diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 81c9c2fc..12bfddf5 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ dist_tmux_SOURCES = \
 	tmux.h \
 	tmux-protocol.h \
 	tty-acs.c \
+	tty-draw.c \
 	tty-features.c \
 	tty-keys.c \
 	tty-term.c \
diff --git a/grid.c b/grid.c
index 7ad6770b..edfbe494 100644
--- a/grid.c
+++ b/grid.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ grid_check_y(struct grid *gd, const char *from, u_int py)
 int
 grid_cells_look_equal(const struct grid_cell *gc1, const struct grid_cell *gc2)
 {
-	int flags1 = gc1->flags, flags2 = gc2->flags;;
+	int flags1 = gc1->flags, flags2 = gc2->flags;
 
 	if (gc1->fg != gc2->fg || gc1->bg != gc2->bg)
 		return (0);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 1917ee19..33da541a 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2522,6 +2522,8 @@ void	tty_reset(struct tty *);
 void	tty_region_off(struct tty *);
 void	tty_margin_off(struct tty *);
 void	tty_cursor(struct tty *, u_int, u_int);
+int	tty_fake_bce(const struct tty *, const struct grid_cell *, u_int);
+void	tty_repeat_space(struct tty *, u_int);
 void	tty_clipboard_query(struct tty *);
 void	tty_putcode(struct tty *, enum tty_code_code);
 void	tty_putcode_i(struct tty *, enum tty_code_code, int);
@@ -2546,7 +2548,11 @@ void	tty_repeat_requests(struct tty *, int);
 void	tty_stop_tty(struct tty *);
 void	tty_set_title(struct tty *, const char *);
 void	tty_set_path(struct tty *, const char *);
+void	tty_default_attributes(struct tty *, const struct grid_cell *,
+	    struct colour_palette *, u_int, struct hyperlinks *);
 void	tty_update_mode(struct tty *, int, struct screen *);
+
+/* tty-draw.c */
 void	tty_draw_line(struct tty *, struct screen *, u_int, u_int, u_int,
 	    u_int, u_int, const struct grid_cell *, struct colour_palette *);
 
diff --git a/tty-draw.c b/tty-draw.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d79325c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tty-draw.c
@@ -0,0 +1,302 @@
+/* $OpenBSD$ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+ * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+ * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+ * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF MIND, USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER
+ * IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "tmux.h"
+
+enum tty_draw_line_state {
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_FIRST,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_FLUSH,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_NEW1,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_NEW2,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_EMPTY,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_SAME,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_PAD,
+	TTY_DRAW_LINE_DONE
+};
+static const char* tty_draw_line_states[] = {
+	"FIRST",
+	"FLUSH",
+	"NEW1",
+	"NEW2",
+	"EMPTY",
+	"SAME",
+	"PAD",
+	"DONE"
+};
+
+/* Clear part of the line. */
+static void
+tty_draw_line_clear(struct tty *tty, u_int px, u_int py, u_int nx,
+    const struct grid_cell *defaults, u_int bg, int wrapped)
+{
+	/* Nothing to clear. */
+	if (nx == 0)
+		return;
+
+	/* If genuine BCE is available, can try escape sequences. */
+	if (!wrapped && nx >= 10 && !tty_fake_bce(tty, defaults, bg)) {
+		/* Off the end of the line, use EL if available. */
+		if (px + nx >= tty->sx && tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_EL)) {
+			tty_cursor(tty, px, py);
+			tty_putcode(tty, TTYC_EL);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		/* At the start of the line. Use EL1. */
+		if (px == 0 && tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_EL1)) {
+			tty_cursor(tty, px + nx - 1, py);
+			tty_putcode(tty, TTYC_EL1);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		/* Section of line. Use ECH if possible. */
+		if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_ECH)) {
+			tty_cursor(tty, px, py);
+			tty_putcode_i(tty, TTYC_ECH, nx);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+        /* Couldn't use an escape sequence, use spaces. */
+	if (px != 0 || !wrapped)
+		tty_cursor(tty, px, py);
+	if (nx == 1)
+		tty_putc(tty, ' ');
+	else if (nx == 2)
+		tty_putn(tty, "  ", 2, 2);
+	else
+		tty_repeat_space(tty, nx);
+}
+
+/* Is this cell empty? */
+static u_int
+tty_draw_line_get_empty(struct grid_cell *gc, u_int nx)
+{
+	u_int	empty = 0;
+
+	if (gc->data.width != 1 && gc->data.width > nx)
+		empty = nx;
+	else if (gc->attr == 0 && gc->link == 0) {
+		if (gc->flags & GRID_FLAG_CLEARED)
+			empty = 1;
+		else if (gc->flags & GRID_FLAG_TAB)
+			empty = gc->data.width;
+		else if (gc->data.size == 1 && *gc->data.data == ' ')
+			empty = 1;
+	}
+	return (empty);
+}
+
+/* Draw a line from screen to tty. */
+void
+tty_draw_line(struct tty *tty, struct screen *s, u_int px, u_int py, u_int nx,
+    u_int atx, u_int aty, const struct grid_cell *defaults,
+    struct colour_palette *palette)
+{
+	struct grid		*gd = s->grid;
+	struct grid_cell	 gc, last;
+	struct grid_line	*gl;
+	u_int			 i, j, last_i, cx, ex, width;
+	u_int			 cellsize, bg;
+	int			 flags, empty, wrapped = 0;
+	char			 buf[1000];
+	size_t			 len;
+	enum tty_draw_line_state current_state, next_state;
+
+	/*
+	 * py is the line in the screen to draw. px is the start x and nx is
+	 * the width to draw. atx,aty is the line on the terminal to draw it.
+	 */
+	log_debug("%s: px=%u py=%u nx=%u atx=%u aty=%u", __func__, px, py, nx,
+	    atx, aty);
+
+	/*
+	 * Clamp the width to cellsize - note this is not cellused, because
+	 * there may be empty background cells after it (from BCE).
+	 */
+	cellsize = grid_get_line(gd, gd->hsize + py)->cellsize;
+	if (screen_size_x(s) > cellsize)
+		ex = cellsize;
+	else {
+		ex = screen_size_x(s);
+		if (px > ex)
+			return;
+		if (px + nx > ex)
+			nx = ex - px;
+	}
+	if (ex < nx)
+		ex = nx;
+	log_debug("%s: drawing %u-%u,%u (end %u) at %u,%u; defaults: fg=%d, "
+	    "bg=%d", __func__, px, px + nx, py, ex, atx, aty, defaults->fg,
+	    defaults->bg);
+
+	/*
+	 * If there is padding at the start, we must have truncated a wide
+	 * character. Clear it.
+	 */
+	cx = 0;
+	for (i = px; i < px + nx; i++) {
+		grid_view_get_cell(gd, i, py, &gc);
+		if (~gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
+			break;
+		cx++;
+	}
+	if (cx != 0) {
+		/* Find the previous cell for the background colour. */
+		for (i = px + 1; i > 0; i--) {
+			grid_view_get_cell(gd, i - 1, py, &gc);
+			if (~gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
+				break;
+		}
+		if (i == 0)
+			bg = gc.bg;
+		else
+			bg = defaults->bg;
+		tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette, s->hyperlinks);
+		log_debug("%s: clearing %u padding cells", __func__, cx);
+		tty_draw_line_clear(tty, atx, aty, cx, defaults, bg, 0);
+		if (cx == ex)
+			return;
+		atx += cx;
+		px += cx;
+		nx -= cx;
+		ex -= cx;
+	}
+
+	/* Did the previous line wrap on to this one? */
+	if (py != 0 && atx == 0 && tty->cx >= tty->sx && nx == tty->sx) {
+		gl = grid_get_line(gd, gd->hsize + py - 1);
+		if (gl->flags & GRID_LINE_WRAPPED)
+			wrapped = 1;
+	}
+
+	/* Turn off cursor while redrawing and reset region and margins. */
+	flags = (tty->flags & TTY_NOCURSOR);
+	tty->flags |= TTY_NOCURSOR;
+	tty_update_mode(tty, tty->mode, s);
+	tty_region_off(tty);
+	tty_margin_off(tty);
+
+	/* Start with the default cell as the last cell. */
+	memcpy(&last, &grid_default_cell, sizeof last);
+	last.bg = defaults->bg;
+	tty_default_attributes(tty, defaults, palette, 8, s->hyperlinks);
+
+	/* Loop over each character in the range. */
+	last_i = i = 0;
+	len = 0;
+	width = 0;
+	current_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_FIRST;
+	for (;;) {
+		/* Work out the next state. */
+		if (i == nx) {
+			/*
+			 * If this is the last cell, we are done. But we need to
+			 * go through the loop again to flush anything in
+			 * the buffer.
+			 */
+			empty = 0;
+			next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_DONE;
+		} else {
+			/* Get the current cell. */
+			grid_view_get_cell(gd, px + i, py, &gc);
+
+			/* Work out the the empty width. */
+			if (i >= ex)
+				empty = 1;
+			else
+				empty = tty_draw_line_get_empty(&gc, nx - i);
+
+			/* Work out the next state. */
+			if (empty != 0)
+				next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_EMPTY;
+			else if (current_state == TTY_DRAW_LINE_FIRST)
+				next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_SAME;
+			else if (gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
+				next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_PAD;
+			else if (grid_cells_look_equal(&gc, &last)) {
+				if (gc.data.size > (sizeof buf) - len)
+					next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_FLUSH;
+				else
+					next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_SAME;
+			} else if (current_state == TTY_DRAW_LINE_NEW1)
+				next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_NEW2;
+			else
+				next_state = TTY_DRAW_LINE_NEW1;
+		}
+		log_debug("%s: cell %u empty %u, bg %u; state: current %s, "
+		    "next %s", __func__, px + i, empty, gc.bg,
+		    tty_draw_line_states[current_state],
+		    tty_draw_line_states[next_state]);
+
+		/* If the state has changed, flush any collected data. */
+		if (next_state != current_state) {
+			if (current_state == TTY_DRAW_LINE_EMPTY) {
+				tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette,
+				    s->hyperlinks);
+				tty_draw_line_clear(tty, atx + last_i, aty,
+				    i - last_i, defaults, last.bg, wrapped);
+				wrapped = 0;
+			} else if (next_state != TTY_DRAW_LINE_SAME &&
+			    len != 0) {
+				tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette,
+				    s->hyperlinks);
+				if (atx + i - width != 0 || !wrapped)
+					tty_cursor(tty, atx + i - width, aty);
+				if (~last.attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET)
+					tty_putn(tty, buf, len, width);
+				else {
+					for (j = 0; j < len; j++)
+						tty_putc(tty, buf[j]);
+				}
+				len = 0;
+				width = 0;
+				wrapped = 0;
+			}
+			last_i = i;
+		}
+
+		/* Append the cell if it is not empty and not padding. */
+		if (next_state != TTY_DRAW_LINE_EMPTY &&
+		    next_state != TTY_DRAW_LINE_PAD) {
+			memcpy(buf + len, gc.data.data, gc.data.size);
+			len += gc.data.size;
+			width += gc.data.width;
+		}
+
+		/* If this is the last cell, we are done. */
+		if (next_state == TTY_DRAW_LINE_DONE)
+			break;
+
+		/* Otherwise move to the next. */
+		current_state = next_state;
+		memcpy(&last, &gc, sizeof last);
+		if (empty != 0)
+			i += empty;
+		else
+			i++;
+	}
+
+	tty->flags = (tty->flags & ~TTY_NOCURSOR)|flags;
+	tty_update_mode(tty, tty->mode, s);
+}
+
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index 72debdcc..bc1df836 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -61,15 +61,10 @@ static void	tty_region(struct tty *, u_int, u_int);
 static void	tty_margin_pane(struct tty *, const struct tty_ctx *);
 static void	tty_margin(struct tty *, u_int, u_int);
 static int	tty_large_region(struct tty *, const struct tty_ctx *);
-static int	tty_fake_bce(const struct tty *, const struct grid_cell *,
-		    u_int);
 static void	tty_redraw_region(struct tty *, const struct tty_ctx *);
 static void	tty_emulate_repeat(struct tty *, enum tty_code_code,
 		    enum tty_code_code, u_int);
-static void	tty_repeat_space(struct tty *, u_int);
 static void	tty_draw_pane(struct tty *, const struct tty_ctx *, u_int);
-static void	tty_default_attributes(struct tty *, const struct grid_cell *,
-		    struct colour_palette *, u_int, struct hyperlinks *);
 static int	tty_check_overlay(struct tty *, u_int, u_int);
 static void	tty_check_overlay_range(struct tty *, u_int, u_int, u_int,
 		    struct overlay_ranges *);
@@ -912,7 +907,7 @@ tty_emulate_repeat(struct tty *tty, enum tty_code_code code,
 	}
 }
 
-static void
+void
 tty_repeat_space(struct tty *tty, u_int n)
 {
 	static char s[500];
@@ -1071,7 +1066,7 @@ tty_large_region(__unused struct tty *tty, const struct tty_ctx *ctx)
  * Return if BCE is needed but the terminal doesn't have it - it'll need to be
  * emulated.
  */
-static int
+int
 tty_fake_bce(const struct tty *tty, const struct grid_cell *gc, u_int bg)
 {
 	if (tty_term_flag(tty->term, TTYC_BCE))
@@ -1463,191 +1458,6 @@ tty_check_overlay_range(struct tty *tty, u_int px, u_int py, u_int nx,
 	c->overlay_check(c, c->overlay_data, px, py, nx, r);
 }
 
-void
-tty_draw_line(struct tty *tty, struct screen *s, u_int px, u_int py, u_int nx,
-    u_int atx, u_int aty, const struct grid_cell *defaults,
-    struct colour_palette *palette)
-{
-	struct grid		*gd = s->grid;
-	struct grid_cell	 gc, last;
-	const struct grid_cell	*gcp;
-	struct grid_line	*gl;
-	struct client		*c = tty->client;
-	struct overlay_ranges	 r;
-	u_int			 i, j, ux, sx, width, hidden, eux, nxx;
-	u_int			 cellsize;
-	int			 flags, cleared = 0, wrapped = 0;
-	char			 buf[512];
-	size_t			 len;
-
-	log_debug("%s: px=%u py=%u nx=%u atx=%u aty=%u", __func__,
-	    px, py, nx, atx, aty);
-	log_debug("%s: defaults: fg=%d, bg=%d", __func__, defaults->fg,
-	    defaults->bg);
-
-	/*
-	 * py is the line in the screen to draw.
-	 * px is the start x and nx is the width to draw.
-	 * atx,aty is the line on the terminal to draw it.
-	 */
-
-	flags = (tty->flags & TTY_NOCURSOR);
-	tty->flags |= TTY_NOCURSOR;
-	tty_update_mode(tty, tty->mode, s);
-
-	tty_region_off(tty);
-	tty_margin_off(tty);
-
-	/*
-	 * Clamp the width to cellsize - note this is not cellused, because
-	 * there may be empty background cells after it (from BCE).
-	 */
-	sx = screen_size_x(s);
-	if (nx > sx)
-		nx = sx;
-	cellsize = grid_get_line(gd, gd->hsize + py)->cellsize;
-	if (sx > cellsize)
-		sx = cellsize;
-	if (sx > tty->sx)
-		sx = tty->sx;
-	if (sx > nx)
-		sx = nx;
-	ux = 0;
-
-	if (py == 0)
-		gl = NULL;
-	else
-		gl = grid_get_line(gd, gd->hsize + py - 1);
-	if (gl == NULL ||
-	    (~gl->flags & GRID_LINE_WRAPPED) ||
-	    atx != 0 ||
-	    tty->cx < tty->sx ||
-	    nx < tty->sx) {
-		if (nx < tty->sx &&
-		    atx == 0 &&
-		    px + sx != nx &&
-		    tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_EL1) &&
-		    !tty_fake_bce(tty, defaults, 8) &&
-		    c->overlay_check == NULL) {
-			tty_default_attributes(tty, defaults, palette, 8,
-			    s->hyperlinks);
-			tty_cursor(tty, nx - 1, aty);
-			tty_putcode(tty, TTYC_EL1);
-			cleared = 1;
-		}
-	} else {
-		log_debug("%s: wrapped line %u", __func__, aty);
-		wrapped = 1;
-	}
-
-	memcpy(&last, &grid_default_cell, sizeof last);
-	len = 0;
-	width = 0;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < sx; i++) {
-		grid_view_get_cell(gd, px + i, py, &gc);
-		gcp = tty_check_codeset(tty, &gc);
-		if (len != 0 &&
-		    (!tty_check_overlay(tty, atx + ux + width, aty) ||
-		    (gcp->attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET) ||
-		    gcp->flags != last.flags ||
-		    gcp->attr != last.attr ||
-		    gcp->fg != last.fg ||
-		    gcp->bg != last.bg ||
-		    gcp->us != last.us ||
-		    gcp->link != last.link ||
-		    ux + width + gcp->data.width > nx ||
-		    (sizeof buf) - len < gcp->data.size)) {
-			tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette,
-			    s->hyperlinks);
-			if (last.flags & GRID_FLAG_CLEARED) {
-				log_debug("%s: %zu cleared", __func__, len);
-				tty_clear_line(tty, defaults, aty, atx + ux,
-				    width, last.bg);
-			} else {
-				if (!wrapped || atx != 0 || ux != 0)
-					tty_cursor(tty, atx + ux, aty);
-				tty_putn(tty, buf, len, width);
-			}
-			ux += width;
-
-			len = 0;
-			width = 0;
-			wrapped = 0;
-		}
-
-		if (gcp->flags & GRID_FLAG_SELECTED)
-			screen_select_cell(s, &last, gcp);
-		else
-			memcpy(&last, gcp, sizeof last);
-
-		tty_check_overlay_range(tty, atx + ux, aty, gcp->data.width,
-		    &r);
-		hidden = 0;
-		for (j = 0; j < OVERLAY_MAX_RANGES; j++)
-			hidden += r.nx[j];
-		hidden = gcp->data.width - hidden;
-		if (hidden != 0 && hidden == gcp->data.width) {
-			if (~gcp->flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
-				ux += gcp->data.width;
-		} else if (hidden != 0 || ux + gcp->data.width > nx) {
-			if (~gcp->flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING) {
-				tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette,
-				    s->hyperlinks);
-				for (j = 0; j < OVERLAY_MAX_RANGES; j++) {
-					if (r.nx[j] == 0)
-						continue;
-					/* Effective width drawn so far. */
-					eux = r.px[j] - atx;
-					if (eux < nx) {
-						tty_cursor(tty, r.px[j], aty);
-						nxx = nx - eux;
-						if (r.nx[j] > nxx)
-							r.nx[j] = nxx;
-						tty_repeat_space(tty, r.nx[j]);
-						ux = eux + r.nx[j];
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		} else if (gcp->attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET) {
-			tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette,
-			    s->hyperlinks);
-			tty_cursor(tty, atx + ux, aty);
-			for (j = 0; j < gcp->data.size; j++)
-				tty_putc(tty, gcp->data.data[j]);
-			ux += gcp->data.width;
-		} else if (~gcp->flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING) {
-			memcpy(buf + len, gcp->data.data, gcp->data.size);
-			len += gcp->data.size;
-			width += gcp->data.width;
-		}
-	}
-	if (len != 0 && ((~last.flags & GRID_FLAG_CLEARED) || last.bg != 8)) {
-		tty_attributes(tty, &last, defaults, palette, s->hyperlinks);
-		if (last.flags & GRID_FLAG_CLEARED) {
-			log_debug("%s: %zu cleared (end)", __func__, len);
-			tty_clear_line(tty, defaults, aty, atx + ux, width,
-			    last.bg);
-		} else {
-			if (!wrapped || atx != 0 || ux != 0)
-				tty_cursor(tty, atx + ux, aty);
-			tty_putn(tty, buf, len, width);
-		}
-		ux += width;
-	}
-
-	if (!cleared && ux < nx) {
-		log_debug("%s: %u to end of line (%zu cleared)", __func__,
-		    nx - ux, len);
-		tty_default_attributes(tty, defaults, palette, 8,
-		    s->hyperlinks);
-		tty_clear_line(tty, defaults, aty, atx + ux, nx - ux, 8);
-	}
-
-	tty->flags = (tty->flags & ~TTY_NOCURSOR) | flags;
-	tty_update_mode(tty, tty->mode, s);
-}
-
 #ifdef ENABLE_SIXEL
 /* Update context for client. */
 static int
@@ -3203,7 +3013,7 @@ tty_default_colours(struct grid_cell *gc, struct window_pane *wp)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
+void
 tty_default_attributes(struct tty *tty, const struct grid_cell *defaults,
     struct colour_palette *palette, u_int bg, struct hyperlinks *hl)
 {