diff --git a/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl b/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
index b92390081..f42a2adf1 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ in vec3 foreground;
 in vec3 decoration_fg;
 #endif
 in vec3 background;
+#ifdef SPECIAL
+in vec4 special_bg;
+#endif
 
 out vec4 final_color;
 
@@ -27,13 +30,20 @@ void main() {
     vec3 decoration = blend(underline_alpha, underline, strike);
     vec3 combined_fg = blend(text_alpha, fg, decoration);
     float combined_alpha = max(max(underline_alpha, strike_alpha), text_alpha);
+
 #ifdef ALL
     final_color = vec4(blend(combined_alpha, combined_fg, background), 1);
 #else
     final_color = vec4(combined_fg, combined_alpha);
 #endif
 
+#else
+
+#ifdef SPECIAL
+    final_color = special_bg;
 #else
     final_color = vec4(background, 1);
 #endif
+
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
index 9bde0289e..242431814 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ out vec3 foreground;
 out vec3 decoration_fg;
 #endif
 out vec3 background;
+#ifdef SPECIAL
+out vec4 special_bg;
+#endif
 
 const uvec2 pos_map[] = uvec2[4](
     uvec2(1, 0),  // right, top
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ void main() {
     int fg_index = color_indices[(text_attrs >> 6) & REVERSE_MASK];
     int bg_index = color_indices[1 - fg_index];
     background = to_color(colors[bg_index], default_colors[bg_index]);
+
 #if defined(FOREGROUND) || defined(ALL)
     // The character sprite being rendered
     sprite_pos = to_sprite_pos(pos, sprite_coords.x, sprite_coords.y, sprite_coords.z & SHORT_MASK);
@@ -131,13 +135,16 @@ void main() {
     cursor = is_cursor(c, r);
     foreground = choose_color(cursor, background, foreground);
     decoration_fg = choose_color(cursor, background, decoration_fg);
-#if defined(SPECIAL) || defined(ALL)
-#ifdef SPECIAL
-    cursor = is_cursor(c, r);
 #endif
+
+#if defined(ALL)
     // Selection and cursor
     background = choose_color(is_selected, color_to_vec(highlight_bg), background);
     background = choose_color(cursor, color_to_vec(cursor_color), background);
-#endif
+#elif defined(SPECIAL)
+    cursor = is_cursor(c, r);
+    background = choose_color(is_selected, color_to_vec(highlight_bg), background);
+    background = choose_color(cursor, color_to_vec(cursor_color), background);
+    special_bg = vec4(background, max(cursor, is_selected));
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 7c51073d5..1582a3c8f 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -300,10 +300,21 @@ draw_all_cells(Screen *screen) {
     glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
 }
 
+static void
+draw_cells_interleaved(Screen *screen) {
+    bind_program(CELL_BACKGROUND_PROGRAM); 
+    glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
+    bind_program(CELL_SPECIAL_PROGRAM); 
+    glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
+    bind_program(CELL_FOREGROUND_PROGRAM); 
+    glDrawArraysInstanced(GL_TRIANGLE_FAN, 0, 4, screen->lines * screen->columns); check_gl();
+}
+
 static void 
 draw_cells_impl(ssize_t vao_idx, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, Screen *screen, CursorRenderInfo *cursor) {
     cell_prepare_to_render(vao_idx, screen, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, cursor);
-    draw_all_cells(screen);
+    if (false) draw_cells_interleaved(screen);
+    else draw_all_cells(screen);
 
 }
 // }}}