diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index 9cbb9c2a..0842f638 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -348,7 +348,6 @@ cfg_show_causes(struct session *s)
 		return;
 	wp = s->curw->window->active;
 
-	window_pane_set_mode(wp, &window_copy_mode, NULL, NULL);
 	window_copy_init_for_output(wp);
 	for (i = 0; i < cfg_ncauses; i++) {
 		window_copy_add(wp, "%s", cfg_causes[i]);
diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index ec65bd80..ccb25c9a 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -426,12 +426,7 @@ cmdq_print(struct cmdq_item *item, const char *fmt, ...)
 		server_client_push_stdout(c);
 	} else {
 		w = c->session->curw->window;
-		if (w->active->mode != &window_copy_mode) {
-			window_pane_reset_mode(w->active);
-			window_pane_set_mode(w->active, &window_copy_mode, NULL,
-			    NULL);
-			window_copy_init_for_output(w->active);
-		}
+		window_copy_init_for_output(w->active);
 		window_copy_vadd(w->active, fmt, ap);
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index 47fceafe..998ffcd8 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -75,10 +75,8 @@ cmd_run_shell_print(struct job *job, const char *msg)
 			return;
 	}
 
-	if (window_pane_set_mode(wp, &window_copy_mode, NULL, NULL) == 0)
-		window_copy_init_for_output(wp);
-	if (wp->mode == &window_copy_mode)
-		window_copy_add(wp, "%s", msg);
+	window_copy_init_for_output(wp);
+	window_copy_add(wp, "%s", msg);
 }
 
 static enum cmd_retval
diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index ed36efc0..a79e3bf4 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -263,6 +263,12 @@ window_copy_init_for_output(struct window_pane *wp)
 {
 	struct window_copy_mode_data	*data = wp->modedata;
 
+	if (wp->mode == &window_copy_mode && data->backing != &wp->base)
+		return;
+	window_pane_reset_mode(wp);
+	window_pane_set_mode(wp, &window_copy_mode, NULL, NULL);
+
+	data = wp->modedata;
 	data->backing = xmalloc(sizeof *data->backing);
 	screen_init(data->backing, screen_size_x(&wp->base),
 	    screen_size_y(&wp->base), UINT_MAX);