diff --git a/gui/buffer.go b/gui/buffer.go
index 9806ea3..0eefd6c 100644
--- a/gui/buffer.go
+++ b/gui/buffer.go
@@ -849,6 +849,14 @@ func (b *Buffer) renderAt(ctx *strife.Renderer, rx int, ry int) {
 
 	var visibleLines int = 50
 
+	// HACK
+	// force a render off screen
+	// so we can calculate the size of characters
+
+	if int(last_h) == 0 || int(last_w) == 0 {
+		last_w, last_h = ctx.String("_", -50, -50)
+	}
+
 	// last_h > 0 means we have done
 	// a render.
 	if int(last_h) > 0 && int(b.h) != 0 {
@@ -875,7 +883,7 @@ func (b *Buffer) renderAt(ctx *strife.Renderer, rx int, ry int) {
 
 		// char index => colour
 		var matches map[int]syntaxRuneInfo
-		if b.languageInfo != nil {
+		if b.languageInfo != nil && len(currLine) > 0 {
 			matches = b.syntaxHighlightLine(string(currLine))
 		}
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index dacaad0..8bbc9b6 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ func main() {
 			break
 		}
 
-		if editor.update() || config.Render.Always_Render {
+		shouldRender := editor.update()
+
+		if shouldRender || config.Render.Always_Render {
 			ctx.Clear()
 			editor.render(ctx)