diff --git a/patch/reflow.c b/patch/reflow.c
index f69aa8e..fc69148 100644
--- a/patch/reflow.c
+++ b/patch/reflow.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ treflow_moveimages(int oldy, int newy)
 void
 treflow(int col, int row)
 {
-	int i, j, x, x2;
+	int i, j;
 	int oce, nce, bot, scr;
 	int ox = 0, oy = -term.histf, nx = 0, ny = -1, len;
 	int cy = -1; /* proxy for new y coordinate of cursor */
@@ -205,13 +205,12 @@ treflow(int col, int row)
 	}
 
 	/* expand images into new text cells */
-	for (im = term.images; im; im = next) {
-		next = im->next;
-		if (im->x < col) {
-			line = TLINE(im->y);
-			x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, col);
-			for (x = im->x; x < x2; x++)
-				line[x].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
+	for (im = term.images; im; im = im->next) {
+		j = MIN(im->x + im->cols, col);
+		line = TLINE(im->y);
+		for (i = im->x; i < j; i++) {
+			if (!(line[i].mode & ATTR_SET))
+				line[i].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/st.c b/st.c
index 6461daf..58311ec 100644
--- a/st.c
+++ b/st.c
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ static void tsetattr(const int *, int);
 static void tsetchar(Rune, const Glyph *, int, int);
 static void tsetdirt(int, int);
 static void tsetscroll(int, int);
+static inline void tsetsixelattr(Line line, int x1, int x2);
 static void tswapscreen(void);
 static void tsetmode(int, int, const int *, int);
 static int twrite(const char *, int, int);
@@ -836,6 +837,13 @@ tsetdirtattr(int attr)
 	}
 }
 
+void
+tsetsixelattr(Line line, int x1, int x2)
+{
+	for (; x1 <= x2; x1++)
+		line[x1].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
+}
+
 void
 tfulldirt(void)
 {
@@ -1771,7 +1779,7 @@ strhandle(void)
 		{ defaultcs, "cursor" }
 	};
 	ImageList *im, *newimages, *next, *tail;
-	int i, x, y, x1, y1, x2, y2, numimages;
+	int i, x1, y1, x2, y2, numimages;
 	int cx, cy;
 	Line line;
 	int scr = IS_SET(MODE_ALTSCREEN) ? 0 : term.scr;
@@ -1897,34 +1905,38 @@ strhandle(void)
 			} else {
 				term.images = newimages;
 			}
-			x2 = MIN(x2, term.col);
-			for (i = 0, im = newimages; im; im = next, i++) {
-				next = im->next;
-				scr = IS_SET(MODE_ALTSCREEN) ? 0 : term.scr;
-				if (IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_SDM)) {
+			x2 = MIN(x2, term.col) - 1;
+			if (IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_SDM)) {
+				/* Sixel display mode: put the sixel in the upper left corner of
+				 * the screen, disable scrolling (the sixel will be truncated if
+				 * it is too long) and do not change the cursor position. */
+				for (i = 0, im = newimages; im; im = next, i++) {
+					next = im->next;
 					if (i >= term.row) {
 						delete_image(im);
 						continue;
 					}
 					im->y = i + scr;
-					line = term.line[i];
-				} else {
+					tsetsixelattr(term.line[i], x1, x2);
+					term.dirty[MIN(im->y, term.row-1)] = 1;
+				}
+			} else {
+				for (i = 0, im = newimages; im; im = next, i++) {
+					next = im->next;
+					scr = IS_SET(MODE_ALTSCREEN) ? 0 : term.scr;
 					im->y = term.c.y + scr;
-					line = term.line[term.c.y];
-				}
-				for (x = im->x; x < x2; x++) {
-					line[x].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
-				}
-				term.dirty[MIN(im->y, term.row-1)] = 1;
-				if (!IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_SDM) && i < numimages-1) {
-					im->next = NULL;
-					tnewline(0);
-					im->next = next;
+					tsetsixelattr(term.line[term.c.y], x1, x2);
+					term.dirty[MIN(im->y, term.row-1)] = 1;
+					if (i < numimages-1) {
+						im->next = NULL;
+						tnewline(0);
+						im->next = next;
+					}
 				}
+				/* if mode 8452 is set, sixel scrolling leaves cursor to right of graphic */
+				if (IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_CUR_RT))
+					term.c.x = MIN(term.c.x + newimages->cols, term.col-1);
 			}
-			/* if mode 8452 is set, sixel scrolling leaves cursor to right of graphic */
-			if (!IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_SDM) && IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_CUR_RT))
-				term.c.x = MIN(term.c.x + newimages->cols, term.col-1);
 		}
 		/* https://gitlab.com/gnachman/iterm2/-/wikis/synchronized-updates-spec */
 		if (strstr(strescseq.buf, "=1s") == strescseq.buf)
diff --git a/x.c b/x.c
index 6a41bd5..e2d12ee 100644
--- a/x.c
+++ b/x.c
@@ -254,20 +254,23 @@ zoom(const Arg *arg)
 void
 zoomabs(const Arg *arg)
 {
+	int i;
 	ImageList *im;
 
 	xunloadfonts();
 	xloadfonts(usedfont, arg->f);
 	xloadsparefonts();
 
-	/* deleting old pixmaps forces the new scaled pixmaps to be created */
-	for (im = term.images; im; im = im->next) {
-		if (im->pixmap)
-			XFreePixmap(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap);
-		if (im->clipmask)
-			XFreePixmap(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->clipmask);
-		im->pixmap = NULL;
-		im->clipmask = NULL;
+	/* delete old pixmaps so that xfinishdraw() can create new scaled ones */
+	for (im = term.images, i = 0; i < 2; i++, im = term.images_alt) {
+		for (; im; im = im->next) {
+			if (im->pixmap)
+				XFreePixmap(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap);
+			if (im->clipmask)
+				XFreePixmap(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->clipmask);
+			im->pixmap = NULL;
+			im->clipmask = NULL;
+		}
 	}
 
 	cresize(0, 0);
@@ -2221,9 +2224,10 @@ xfinishdraw(void)
 	ImageList *im, *next;
 	Imlib_Image origin, scaled;
 	XGCValues gcvalues;
-	GC gc;
+	GC gc = NULL;
 	int width, height;
-	int x, x2, del, destx, desty;
+	int del, desty, mode, x1, x2, xend;
+	int bw = win.hborderpx, bh = win.vborderpx;
 	Line line;
 
 	for (im = term.images; im; im = next) {
@@ -2233,6 +2237,10 @@ xfinishdraw(void)
 		if (im->x >= term.col || im->y >= term.row || im->y < 0)
 			continue;
 
+		/* do not draw the image on the search bar */
+		if (im->y == term.row-1 && IS_SET(MODE_KBDSELECT) && kbds_issearchmode())
+			continue;
+
 		/* scale the image */
 		width = MAX(im->width * win.cw / im->cw, 1);
 		height = MAX(im->height * win.ch / im->ch, 1);
@@ -2294,34 +2302,46 @@ xfinishdraw(void)
 			}
 		}
 
-		/* clip the image so it does not go over to borders */
-		x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, term.col);
-		width = MIN(width, (x2 - im->x) * win.cw);
-
-		/* delete the image if the text cells behind it have been changed */
-		line = TLINE(im->y);
-		for (del = 0, x = im->x; x < x2; x++) {
-			if ((del = !(line[x].mode & ATTR_SIXEL)))
-				break;
-		}
-		if (del) {
-			delete_image(im);
-			continue;
+		/* create GC */
+		if (!gc) {
+			memset(&gcvalues, 0, sizeof(gcvalues));
+			gcvalues.graphics_exposures = False;
+			gc = XCreateGC(xw.dpy, xw.win, GCGraphicsExposures, &gcvalues);
 		}
 
-		/* draw the image */
-		memset(&gcvalues, 0, sizeof(gcvalues));
-		gcvalues.graphics_exposures = False;
-		gc = XCreateGC(xw.dpy, xw.win, GCGraphicsExposures, &gcvalues);
-		destx = win.hborderpx + im->x * win.cw;
-		desty = win.vborderpx + im->y * win.ch;
+		/* set the clip mask */
+		desty = bh + im->y * win.ch;
 		if (im->clipmask) {
 			XSetClipMask(xw.dpy, gc, (Drawable)im->clipmask);
-			XSetClipOrigin(xw.dpy, gc, destx, desty);
+			XSetClipOrigin(xw.dpy, gc, bw + im->x * win.cw, desty);
 		}
-		XCopyArea(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap, xw.buf, gc, 0, 0, width, height, destx, desty);
-		XFreeGC(xw.dpy, gc);
+
+		/* draw only the parts of the image that are not erased */
+		line = TLINE(im->y) + im->x;
+		xend = MIN(im->x + im->cols, term.col);
+		for (del = 1, x1 = im->x; x1 < xend; x1 = x2) {
+			mode = line->mode & ATTR_SIXEL;
+			for (x2 = x1 + 1; x2 < xend; x2++) {
+				if (((++line)->mode & ATTR_SIXEL) != mode)
+					break;
+			}
+			if (mode) {
+				XCopyArea(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap, xw.buf, gc,
+				    (x1 - im->x) * win.cw, 0,
+				    MIN((x2 - x1) * win.cw, width - (x1 - im->x) * win.cw), height,
+				    bw + x1 * win.cw, desty);
+				del = 0;
+			}
+		}
+		if (im->clipmask)
+			XSetClipMask(xw.dpy, gc, None);
+
+		/* if all the parts are erased, we can delete the entire image */
+		if (del && im->x + im->cols <= term.col)
+			delete_image(im);
 	}
+	if (gc)
+		XFreeGC(xw.dpy, gc);
 
 	XCopyArea(xw.dpy, xw.buf, xw.win, dc.gc, 0, 0, win.w, win.h, 0, 0);
 	XSetForeground(xw.dpy, dc.gc, dc.col[IS_SET(MODE_REVERSE) ? defaultfg : defaultbg].pixel);