diff --git a/src/client.cc b/src/client.cc
index 3397de15..5bc73c45 100644
--- a/src/client.cc
+++ b/src/client.cc
@@ -145,12 +145,11 @@ void Client::redraw_ifn()
 {
     Face default_face = get_face("Default");
 
-    if (context().window().needs_redraw(context()))
-    {
-        context().window().update_display_buffer(context());
+    Window& window = context().window();
+    UserInterface& ui = context().ui();
 
-        context().ui().draw(context().window().display_buffer(), default_face);
-    }
+    if (window.needs_redraw(context()))
+        ui.draw(window.update_display_buffer(context()), default_face);
 
     DisplayLine mode_line = generate_mode_line();
     if (m_status_line.atoms() != m_pending_status_line.atoms() or
@@ -159,10 +158,10 @@ void Client::redraw_ifn()
         m_mode_line = std::move(mode_line);
         m_status_line = m_pending_status_line;
 
-        context().ui().draw_status(m_status_line, m_mode_line, default_face);
+        ui.draw_status(m_status_line, m_mode_line, default_face);
     }
 
-    context().ui().refresh();
+    ui.refresh();
 }
 
 void Client::reload_buffer()
diff --git a/src/window.cc b/src/window.cc
index 75b90b51..f16a4a3b 100644
--- a/src/window.cc
+++ b/src/window.cc
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ bool Window::needs_redraw(const Context& context) const
     return hash != m_hash;
 }
 
-void Window::update_display_buffer(const Context& context)
+const DisplayBuffer& Window::update_display_buffer(const Context& context)
 {
     DisplayBuffer::LineList& lines = m_display_buffer.lines();
     lines.clear();
 
     m_dimensions = context.ui().dimensions();
     if (m_dimensions == CharCoord{0,0})
-        return;
+        return m_display_buffer;
 
     kak_assert(&buffer() == &context.buffer());
     scroll_to_keep_selection_visible_ifn(context);
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ void Window::update_display_buffer(const Context& context)
     m_display_buffer.optimize();
 
     m_hash = compute_hash(context);
+
+    return m_display_buffer;
 }
 
 void Window::set_position(CharCoord position)
diff --git a/src/window.hh b/src/window.hh
index 9fb1a971..4a3d3701 100644
--- a/src/window.hh
+++ b/src/window.hh
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@ public:
     const CharCoord& dimensions() const { return m_dimensions; }
     void set_dimensions(CharCoord dimensions);
 
-    const DisplayBuffer& display_buffer() const { return m_display_buffer; }
-
     void center_line(LineCount buffer_line);
     void display_line_at(LineCount buffer_line, LineCount display_line);
     void scroll(LineCount offset);
     void scroll(CharCount offset);
-    void update_display_buffer(const Context& context);
+
+    const DisplayBuffer& update_display_buffer(const Context& context);
 
     CharCoord display_position(ByteCoord coord) const;
     ByteCoord buffer_coord(CharCoord coord) const;