diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 9aa982573..99957ddf9 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -153,7 +153,9 @@ Detailed list of changes
 0.45.1 [future]
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-- Wayland: Add momentum scrolling for touchpads
+- Pixel scrolling for the kitty scrollback buffer controlled via :opt:`pixel_scroll` (:pull:`9330`)
+
+- Wayland: Add momentum scrolling in the kitty scrollback buffer for touchpads and touchscreens
 
 - choose-files kitten: Fix JXL image preview not working (:iss:`9323`)
 
diff --git a/docs/overview.rst b/docs/overview.rst
index 4cdf1f09e..be315b8d5 100644
--- a/docs/overview.rst
+++ b/docs/overview.rst
@@ -206,16 +206,6 @@ displays an interactive :opt:`scrollbar` along the right edge
 of the window that shows your current position in the scrollback. You can click
 and drag the scrollbar to quickly navigate through the history.
 
-If you use a high‑precision input device such as a touchpad, you can enable
-smooth, per‑pixel scrollback with :opt:`pixel_scroll`. For example, add this to
-your :file:`kitty.conf`::
-
-   pixel_scroll yes
-
-You can further tune the sensitivity with :opt:`touch_scroll_multiplier`. Note
-that this only affects scrolling kitty's own scrollback, not applications
-running inside the terminal that handle their own scrolling.
-
 However, |kitty| has an extra, neat feature. Sometimes you need to explore the scrollback
 buffer in more detail, maybe search for some text or refer to it side-by-side
 while typing in a follow-up command. |kitty| allows you to do this by pressing
diff --git a/kitty/mouse.c b/kitty/mouse.c
index 4be87271a..026a28d77 100644
--- a/kitty/mouse.c
+++ b/kitty/mouse.c
@@ -1292,8 +1292,8 @@ scroll_event(const GLFWScrollEvent *ev) {
             break;
     }
     if (ev->y_offset != 0.0) {
-        if (!screen->modes.mouse_tracking_mode && pixel_scroll_enabled_for_screen(screen) && (ev->offset_type == GLFW_SCROLL_OFFEST_HIGHRES || ev->offset_type == GLFW_SCROLL_OFFEST_V120)) {
-            double delta_pixels = 0.0;
+        if (screen->modes.mouse_tracking_mode == NO_TRACKING && pixel_scroll_enabled_for_screen(screen) && (ev->offset_type == GLFW_SCROLL_OFFEST_HIGHRES || ev->offset_type == GLFW_SCROLL_OFFEST_V120)) {
+            double delta_pixels;
             if (ev->offset_type == GLFW_SCROLL_OFFEST_HIGHRES) {
                 delta_pixels = ev->y_offset * OPT(touch_scroll_multiplier);
             } else {
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index baf3ef143..19d997ba0 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -589,15 +589,14 @@ Wayland. Use negative numbers to change scroll direction.
 '''
     )
 
-opt('pixel_scroll', 'no',
-    option_type='to_bool', ctype='bool',
-    long_text='''
-Enable per-pixel scrolling for high precision input devices (for example
-touchpads). When enabled, kitty's own scrollback can move by sub-line increments
-instead of only whole lines. This does not affect applications running inside
-the terminal (for example full-screen TUIs) that handle scrolling themselves.
-'''
-    )
+opt('pixel_scroll', 'yes', option_type='to_bool', ctype='bool', long_text='''
+Enable per-pixel scrolling, in the kitty scrollback buffer, when using high precision
+input devices (for example touchpads). When enabled, kitty's own scrollback will move
+by sub-line increments instead of only whole lines. This does not affect applications
+running inside the terminal (for example full-screen TUIs) that handle scrolling
+themselves.
+''')
+
 egr()  # }}}
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/parse.py b/kitty/options/parse.py
index 284b2ff6b..516b6e408 100644
--- a/kitty/options/parse.py
+++ b/kitty/options/parse.py
@@ -1159,6 +1159,9 @@ class Parser:
     def paste_actions(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['paste_actions'] = paste_actions(val)
 
+    def pixel_scroll(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
+        ans['pixel_scroll'] = to_bool(val)
+
     def placement_strategy(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         val = val.lower()
         if val not in self.choices_for_placement_strategy:
@@ -1389,9 +1392,6 @@ class Parser:
     def touch_scroll_multiplier(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['touch_scroll_multiplier'] = float(val)
 
-    def pixel_scroll(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
-        ans['pixel_scroll'] = to_bool(val)
-
     def transparent_background_colors(self, val: str, ans: dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['transparent_background_colors'] = transparent_background_colors(val)
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index 525911322..4c632feb5 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ option_names = (
     'notify_on_cmd_finish',
     'open_url_with',
     'paste_actions',
+    'pixel_scroll',
     'placement_strategy',
     'pointer_shape_when_dragging',
     'pointer_shape_when_grabbed',
@@ -464,7 +465,6 @@ option_names = (
     'text_composition_strategy',
     'text_fg_override_threshold',
     'touch_scroll_multiplier',
-    'pixel_scroll',
     'transparent_background_colors',
     'undercurl_style',
     'underline_exclusion',
@@ -593,6 +593,7 @@ class Options:
     notify_on_cmd_finish: NotifyOnCmdFinish = NotifyOnCmdFinish(when='never', duration=5.0, action='notify', cmdline=(), clear_on=('focus', 'next'))
     open_url_with: list[str] = ['default']
     paste_actions: frozenset[str] = frozenset({'confirm', 'quote-urls-at-prompt'})
+    pixel_scroll: bool = True
     placement_strategy: choices_for_placement_strategy = 'center'
     pointer_shape_when_dragging: tuple[str, str] = ('beam', 'crosshair')
     pointer_shape_when_grabbed: choices_for_pointer_shape_when_grabbed = 'arrow'
@@ -652,7 +653,6 @@ class Options:
     text_composition_strategy: str = 'platform'
     text_fg_override_threshold: tuple[float, typing.Literal['%', 'ratio']] = (0.0, '%')
     touch_scroll_multiplier: float = 1.0
-    pixel_scroll: bool = False
     transparent_background_colors: tuple[tuple[kitty.fast_data_types.Color, float], ...] = ()
     undercurl_style: choices_for_undercurl_style = 'thin-sparse'
     underline_exclusion: tuple[float, typing.Literal['', 'px', 'pt']] = (1.0, '')
@@ -1113,4 +1113,4 @@ special_colors = frozenset({
 })
 
 
-secret_options = ('remote_control_password', 'file_transfer_confirmation_bypass')
+secret_options = ('remote_control_password', 'file_transfer_confirmation_bypass')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index e86d77b3e..fb1753329 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ init_overlay_line(Screen *self, index_type columns, bool keep_active) {
     return true;
 }
 
+static bool
+init_blank_line(Screen *self) {
+    const size_t sz = (sizeof(CPUCell) + sizeof(GPUCell)) * self->columns;
+    self->blank_line_buffer = PyMem_Realloc(self->blank_line_buffer, sz);
+    if (!self->blank_line_buffer) return false;
+    memset(self->blank_line_buffer, 0, sz);
+    self->blank_line = (Line){.cpu_cells=self->blank_line_buffer,
+        .gpu_cells=(GPUCell*)((CPUCell*)self->blank_line_buffer + self->columns),
+        .xnum=self->columns, .text_cache=self->text_cache};
+    return true;
+}
+
 static void deactivate_overlay_line(Screen *self);
 static void update_overlay_position(Screen *self);
 static void render_overlay_line(Screen *self, Line *line, FONTS_DATA_HANDLE fonts_data);
@@ -162,15 +174,7 @@ new_screen_object(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject UNUSED *kwds) {
         init_tabstops(self->alt_tabstops, self->columns);
         self->key_encoding_flags = self->main_key_encoding_flags;
         if (!init_overlay_line(self, self->columns, false)) { Py_CLEAR(self); return NULL; }
-        self->blank_line_cpu = PyMem_Calloc(self->columns, sizeof(CPUCell));
-        self->blank_line_gpu = PyMem_Calloc(self->columns, sizeof(GPUCell));
-        if (!self->blank_line_cpu || !self->blank_line_gpu) { Py_CLEAR(self); return NULL; }
-        self->blank_line.cpu_cells = self->blank_line_cpu;
-        self->blank_line.gpu_cells = self->blank_line_gpu;
-        self->blank_line.xnum = self->columns;
-        self->blank_line.ynum = 0;
-        self->blank_line.attrs.val = 0;
-        self->blank_line.text_cache = self->text_cache;
+        if (!init_blank_line(self)) { Py_CLEAR(self); return NULL; }
         self->hyperlink_pool = alloc_hyperlink_pool();
         if (!self->hyperlink_pool) { Py_CLEAR(self); return PyErr_NoMemory(); }
         self->as_ansi_buf.hyperlink_pool = self->hyperlink_pool;
@@ -557,19 +561,8 @@ screen_resize(Screen *self, unsigned int lines, unsigned int columns) {
     which.is_beyond_content = num_content_lines_before > 0 && self->cursor->y >= num_content_lines_before; \
     which.num_content_lines = num_content_lines_after; \
 }
-    // Resize overlay line
-    if (!init_overlay_line(self, columns, true)) return false;
-    PyMem_Free(self->blank_line_cpu);
-    PyMem_Free(self->blank_line_gpu);
-    self->blank_line_cpu = PyMem_Calloc(columns, sizeof(CPUCell));
-    self->blank_line_gpu = PyMem_Calloc(columns, sizeof(GPUCell));
-    if (!self->blank_line_cpu || !self->blank_line_gpu) return false;
-    self->blank_line.cpu_cells = self->blank_line_cpu;
-    self->blank_line.gpu_cells = self->blank_line_gpu;
-    self->blank_line.xnum = columns;
-    self->blank_line.ynum = 0;
-    self->blank_line.attrs.val = 0;
-    self->blank_line.text_cache = self->text_cache;
+    // Resize overlay and blank lines
+    if (!init_overlay_line(self, columns, true) || !init_blank_line(self)) return false;
 
     // Resize main linebuf
     RAII_PyObject(prompt_copy, NULL);
@@ -683,6 +676,7 @@ dealloc(Screen* self) {
     PyMem_Free(self->overlay_line.gpu_cells);
     PyMem_Free(self->overlay_line.original_line.cpu_cells);
     PyMem_Free(self->overlay_line.original_line.gpu_cells);
+    PyMem_Free(self->blank_line_buffer);
     Py_CLEAR(self->overlay_line.overlay_text);
     PyMem_Free(self->main_tabstops);
     Py_CLEAR(self->paused_rendering.linebuf);
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index d6883e13f..75ad91a99 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@ typedef struct {
     double pixel_scroll_offset_y;
     CellPixelSize cell_size;
     OverlayLine overlay_line;
-    Line blank_line;
-    CPUCell *blank_line_cpu;
-    GPUCell *blank_line_gpu;
+    Line blank_line; void *blank_line_buffer;
     id_type window_id;
     Selections selections, url_ranges;
     struct {