0) {
         ystart -= title_bar_height;
         height -= title_bar_height;
@@ -593,9 +595,9 @@ draw_window_number(OSWindow *os_window, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat
     ystart -= dy / 2.f; height -= dy;  // top and bottom margins
     xstart += dx / 2.f; width -= dx;  // left and right margins
     GLfloat height_gl = MIN(MIN(12 * dy, height), width);
-    size_t height_px = (unsigned)(os_window->viewport_height * height_gl / 2.f), width_px = 0;
+    height_px = (size_t)(os_window->viewport_height * height_gl / 2.f);
     if (height_px < 4) return;
-    FREE_AFTER_FUNCTION uint8_t *canvas = draw_single_ascii_char('a', &width_px, &height_px);
+    FREE_AFTER_FUNCTION uint8_t *canvas = draw_single_ascii_char(screen->display_window_char, &width_px, &height_px);
     if (height_px < 4 || width_px < 4 || !canvas) return;
     GLfloat width_gl = 2.f * ((float)width_px) / os_window->viewport_width;
     left = xstart + (width - width_gl) / 2.f;
@@ -845,7 +847,7 @@ draw_cells(ssize_t vao_idx, ssize_t gvao_idx, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GL
         if (intensity > 0.0f) draw_visual_bell_flash(intensity, xstart, ystart, w, h, screen);
     }
 
-    if (window && screen->display_window_number) draw_window_number(os_window, screen, xstart, ystart, w, h, window, dx, dy);
+    if (window && screen->display_window_char) draw_window_number(os_window, screen, xstart, ystart, w, h, window, dx, dy);
 }
 // }}}