diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index d1c00a1bf..2710c0740 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -1986,9 +1986,7 @@ screen_erase_characters(Screen *self, unsigned int count) {
 
 bool
 screen_invert_colors(Screen *self) {
-    bool inverted = false;
-    if (self->modes.mDECSCNM) inverted = true;
-    return inverted;
+    return self->paused_rendering.expires_at ? self->paused_rendering.inverted : (self->modes.mDECSCNM ? true : false);
 }
 
 void
@@ -2374,6 +2372,7 @@ screen_pause_rendering(Screen *self, bool pause, int for_in_ms) {
     if (self->paused_rendering.expires_at) return false;
     if (for_in_ms <= 0) for_in_ms = 2000;
     self->paused_rendering.expires_at = monotonic() + ms_to_monotonic_t(for_in_ms);
+    self->paused_rendering.inverted = self->modes.mDECSCNM ? true : false;
     memcpy(&self->paused_rendering.cursor, self->cursor, sizeof(self->paused_rendering.cursor));
     memcpy(&self->paused_rendering.color_profile, self->color_profile, sizeof(self->paused_rendering.color_profile));
     return true;
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index d37174dfb..f6837b2a0 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ typedef struct {
         monotonic_t expires_at;
         Cursor cursor;
         ColorProfile color_profile;
+        bool inverted;
     } paused_rendering;
 } Screen;
 
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 1e50c8435..dd3fb32f1 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ pick_cursor_color(Line *line, const ColorProfile *color_profile, color_type cell
 }
 
 static void
-cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, const CellRenderData *crd, CursorRenderInfo *cursor, bool inverted, OSWindow *os_window) {
+cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, const CellRenderData *crd, CursorRenderInfo *cursor, OSWindow *os_window) {
     struct GPUCellRenderData {
         GLfloat xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg, use_cell_fg_for_selection_color, use_cell_for_selection_bg;
 
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, c
     unsigned int x, y, z;
     sprite_tracker_current_layout(os_window->fonts_data, &x, &y, &z);
     rd->sprite_dx = 1.0f / (float)x; rd->sprite_dy = 1.0f / (float)y;
-    rd->inverted = inverted ? 1 : 0;
+    rd->inverted = screen_invert_colors(screen) ? 1 : 0;
     rd->background_opacity = os_window->is_semi_transparent ? os_window->background_opacity : 1.0f;
 
 #undef COLOR
@@ -919,13 +919,12 @@ draw_cells(ssize_t vao_idx, const WindowRenderData *srd, OSWindow *os_window, bo
     }
     Screen *screen = srd->screen;
     CELL_BUFFERS;
-    bool inverted = screen_invert_colors(screen);
     CellRenderData crd = {
         .gl={.xstart = srd->xstart, .ystart = srd->ystart, .dx = srd->dx * x_ratio, .dy = srd->dy * y_ratio},
         .x_ratio=x_ratio, .y_ratio=y_ratio
     };
     crd.gl.width = crd.gl.dx * screen->columns; crd.gl.height = crd.gl.dy * screen->lines;
-    cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, &crd, &screen->cursor_render_info, inverted, os_window);
+    cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, &crd, &screen->cursor_render_info, os_window);
 
     bind_vao_uniform_buffer(vao_idx, uniform_buffer, cell_program_layouts[CELL_PROGRAM].render_data.index);
     bind_vertex_array(vao_idx);