diff --git a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
index d6cc1f019..9bde0289e 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ layout(std140) uniform CellRenderData {
     uint color_table[256]; 
 };
 
-in uvec3 colors;
-in uvec4 sprite_coords;
+layout(location=0) in uvec3 colors;
+layout(location=1) in uvec4 sprite_coords;
+layout(location=2) in float is_selected;
 #if defined(FOREGROUND) || defined(ALL)
-in float is_selected;
 
 out vec3 sprite_pos;
 out vec3 underline_pos;
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ out vec3 strike_pos;
 out vec3 foreground;
 out vec3 decoration_fg;
 #endif
-#if defined SPECIAL
-in float is_selected;
-#endif
 out vec3 background;
 
 const uvec2 pos_map[] = uvec2[4](
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 66fa286c9..3f0d9f92c 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ destroy_sprite_map() {
 
 // Cell {{{
 
+#define CELL_BUFFERS enum { cell_data_buffer, selection_buffer, uniform_buffer };
+
 typedef struct {
     UniformBlock render_data;
     ArrayInformation color_table;
@@ -257,11 +259,11 @@ cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, G
     unmap_vao_buffer(vao_idx, uniform_buffer); rd = NULL;
 }
 
-static inline int
+static inline void
 cell_prepare_to_render(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, CursorRenderInfo *cursor) {
     size_t sz;
+    CELL_BUFFERS;
     void *address;
-    enum { cell_data_buffer, selection_buffer, uniform_buffer };
     if (screen->scroll_changed || screen->is_dirty) {
         sz = sizeof(Cell) * screen->lines * screen->columns;
         address = alloc_and_map_vao_buffer(vao_idx, sz, cell_data_buffer, GL_STREAM_DRAW, GL_WRITE_ONLY);
@@ -279,12 +281,13 @@ cell_prepare_to_render(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat
     cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, cursor);
     ensure_sprite_map();
     render_dirty_sprites(render_and_send_dirty_sprites);
-    return uniform_buffer;
+    bind_vao_uniform_buffer(vao_idx, uniform_buffer, cell_program_layouts[CELL_PROGRAM].render_data.index);
+    bind_vertex_array(vao_idx);
 }
 
 static void 
 draw_cells_impl(ssize_t vao_idx, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, Screen *screen, CursorRenderInfo *cursor) {
-    int uniform_buffer = cell_prepare_to_render(vao_idx, screen, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, cursor);
+    cell_prepare_to_render(vao_idx, screen, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, cursor);
 
     bind_program(CELL_PROGRAM); 
     static bool cell_constants_set = false;
@@ -292,8 +295,6 @@ draw_cells_impl(ssize_t vao_idx, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLf
         glUniform1i(glGetUniformLocation(program_id(CELL_PROGRAM), "sprites"), SPRITE_MAP_UNIT); check_gl(); 
         cell_constants_set = true; 
     }
-    bind_vao_uniform_buffer(vao_idx, uniform_buffer, cell_program_layouts[CELL_PROGRAM].render_data.index);
-    bind_vertex_array(vao_idx);
     glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
 }
 // }}}