diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index 0d850e732..8ab63f5f6 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: input.c,v 1.274 2026/10/12 17:04:48 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: input.c,v 1.275 2026/10/12 18:47:52 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -936,6 +936,7 @@ input_reset(struct input_ctx *ictx, int clear)
 			screen_write_start_pane(sctx, wp, &wp->base);
 		else
 			screen_write_start(sctx, &wp->base);
+		sctx->flags |= SCREEN_WRITE_INPUT;
 		screen_write_reset(sctx);
 		screen_write_stop(sctx);
 	}
@@ -1064,6 +1065,7 @@ input_parse_buffer(struct window_pane *wp, const u_char *buf, size_t len)
 		screen_write_start_pane(sctx, wp, &wp->base);
 	else
 		screen_write_start(sctx, &wp->base);
+	sctx->flags |= SCREEN_WRITE_INPUT;
 
 	log_debug("%s: %%%u %s, %zu bytes: %.*s", __func__, wp->id,
 	    ictx->state->name, len, (int)len, buf);
@@ -1083,6 +1085,7 @@ input_parse_screen(struct input_ctx *ictx, struct screen *s,
 		return;
 
 	screen_write_start_callback(sctx, s, cb, arg);
+	sctx->flags |= SCREEN_WRITE_INPUT;
 	input_parse(ictx, buf, len);
 	screen_write_stop(sctx);
 }
diff --git a/screen-write.c b/screen-write.c
index b37dd6283..8fda18fa1 100644
--- a/screen-write.c
+++ b/screen-write.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: screen-write.c,v 1.299 2026/10/05 08:41:23 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: screen-write.c,v 1.300 2026/10/12 18:47:52 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -2564,8 +2564,9 @@ screen_write_collect_insert_clear(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, u_int px,
  * background so the columns it covered do not lose their colour.
  */
 static void
-screen_write_clear_cell(struct grid *gd, u_int px, u_int py)
+screen_write_clear_cell(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, u_int px, u_int py)
 {
+	struct grid		*gd = ctx->s->grid;
 	struct grid_cell	 gc;
 	int			 bg;
 
@@ -2630,7 +2631,7 @@ screen_write_collect_end(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx)
 			grid_view_get_cell(s->grid, xx, s->cy, &gc);
 			if (~gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
 				break;
-			screen_write_clear_cell(s->grid, xx, s->cy);
+			screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 			log_debug("%s: padding erased (before) at %u (cx %u)",
 			    __func__, xx, s->cx);
 		}
@@ -2639,7 +2640,7 @@ screen_write_collect_end(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx)
 				grid_view_get_cell(s->grid, 0, s->cy, &gc);
 			if (gc.data.width > 1 ||
 			    (gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)) {
-				screen_write_clear_cell(s->grid, xx, s->cy);
+				screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 				log_debug("%s: padding erased (before) at %u "
 				    "(cx %u)", __func__, xx, s->cx);
 			}
@@ -2658,7 +2659,7 @@ screen_write_collect_end(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx)
 		grid_view_get_cell(s->grid, xx, s->cy, &gc);
 		if (~gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
 			break;
-		screen_write_clear_cell(s->grid, xx, s->cy);
+		screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 		log_debug("%s: padding erased (after) at %u (cx %u)", __func__,
 		    xx, s->cx);
 	}
@@ -3085,12 +3086,12 @@ screen_write_overwrite(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, struct grid_cell *gc,
 			if (~tmp_gc.flags & GRID_FLAG_PADDING)
 				break;
 			log_debug("%s: padding at %u,%u", __func__, xx, s->cy);
-			screen_write_clear_cell(gd, xx, s->cy);
+			screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 		}
 
 		/* Overwrite the character at the start of this padding. */
 		log_debug("%s: character at %u,%u", __func__, xx, s->cy);
-		screen_write_clear_cell(gd, xx, s->cy);
+		screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 		done = 1;
 	}
 
@@ -3108,7 +3109,7 @@ screen_write_overwrite(struct screen_write_ctx *ctx, struct grid_cell *gc,
 				break;
 			log_debug("%s: overwrite at %u,%u", __func__, xx,
 			    s->cy);
-			screen_write_clear_cell(gd, xx, s->cy);
+			screen_write_clear_cell(ctx, xx, s->cy);
 			done = 1;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index b74ac1889..8011b26e7 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1457 2026/10/12 12:35:03 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1458 2026/10/12 18:47:52 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -1101,6 +1101,7 @@ struct screen_write_ctx {
 #define SCREEN_WRITE_SYNC 0x1
 #define SCREEN_WRITE_OBSCURED 0x2
 #define SCREEN_WRITE_CHECKED_IF_OBSCURED 0x4
+#define SCREEN_WRITE_INPUT 0x8
 
 	screen_write_init_ctx_cb	 init_ctx_cb;
 	void				*arg;