diff --git a/kitty/child-monitor.c b/kitty/child-monitor.c
index cb71e8af6..b8468a690 100644
--- a/kitty/child-monitor.c
+++ b/kitty/child-monitor.c
@@ -852,8 +852,7 @@ prepare_to_render_os_window(OSWindow *os_window, monotonic_t now, unsigned int *
                 }
             }
             if (send_cell_data_to_gpu(WD.vao_idx, WD.screen, os_window)) needs_render = true;
-            if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at != 0) needs_render = true;
-            if (WD.screen->start_drag_overlay_at != 0) needs_render = true;
+            if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at | WD.screen->start_drag_overlay_at) needs_render = true;
             // Prepare window title bar screen data for GPU
             WindowRenderData *trd = &w->window_title_render_data;
             if (trd->screen && trd->geometry.bottom > trd->geometry.top && trd->geometry.right > trd->geometry.left) {
@@ -919,8 +918,7 @@ render_prepared_os_window(OSWindow *os_window, unsigned int active_window_id, co
             bool is_active_window = i == tab->active_window;
             if (is_active_window) active_window = w;
             draw_cells(&WD, os_window, is_active_window, false, num_of_visible_windows == 1, w);
-            if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at != 0) set_maximum_wait(ANIMATION_SAMPLE_WAIT);
-            if (WD.screen->start_drag_overlay_at != 0) set_maximum_wait(ANIMATION_SAMPLE_WAIT);
+            if (WD.screen->start_visual_bell_at | WD.screen->start_drag_overlay_at) set_maximum_wait(ANIMATION_SAMPLE_WAIT);
             WindowRenderData *trd = &w->window_title_render_data;
             if (trd->screen && trd->geometry.right > trd->geometry.left && trd->geometry.bottom > trd->geometry.top)
                 draw_cells(trd, os_window, i == tab->active_window, true, false, NULL);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 3ba23613c..09c4c4561 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -733,12 +733,6 @@ set_cell_uniforms(bool force) {
 // UI Layer {{{
 static Animation *default_visual_bell_animation = NULL;
 
-static bool
-has_visual_bell(Screen *screen) {
-    return screen->start_visual_bell_at > 0;
-
-}
-
 static float
 get_visual_bell_intensity(Screen *screen) {
     if (screen->start_visual_bell_at > 0) {
@@ -775,21 +769,25 @@ draw_visual_bell_flash(GLfloat intensity, const color_type flash) {
     draw_quad(true, 0);
 }
 
-static void
-draw_visual_bell(const UIRenderData *ui) {
-    if (!has_visual_bell(ui->screen)) return;
-    Screen *screen = ui->screen;
-    float intensity = get_visual_bell_intensity(screen);
-    if (intensity <= 0) return;
+static color_type
+get_flash_color(const Screen *screen) {
 #define COLOR(name, fallback) colorprofile_to_color_with_fallback(screen->color_profile, screen->color_profile->overridden.name, screen->color_profile->configured.name, screen->color_profile->overridden.fallback, screen->color_profile->configured.fallback)
-    color_type flash = !IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_bg) ? COLOR(visual_bell_color, highlight_bg) : COLOR(visual_bell_color, default_fg);
-    draw_visual_bell_flash(intensity, flash);
+      return !IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_bg) ? COLOR(visual_bell_color, highlight_bg) : COLOR(visual_bell_color, default_fg);
 #undef COLOR
 }
 
 static void
-draw_drag_preview_overlay(const UIRenderData *ui) {
+draw_visual_bell(const UIRenderData *ui) {
+    if (!ui->screen->start_visual_bell_at) return;
     Screen *screen = ui->screen;
+    float intensity = get_visual_bell_intensity(screen);
+    if (intensity <= 0) return;
+    draw_visual_bell_flash(intensity, get_flash_color(screen));
+}
+
+static void
+draw_drag_preview_overlay(const UIRenderData *ui) {
+    const Screen *screen = ui->screen;
     if (!screen->start_drag_overlay_at || !screen->drag_overlay_quadrant) return;
     const monotonic_t elapsed = monotonic() - screen->start_drag_overlay_at;
     const monotonic_t fade_ms = ms_to_monotonic_t(150ll);
@@ -806,11 +804,7 @@ draw_drag_preview_overlay(const UIRenderData *ui) {
     }
     bind_program(TINT_PROGRAM);
     float a = intensity * 0.25f;
-#define COLOR(name, fallback) colorprofile_to_color_with_fallback(screen->color_profile, \
-    screen->color_profile->overridden.name, screen->color_profile->configured.name, \
-    screen->color_profile->overridden.fallback, screen->color_profile->configured.fallback)
-    color_type hint = !IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_bg) ? COLOR(visual_bell_color, highlight_bg) : COLOR(visual_bell_color, default_fg);
-#undef COLOR
+    color_type hint = get_flash_color(screen);
 #define C(shift) (srgb_color((hint >> shift) & 0xFF) * a)
     glUniform4f(tint_program_layout.uniforms.tint_color, C(16), C(8), C(0), a);
 #undef C
@@ -1128,7 +1122,7 @@ draw_window_logo(const UIRenderData *ui) {
 
 bool
 screen_needs_rendering_in_layers(OSWindow *os_window, Window *w, Screen *screen) {
-    const bool has_ui = w && (has_visual_bell(screen) || has_scrollbar(w, screen) || has_hyperlink_target(os_window, w, screen) || has_window_number(w, screen) || w->window_logo.id);
+    const bool has_ui = w && ((screen->start_visual_bell_at | screen->start_drag_overlay_at) || has_scrollbar(w, screen) || has_hyperlink_target(os_window, w, screen) || has_window_number(w, screen) || w->window_logo.id);
     GraphicsManager *grman = screen->paused_rendering.expires_at && screen->paused_rendering.grman ? screen->paused_rendering.grman : screen->grman;
     return has_ui || grman_has_images(grman);
 }
@@ -1188,6 +1182,7 @@ draw_cells_with_layers(const UIRenderData *ui, ssize_t vao_idx) {
             ui->grd.num_of_positive_refs, ui->inactive_text_alpha);
 
     draw_visual_bell(ui);
+    draw_drag_preview_overlay(ui);
     draw_scrollbar(ui);
     draw_hyperlink_target(ui);
     draw_window_number(ui);
@@ -1256,7 +1251,6 @@ draw_cells(const WindowRenderData *srd, OSWindow *os_window, bool is_active_wind
         ui.screen_left, ui.screen_top, ui.screen_width, ui.screen_height, ui.full_framebuffer_height);
     if (ui.os_window->needs_layers) draw_cells_with_layers(&ui, srd->vao_idx);
     else draw_cells_without_layers(&ui, srd->vao_idx);
-    draw_drag_preview_overlay(&ui);
     restore_viewport();
 }
 // }}}
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index b58823081..3c141c443 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from collections.abc import Callable, Generator, Iterable, Iterator, Sequence
 from contextlib import suppress
 from functools import wraps
 from gettext import gettext as _
-from typing import Any, Concatenate, Deque, NamedTuple, Optional, ParamSpec, TypeVar, cast
+from typing import Any, Concatenate, Deque, Literal, NamedTuple, Optional, ParamSpec, TypeVar, cast
 
 from .borders import Border, Borders
 from .child import Child
@@ -2044,7 +2044,7 @@ class TabManager:  # {{{
             dy = rel_y - (g.top + g.bottom) / 2
             mode = active_tab.current_layout.drag_overlay_mode
             if mode == 'axis_y':
-                direction: str = 'bottom' if dy > 0 else 'top'
+                direction: Literal['left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom'] = 'bottom' if dy > 0 else 'top'
             elif mode == 'axis_x':
                 direction = 'right' if dx > 0 else 'left'
             else:  # 'free' (Splits) or 'full' (swap fallback)