diff --git a/kitty/line-buf.c b/kitty/line-buf.c
index 5aca5c3bf..fde612e61 100644
--- a/kitty/line-buf.c
+++ b/kitty/line-buf.c
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ copy_line_to(LineBuf *self, PyObject *args) {
 static inline void
 clear_line_(Line *l, index_type xnum) {
     memset(l->cells, 0, xnum * sizeof(Cell));
+    clear_chars_in_line(l->cells, xnum, BLANK_CHAR);
 }
 
 void linebuf_clear_line(LineBuf *self, index_type y) {
diff --git a/kitty/line.c b/kitty/line.c
index 6234045a1..90f256f2d 100644
--- a/kitty/line.c
+++ b/kitty/line.c
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ copy_char(Line* self, PyObject *args) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Out of bounds");
         return NULL;
     }
-    copy_line(self, to);
+    COPY_CELL(self, src, to, dest);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }