diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index d3d21141e..2674cc201 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ class Boss(Thread):
                 if isosx:
                     cocoa_update_title(self.glfw_window_title)
             with self.sprites:
-                self.sprites.render_dirty_cells()
+                self.sprites.render_dirty_sprites()
                 tab.render()
                 render_data = {
                     window:
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.py b/kitty/shaders.py
index 0d3559ade..bbbf54ddd 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.py
+++ b/kitty/shaders.py
@@ -153,8 +153,12 @@ class Sprites:  # {{{
         ans = second if is_second else first
         return ans or render_cell()[0]
 
-    def render_dirty_cells(self):
-        render_dirty_sprites(self.render_cell, self.send_to_gpu)
+    def render_dirty_sprites(self):
+        ret = render_dirty_sprites()
+        if ret:
+            for text, bold, italic, is_second, x, y, z in ret:
+                cell = self.render_cell(text, bold, italic, is_second)
+                self.send_to_gpu(x, y, z, cell)
 
     def send_to_gpu(self, x, y, z, buf):
         xnum, ynum, znum = sprite_map_current_layout()
diff --git a/kitty/sprites.c b/kitty/sprites.c
index 18e8165fa..d8ac94a95 100644
--- a/kitty/sprites.c
+++ b/kitty/sprites.c
@@ -182,34 +182,30 @@ update_cell_range_data(ScreenModes *modes, Line *line, unsigned int xstart, unsi
 }
 
 PyObject*
-render_dirty_sprites(PyObject UNUSED *s_, PyObject *args) {
+render_dirty_sprites(PyObject UNUSED *s_) {
 #define render_dirty_cells_doc "Render all cells that are marked as dirty"
-    PyObject *render_cell, *send_to_gpu;
-
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OO", &render_cell, &send_to_gpu)) return NULL;
-
     if (!sprite_map.dirty) { Py_RETURN_NONE; }
+    PyObject *ans = PyList_New(0);
+    if (ans == NULL) return NULL;
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(sprite_map.cache)/sizeof(sprite_map.cache[0]); i++) {
         SpritePosition *sp = &(sprite_map.cache[i]);
-        while (sp) {
+        do {
             if (sp->filled && !sp->rendered) {
                 PyObject *text = line_text_at(sp->ch & CHAR_MASK, sp->cc);
                 if (text == NULL) return NULL;
                 char_type attrs = sp->ch >> ATTRS_SHIFT;
                 bool bold = (attrs >> BOLD_SHIFT) & 1, italic = (attrs >> ITALIC_SHIFT) & 1;
-                PyObject *rcell = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(render_cell, text, bold ? Py_True : Py_False, italic ? Py_True : Py_False, sp->is_second ? Py_True : Py_False, NULL);
+                PyObject *x = Py_BuildValue("OOOOHHH", text, bold ? Py_True : Py_False, italic ? Py_True : Py_False, sp->is_second ? Py_True : Py_False, sp->x, sp->y, sp->z);
                 Py_CLEAR(text);
-                if (rcell == NULL) return NULL;
-                PyObject *ret = PyObject_CallFunction(send_to_gpu, "IIIO", sp->x, sp->y, sp->z, rcell);
-                Py_CLEAR(rcell);
-                if (ret == NULL) return NULL;
-                Py_CLEAR(ret); 
+                if (x == NULL) { Py_CLEAR(ans); return NULL; }
+                if (PyList_Append(ans, x) != 0) { Py_CLEAR(ans); return NULL; }
+                Py_CLEAR(x);
                 sp->rendered = true; 
             }
             sp = sp->next;
-        }
+        } while(sp);
     }
     sprite_map.dirty = false;
-    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+    return ans;
 }
diff --git a/kitty/sprites.h b/kitty/sprites.h
index e68a6851f..ffae2e5a6 100644
--- a/kitty/sprites.h
+++ b/kitty/sprites.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ PyObject* sprite_map_increment();
 SpritePosition* sprite_map_position_for(char_type ch, combining_type cc, bool is_second, int *error);
 PyObject* sprite_position_for(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args);
 bool update_cell_range_data(ScreenModes *modes, Line *line, unsigned int xstart, unsigned int xmax, unsigned int *data);
-PyObject* render_dirty_sprites(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args);
+PyObject* render_dirty_sprites(PyObject UNUSED *self);
 
 #define SPRITE_FUNC_WRAPPERS \
     {"sprite_map_set_limits", (PyCFunction)sprite_map_set_limits, METH_VARARGS, ""}, \
@@ -35,5 +35,5 @@ PyObject* render_dirty_sprites(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args);
     {"sprite_map_free", (PyCFunction)sprite_map_free, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
     {"sprite_map_increment", (PyCFunction)sprite_map_increment, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
     {"sprite_position_for", (PyCFunction)sprite_position_for, METH_VARARGS, ""}, \
-    {"render_dirty_sprites", (PyCFunction)render_dirty_sprites, METH_VARARGS, ""}, \
+    {"render_dirty_sprites", (PyCFunction)render_dirty_sprites, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
 
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index 8875a99d3..296d27e0c 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ class TabBar:
     def render(self, cell_program, sprites):
         ' Must be called in the GUI thread '
         if self.render_buf is not None:
-            sprites.render_dirty_cells()
+            sprites.render_dirty_sprites()
             if self.vao_id is None:
                 self.vao_id = cell_program.create_sprite_map()
             if self.dirty: