diff --git a/screen-write.c b/screen-write.c
index 3a1fc8c8..1767d9bb 100644
--- a/screen-write.c
+++ b/screen-write.c
@@ -1141,12 +1141,8 @@ screen_write_cell(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, const struct grid_cell *gc)
 
 	/* Write to the screen. */
 	if (selected) {
-		memcpy(&tmp_gc, &s->sel.cell, sizeof tmp_gc);
-		utf8_copy(&tmp_gc.data, &gc->data);
-		tmp_gc.attr = tmp_gc.attr & ~GRID_ATTR_CHARSET;
-		tmp_gc.attr |= gc->attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET;
-		tmp_gc.flags = gc->flags;
 		screen_write_flush(ctx);
+		screen_select_cell(s, &tmp_gc, gc);
 		ttyctx.cell = &tmp_gc;
 		tty_write(tty_cmd_cell, &ttyctx);
 		ctx->written++;
diff --git a/screen.c b/screen.c
index 7bde6f9b..3d6b8cdc 100644
--- a/screen.c
+++ b/screen.c
@@ -371,6 +371,22 @@ screen_check_selection(struct screen *s, u_int px, u_int py)
 	return (1);
 }
 
+/* Get selected grid cell. */
+void
+screen_select_cell(struct screen *s, struct grid_cell *dst,
+    const struct grid_cell *src)
+{
+	if (!s->sel.flag)
+		return;
+
+	memcpy(dst, &s->sel.cell, sizeof *dst);
+
+	utf8_copy(&dst->data, &src->data);
+	dst->attr = dst->attr & ~GRID_ATTR_CHARSET;
+	dst->attr |= src->attr & GRID_ATTR_CHARSET;
+	dst->flags = src->flags;
+}
+
 /* Reflow wrapped lines. */
 static void
 screen_reflow(struct screen *s, u_int new_x)
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 64393edd..dc5e8712 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2060,6 +2060,8 @@ void	 screen_set_selection(struct screen *,
 	     u_int, u_int, u_int, u_int, u_int, struct grid_cell *);
 void	 screen_clear_selection(struct screen *);
 int	 screen_check_selection(struct screen *, u_int, u_int);
+void	 screen_select_cell(struct screen *, struct grid_cell *,
+	     const struct grid_cell *);
 
 /* window.c */
 extern struct windows windows;
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index d8702a2f..c4adfe82 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ void
 tty_draw_line(struct tty *tty, const struct window_pane *wp,
     struct screen *s, u_int py, u_int ox, u_int oy)
 {
-	struct grid_cell	 gc;
+	struct grid_cell	 gc, tmp_gc;
 	struct grid_line	*gl;
 	u_int			 i, sx;
 	int			 flags;
@@ -687,7 +687,11 @@ tty_draw_line(struct tty *tty, const struct window_pane *wp,
 
 	for (i = 0; i < sx; i++) {
 		grid_view_get_cell(s->grid, i, py, &gc);
-		tty_cell(tty, &gc, wp);
+		if (gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_SELECTED) {
+			screen_select_cell(s, &tmp_gc, &gc);
+			tty_cell(tty, &tmp_gc, wp);
+		} else
+			tty_cell(tty, &gc, wp);
 	}
 
 	if (sx < tty->sx) {