diff --git a/kitty/gl.c b/kitty/gl.c
index be7919603..1032d623e 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.c
+++ b/kitty/gl.c
@@ -186,6 +186,16 @@ restore_viewport(void) {
     glViewport(saved_viewport[0], saved_viewport[1], saved_viewport[2], saved_viewport[3]);
 }
 
+void
+enable_scissor_using_top_left_origin(Viewport vp, unsigned full_framebuffer_height) {
+    glEnable(GL_SCISSOR_TEST);
+    GLsizei newy = full_framebuffer_height - (vp.top + vp.height);
+    glScissor(vp.left, newy, vp.width, vp.height);
+}
+
+void
+disable_scissor(void) { glDisable(GL_SCISSOR_TEST); }
+
 static float
 linear_to_srgb(float c) { return (c <= 0.0031308f) ? 12.92f * c : 1.055f * powf(c, 1.0f / 2.4f) - 0.055f; }
 
diff --git a/kitty/gl.h b/kitty/gl.h
index 6202f6255..3ae2f1453 100644
--- a/kitty/gl.h
+++ b/kitty/gl.h
@@ -67,3 +67,5 @@ void check_framebuffer_status_or_die(void);
 void restore_viewport(void);
 void bind_framebuffer_for_output(unsigned fbid);
 void set_framebuffer_to_use_for_output(unsigned fbid);
+void enable_scissor_using_top_left_origin(Viewport, unsigned);
+void disable_scissor(void);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 9c4dbdd3f..7c16e9d18 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -803,11 +803,17 @@ render_a_bar(const UIRenderData *ui, WindowBarData *bar, PyObject *title, bool a
         .height=bar_height + 2 * border_width, .left=ui->screen_left, .width=ui->screen_width, .top=ui->screen_top};
     if (along_bottom) border_rect.top += ui->screen_height - border_rect.height;
     const unsigned sh = ui->full_framebuffer_height;
+    // first blank the area to be drawn to background
+    enable_scissor_using_top_left_origin(border_rect, sh);
+    blank_canvas(1.f, bg);
+    disable_scissor();
+    // then draw the rendered text
     save_viewport_using_top_left_origin(
         border_rect.left + border_width, border_rect.top + border_width, bar_width, bar_height, sh);
     draw_graphics(GRAPHICS_PROGRAM, &data, 0, 1, 1.f);
     restore_viewport();
     free_texture(&data.texture_id);
+    // finally draw border with transparent bg
     draw_rounded_rect(ui->os_window, border_rect, sh, 1, ui->cell_width, fg, bg, 0.f);
     return border_rect.height;
 }