diff --git a/grid.c b/grid.c
index af555e6d..25b0d016 100644
--- a/grid.c
+++ b/grid.c
@@ -675,8 +675,7 @@ grid_string_cells_code(const struct grid_cell *lastgc,
 {
 	int	oldc[64], newc[64], s[128];
 	size_t	noldc, nnewc, n, i;
-	u_int	attr = gc->attr;
-	u_int	lastattr = lastgc->attr;
+	u_int	attr = gc->attr, lastattr = lastgc->attr;
 	char	tmp[64];
 
 	struct {
@@ -708,23 +707,7 @@ grid_string_cells_code(const struct grid_cell *lastgc,
 			s[n++] = attrs[i].code;
 	}
 
-	/* If the foreground colour changed, append its parameters. */
-	nnewc = grid_string_cells_fg(gc, newc);
-	noldc = grid_string_cells_fg(lastgc, oldc);
-	if (nnewc != noldc || memcmp(newc, oldc, nnewc * sizeof newc[0]) != 0) {
-		for (i = 0; i < nnewc; i++)
-			s[n++] = newc[i];
-	}
-
-	/* If the background colour changed, append its parameters. */
-	nnewc = grid_string_cells_bg(gc, newc);
-	noldc = grid_string_cells_bg(lastgc, oldc);
-	if (nnewc != noldc || memcmp(newc, oldc, nnewc * sizeof newc[0]) != 0) {
-		for (i = 0; i < nnewc; i++)
-			s[n++] = newc[i];
-	}
-
-	/* If there are any parameters, append an SGR code. */
+	/* Write the attributes. */
 	*buf = '\0';
 	if (n > 0) {
 		if (escape_c0)
@@ -741,16 +724,56 @@ grid_string_cells_code(const struct grid_cell *lastgc,
 		strlcat(buf, "m", len);
 	}
 
+	/* If the foreground colour changed, write its parameters. */
+	nnewc = grid_string_cells_fg(gc, newc);
+	noldc = grid_string_cells_fg(lastgc, oldc);
+	if (nnewc != noldc ||
+	    memcmp(newc, oldc, nnewc * sizeof newc[0]) != 0 ||
+	    (n != 0 && s[0] == 0)) {
+		if (escape_c0)
+			strlcat(buf, "\\033[", len);
+		else
+			strlcat(buf, "\033[", len);
+		for (i = 0; i < nnewc; i++) {
+			if (i + 1 < nnewc)
+				xsnprintf(tmp, sizeof tmp, "%d;", newc[i]);
+			else
+				xsnprintf(tmp, sizeof tmp, "%d", newc[i]);
+			strlcat(buf, tmp, len);
+		}
+		strlcat(buf, "m", len);
+	}
+
+	/* If the background colour changed, append its parameters. */
+	nnewc = grid_string_cells_bg(gc, newc);
+	noldc = grid_string_cells_bg(lastgc, oldc);
+	if (nnewc != noldc ||
+	    memcmp(newc, oldc, nnewc * sizeof newc[0]) != 0 ||
+	    (n != 0 && s[0] == 0)) {
+		if (escape_c0)
+			strlcat(buf, "\\033[", len);
+		else
+			strlcat(buf, "\033[", len);
+		for (i = 0; i < nnewc; i++) {
+			if (i + 1 < nnewc)
+				xsnprintf(tmp, sizeof tmp, "%d;", newc[i]);
+			else
+				xsnprintf(tmp, sizeof tmp, "%d", newc[i]);
+			strlcat(buf, tmp, len);
+		}
+		strlcat(buf, "m", len);
+	}
+
 	/* Append shift in/shift out if needed. */
 	if ((attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET) && !(lastattr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET)) {
 		if (escape_c0)
-			strlcat(buf, "\\016", len);  /* SO */
+			strlcat(buf, "\\016", len); /* SO */
 		else
 			strlcat(buf, "\016", len);  /* SO */
 	}
 	if (!(attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET) && (lastattr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET)) {
 		if (escape_c0)
-			strlcat(buf, "\\017", len);  /* SI */
+			strlcat(buf, "\\017", len); /* SI */
 		else
 			strlcat(buf, "\017", len);  /* SI */
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index b9ee9516..829772c9 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1470,7 +1470,6 @@ void	proc_kill_peer(struct tmuxpeer *);
 
 /* cfg.c */
 extern int cfg_finished;
-extern struct client *cfg_client;
 void	start_cfg(void);
 int	load_cfg(const char *, struct client *, struct cmdq_item *, int);
 void	set_cfg_file(const char *);