diff --git a/kittens/choose_fonts/backend.py b/kittens/choose_fonts/backend.py
index 76437c692..273eb9aff 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_fonts/backend.py
+++ b/kittens/choose_fonts/backend.py
@@ -128,13 +128,18 @@ def render_face_sample(font: Descriptor, opts: Options, dpi_x: float, dpi_y: flo
         'psname': face.postscript_name(),
         'features': get_features(face.get_features()),
         'applied_features': face.applied_features(),
+        'cell_width': 0, 'cell_height': 0, 'canvas_height': 0, 'canvas_width': width,
     }
     if is_variable(font):
         ns = get_named_style(face)
         if ns:
             metadata['variable_named_style'] = ns
         metadata['variable_axis_map'] = get_axis_map(face)
-    return face.render_sample_text(SAMPLE_TEXT, width, height, opts.foreground.rgb), metadata
+    bitmap, cell_width, cell_height = face.render_sample_text(SAMPLE_TEXT, width, height, opts.foreground.rgb)
+    metadata['cell_width'] = cell_width
+    metadata['cell_height'] = cell_height
+    metadata['canvas_height'] = len(bitmap) // (4 *width)
+    return bitmap, metadata
 
 
 def render_family_sample(
@@ -230,8 +235,8 @@ def showcase(family: str = 'family="Fira Code"') -> None:
     ss = screen_size_function()()
     width = ss.cell_width * ss.cols
     height = 5 * ss.cell_height
-    bitmap = render_face_sample(desc, opts, float(q['dpi_x']), float(q['dpi_y']), width, height)[0]
-    display_bitmap(bitmap, width, height)
+    bitmap, m = render_face_sample(desc, opts, float(q['dpi_x']), float(q['dpi_y']), width, height)
+    display_bitmap(bitmap, m['canvas_width'], m['canvas_height'])
 
 
 def test_render(spec: str = 'family="Fira Code"', width: int = 1560, height: int = 116, font_size: float = 12, dpi: float = 288) -> None:
@@ -240,5 +245,5 @@ def test_render(spec: str = 'family="Fira Code"', width: int = 1560, height: int
     opts.font_size = font_size
     opts.foreground = to_color('white')
     desc = get_font_files(opts)['medium']
-    bitmap = render_face_sample(desc, opts, float(dpi), float(dpi), width, height)[0]
-    display_bitmap(bitmap, width, height)
+    bitmap, m = render_face_sample(desc, opts, float(dpi), float(dpi), width, height)
+    display_bitmap(bitmap, m['canvas_width'], m['canvas_height'])
diff --git a/kittens/choose_fonts/face.go b/kittens/choose_fonts/face.go
index c9263aa2d..3ee5d1786 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_fonts/face.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_fonts/face.go
@@ -200,8 +200,7 @@ func (self *face_panel) draw_screen() (err error) {
 	y := self.render_lines(2, lines...)
 
 	num_lines_per_font := (int(sz.HeightCells) - y - 1) - 2
-	num_lines_needed := int(math.Ceil(100. / float64(sz.WidthCells)))
-	num_lines := max(1, min(num_lines_per_font, num_lines_needed))
+	num_lines := max(1, num_lines_per_font)
 	key := faces_preview_key{settings: self.settings, width: int(sz.WidthCells * sz.CellWidth), height: int(sz.CellHeight) * num_lines}
 	self.current_preview_key = key
 	self.preview_cache_mutex.Lock()
@@ -232,13 +231,14 @@ func (self *face_panel) draw_screen() (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	num_lines = int(math.Ceil(float64(preview.Canvas_height) / float64(sz.CellHeight)))
 	if int(sz.HeightCells)-y >= num_lines+2 {
-		y += 1
+		y++
 		lp.MoveCursorTo(1, y+1)
 		self.handler.draw_preview_header(0)
 		y++
 		lp.MoveCursorTo(1, y+1)
-		self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(0, preview.Path, key.width, key.height)
+		self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(0, preview.Path, preview.Canvas_width, preview.Canvas_height)
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/kittens/choose_fonts/faces.go b/kittens/choose_fonts/faces.go
index 840a96a78..b972582b1 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_fonts/faces.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_fonts/faces.go
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ func (self *faces) draw_screen() (err error) {
 	lp.QueueWriteString(str)
 
 	num_lines_per_font := ((int(sz.HeightCells) - y - 1) / 4) - 2
-	num_lines_needed := int(math.Ceil(100. / float64(sz.WidthCells)))
-	num_lines := max(1, min(num_lines_per_font, num_lines_needed))
+	num_lines := max(1, num_lines_per_font)
 	key := faces_preview_key{settings: self.settings, width: int(sz.WidthCells * sz.CellWidth), height: int(sz.CellHeight) * num_lines}
 	self.preview_cache_mutex.Lock()
 	defer self.preview_cache_mutex.Unlock()
@@ -74,6 +73,8 @@ func (self *faces) draw_screen() (err error) {
 
 	slot := 0
 	d := func(setting, title string) {
+		r := previews[setting]
+		num_lines := int(math.Ceil(float64(r.Canvas_height) / float64(sz.CellHeight)))
 		if int(sz.HeightCells)-y < num_lines+1 {
 			return
 		}
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func (self *faces) draw_screen() (err error) {
 		lp.QueueWriteString(str)
 		if y+num_lines < int(sz.HeightCells) {
 			lp.MoveCursorTo(1, y+1)
-			self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(slot, previews[setting].Path, key.width, key.height)
+			self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(slot, r.Path, r.Canvas_width, r.Canvas_height)
 			slot++
 			y += num_lines + 1
 		}
diff --git a/kittens/choose_fonts/list.go b/kittens/choose_fonts/list.go
index 64642e70a..72627e538 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_fonts/list.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_fonts/list.go
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ package choose_fonts
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+
 	"kitty/tools/tui/loop"
 	"kitty/tools/tui/readline"
 	"kitty/tools/utils"
 	"kitty/tools/utils/style"
 	"kitty/tools/wcswidth"
-	"math"
-	"strings"
-	"sync"
 )
 
 var _ = fmt.Print
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ type preview_cache_key struct {
 	width, height int
 }
 
+type preview_cache_value struct {
+	path          string
+	width, height int
+}
+
 type FontList struct {
 	rl                             *readline.Readline
 	family_list                    FamilyList
@@ -27,13 +32,13 @@ type FontList struct {
 	resolved_faces_from_kitty_conf ResolvedFaces
 	handler                        *handler
 	variable_data_requested_for    *utils.Set[string]
-	preview_cache                  map[preview_cache_key]string
+	preview_cache                  map[preview_cache_key]preview_cache_value
 	preview_cache_mutex            sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func (self *FontList) initialize(h *handler) error {
 	self.handler = h
-	self.preview_cache = make(map[preview_cache_key]string)
+	self.preview_cache = make(map[preview_cache_key]preview_cache_value)
 	self.rl = readline.New(h.lp, readline.RlInit{DontMarkPrompts: true, Prompt: "Family: "})
 	self.variable_data_requested_for = utils.NewSet[string](256)
 	return nil
@@ -133,7 +138,6 @@ func (self *FontList) draw_preview(x, y int, sz loop.ScreenSize) (err error) {
 	self.handler.draw_preview_header(x)
 	y++
 	height_cells -= 2
-	height_cells = min(height_cells, int(math.Ceil(100./float64(width_cells))))
 	self.handler.lp.MoveCursorTo(x+1, y+1)
 	key := preview_cache_key{
 		family: self.family_list.CurrentFamily(), width: int(sz.CellWidth) * width_cells, height: int(sz.CellHeight) * height_cells,
@@ -143,10 +147,10 @@ func (self *FontList) draw_preview(x, y int, sz loop.ScreenSize) (err error) {
 	}
 	self.preview_cache_mutex.Lock()
 	defer self.preview_cache_mutex.Unlock()
-	img_path := self.preview_cache[key]
-	switch img_path {
+	cc := self.preview_cache[key]
+	switch cc.path {
 	case "":
-		self.preview_cache[key] = "requested"
+		self.preview_cache[key] = preview_cache_value{path: "requested"}
 		go func() {
 			var r map[string]RenderedSampleTransmit
 			self.handler.set_worker_error(kitty_font_backend.query("render_family_samples", map[string]any{
@@ -155,14 +159,14 @@ func (self *FontList) draw_preview(x, y int, sz loop.ScreenSize) (err error) {
 			}, &r))
 			self.preview_cache_mutex.Lock()
 			defer self.preview_cache_mutex.Unlock()
-			self.preview_cache[key] = r["font_family"].Path
+			self.preview_cache[key] = preview_cache_value{path: r["font_family"].Path, width: r["font_family"].Canvas_width, height: r["font_family"].Canvas_height}
 			self.handler.lp.WakeupMainThread()
 		}()
 		return
 	case "requested":
 		return
 	}
-	self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(0, img_path, key.width, key.height)
+	self.handler.graphics_manager.display_image(0, cc.path, cc.width, cc.height)
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/kittens/choose_fonts/types.go b/kittens/choose_fonts/types.go
index 4e8d61d25..cb08979d6 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_fonts/types.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_fonts/types.go
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ type RenderedSampleTransmit struct {
 	Applied_features     map[string]string      `json:"applied_features"`
 	Variable_named_style NamedStyle             `json:"variable_named_style"`
 	Variable_axis_map    map[string]float64     `json:"variable_axis_map"`
+	Cell_width           int                    `json:"cell_width"`
+	Cell_height          int                    `json:"cell_height"`
+	Canvas_width         int                    `json:"canvas_width"`
+	Canvas_height        int                    `json:"canvas_height"`
 }
 
 func (self RenderedSampleTransmit) default_axis_values() (ans map[string]float64) {
diff --git a/kitty/core_text.m b/kitty/core_text.m
index 45a7b3f69..e39f04c27 100644
--- a/kitty/core_text.m
+++ b/kitty/core_text.m
@@ -749,11 +749,13 @@ render_sample_text(CTFace *self, PyObject *args) {
     CTFontRef font = self->ct_font;
     PyObject *ptext;
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Ukk|k", &ptext, &canvas_width, &canvas_height, &fg)) return NULL;
-    RAII_PyObject(pbuf, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, sizeof(pixel) * canvas_width * canvas_height));
-    if (!pbuf) return NULL;
     unsigned int cell_width, cell_height, baseline, underline_position, underline_thickness, strikethrough_position, strikethrough_thickness;
     cell_metrics((PyObject*)self, &cell_width, &cell_height, &baseline, &underline_position, &underline_thickness, &strikethrough_position, &strikethrough_thickness);
     size_t num_chars = PyUnicode_GET_LENGTH(ptext);
+    int num_chars_per_line = canvas_width / cell_width, num_of_lines = (int)ceil((float)num_chars / (float)num_chars_per_line);
+    canvas_height = MIN(canvas_height, num_of_lines * cell_height);
+    RAII_PyObject(pbuf, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, sizeof(pixel) * canvas_width * canvas_height));
+    if (!pbuf) return NULL;
     RAII_ALLOC(unichar, chars, calloc(sizeof(unichar), num_chars));
     if (!chars) return PyErr_NoMemory();
     for (size_t i = 0; i < num_chars; i++) chars[i] = PyUnicode_READ_CHAR(ptext, i);
@@ -786,8 +788,7 @@ render_sample_text(CTFace *self, PyObject *args) {
         p[0] = r; p[1] = g; p[2] = b; p[3] = s[0];
     }
 end:
-    Py_INCREF(pbuf);
-    return pbuf;
+    return Py_BuildValue("OII", pbuf, cell_width, cell_height);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index f596cdd1a..a8c715f6f 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ class Face:
     def identify_for_debug(self) -> str: ...
     def postscript_name(self) -> str: ...
     def set_size(self, sz_in_pts: float, dpi_x: float, dpi_y: float) -> None: ...
-    def render_sample_text(self, text: str, width: int, height: int, fg_color: int = 0xffffff) -> bytes: ...
+    def render_sample_text(self, text: str, width: int, height: int, fg_color: int = 0xffffff) -> Tuple[bytes, int, int]: ...
     def get_variation(self) -> Optional[Dict[str, float]]: ...
     def get_features(self) -> Dict[str, Optional[FeatureData]]: ...
     def applied_features(self) -> Dict[str, str]: ...
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ class CTFace:
     def identify_for_debug(self) -> str: ...
     def postscript_name(self) -> str: ...
     def set_size(self, sz_in_pts: float, dpi_x: float, dpi_y: float) -> None: ...
-    def render_sample_text(self, text: str, width: int, height: int, fg_color: int = 0xffffff) -> bytes: ...
+    def render_sample_text(self, text: str, width: int, height: int, fg_color: int = 0xffffff) -> Tuple[bytes, int, int]: ...
     def get_variation(self) -> Optional[Dict[str, float]]: ...
     def get_features(self) -> Dict[str, Optional[FeatureData]]: ...
     def applied_features(self) -> Dict[str, str]: ...
diff --git a/kitty/freetype.c b/kitty/freetype.c
index 8f827b28b..fe47e0299 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype.c
@@ -964,10 +964,12 @@ render_sample_text(Face *self, PyObject *args) {
     unsigned long fg = 0xffffff;
     PyObject *ptext;
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Ukk|k", &ptext, &canvas_width, &canvas_height, &fg)) return NULL;
-    RAII_PyObject(pbuf, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, sizeof(pixel) * canvas_width * canvas_height));
-    if (!pbuf) return NULL;
     unsigned int cell_width, cell_height, baseline, underline_position, underline_thickness, strikethrough_position, strikethrough_thickness;
     cell_metrics((PyObject*)self, &cell_width, &cell_height, &baseline, &underline_position, &underline_thickness, &strikethrough_position, &strikethrough_thickness);
+    int num_chars_per_line = canvas_width / cell_width, num_of_lines = (int)ceil((float)PyUnicode_GET_LENGTH(ptext) / (float)num_chars_per_line);
+    canvas_height = MIN(canvas_height, num_of_lines * cell_height);
+    RAII_PyObject(pbuf, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, sizeof(pixel) * canvas_width * canvas_height));
+    if (!pbuf) return NULL;
     pixel *canvas = (pixel*)PyBytes_AS_STRING(pbuf);
     memset(canvas, 0, PyBytes_GET_SIZE(pbuf));
     if (cell_width > canvas_width) goto end;
@@ -996,8 +998,7 @@ render_sample_text(Face *self, PyObject *args) {
         p[0] = r; p[1] = g; p[2] = b; p[3] = a;
     }
 end:
-    Py_INCREF(pbuf);
-    return pbuf;
+    return Py_BuildValue("OII", pbuf, cell_width, cell_height);
 }