diff --git a/src/document/document.cpp b/src/document/document.cpp
index 70a2fa81..eae2e82f 100644
--- a/src/document/document.cpp
+++ b/src/document/document.cpp
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ reset_document(struct document *document)
 		int pos;
 
 		for (pos = 0; pos < document->height; pos++)
-			mem_free_if(document->data[pos].chars);
+			mem_free_if(document->data[pos].ch.chars);
 
 		mem_free_set(&document->data, NULL);
 		document->height = 0;
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ done_document(struct document *document)
 		int pos;
 
 		for (pos = 0; pos < document->height; pos++)
-			mem_free_if(document->data[pos].chars);
+			mem_free_if(document->data[pos].ch.chars);
 
 		mem_free(document->data);
 	}
diff --git a/src/document/document.h b/src/document/document.h
index 29044d84..d9d75b17 100644
--- a/src/document/document.h
+++ b/src/document/document.h
@@ -32,11 +32,19 @@ struct node {
 	struct el_box box;
 };
 
+struct sixel {
+	char *pixels;
+	unsigned int width;
+	unsigned int height;
+};
 
 /** The document line consisting of the chars ready to be copied to
  * the terminal screen. */
 struct line {
-	struct screen_char *chars;
+	union {
+		struct screen_char *chars;
+		struct sixel *sixel;
+	} ch;
 	unsigned int length:30;
 	unsigned int kind:1;
 };
diff --git a/src/document/dom/util.c b/src/document/dom/util.c
index 60609a98..e339d801 100644
--- a/src/document/dom/util.c
+++ b/src/document/dom/util.c
@@ -84,17 +84,17 @@ realloc_line(struct document *document, int x, int y)
 	if (!line) return NULL;
 
 	if (x > line->length) {
-		if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->chars, line->length, x))
+		if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->ch.chars, line->length, x))
 			return NULL;
 
 		for (; line->length < x; line->length++) {
-			line->chars[line->length].data = ' ';
+			line->ch.chars[line->length].data = ' ';
 		}
 
 		if (x > document->width) document->width = x;
 	}
 
-	return line->chars;
+	return line->ch.chars;
 }
 
 static struct node *
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ add_search_node(struct dom_renderer *renderer, int width)
 	return node;
 }
 
-#define POS(renderer)		(&(renderer)->document->data[Y(renderer)].chars[X(renderer)])
+#define POS(renderer)		(&(renderer)->document->data[Y(renderer)].ch.chars[X(renderer)])
 #define WIDTH(renderer, add)	((renderer)->canvas_x + (add))
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/document/html/renderer.c b/src/document/html/renderer.c
index f5bdd2d3..eeb2ab98 100644
--- a/src/document/html/renderer.c
+++ b/src/document/html/renderer.c
@@ -135,20 +135,20 @@ realloc_line(struct html_context *html_context, struct document *document,
 	if (length < orig_length)
 		return orig_length;
 
-	if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->chars, line->length, length + 1))
+	if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->ch.chars, line->length, length + 1))
 		return -1;
 
 	/* We cannot rely on the aligned allocation to clear the members for us
 	 * since for line splitting we simply trim the length. Question is if
 	 * it is better to to clear the line after the splitting or here. */
-	end = &line->chars[length];
+	end = &line->ch.chars[length];
 	end->data = ' ';
 	end->attr = 0;
 	set_screen_char_color(end, par_elformat.color.background, 0x0,
 			      COLOR_ENSURE_CONTRAST, /* for bug 461 */
 			      document->options.color_mode);
 
-	for (pos = &line->chars[line->length]; pos < end; pos++) {
+	for (pos = &line->ch.chars[line->length]; pos < end; pos++) {
 		copy_screen_chars(pos, end, 1);
 	}
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ realloc_spaces(struct part *part, int length)
 
 
 #define LINE(y_)	part->document->data[Y(y_)]
-#define POS(x_, y_)	LINE(y_).chars[X(x_)]
+#define POS(x_, y_)	LINE(y_).ch.chars[X(x_)]
 #define LEN(y_)		int_max(LINE(y_).length - part->box.x, 0)
 
 
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ put_combined(struct part *part, int x)
 
 			if (prev != UCS_NO_CHAR)
 				document->data[document->comb_y]
-					.chars[document->comb_x].data = prev;
+					.ch.chars[document->comb_x].data = prev;
 		}
 		document->combi_length = 0;
 	}
@@ -2250,7 +2250,7 @@ color_link_lines(struct html_context *html_context)
 		int x;
 
 		for (x = 0; x < document->data[y].length; x++) {
-			struct screen_char *schar = &document->data[y].chars[x];
+			struct screen_char *schar = &document->data[y].ch.chars[x];
 
 			set_term_color(schar, &colors, color_flags, color_mode);
 
@@ -2641,7 +2641,7 @@ render_html_document(struct cache_entry *cached, struct document *document,
 	/* Drop empty allocated lines at end of document if any
 	 * and adjust document height. */
 	while (document->height && !document->data[document->height - 1].length)
-		mem_free_if(document->data[--document->height].chars);
+		mem_free_if(document->data[--document->height].ch.chars);
 
 	/* Calculate document width. */
 	{
diff --git a/src/document/plain/renderer.c b/src/document/plain/renderer.c
index 72191a44..2afd8d2d 100644
--- a/src/document/plain/renderer.c
+++ b/src/document/plain/renderer.c
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ realloc_line(struct document *document, int x, int y)
 	if (!line) return NULL;
 
 	if (x != line->length) {
-		if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->chars, line->length, x))
+		if (!ALIGN_LINE(&line->ch.chars, line->length, x))
 			return NULL;
 
 		line->length = x;
 	}
 
-	return line->chars;
+	return line->ch.chars;
 }
 
 static inline struct link *
@@ -859,20 +859,20 @@ fixup_tables(struct plain_renderer *renderer)
 		for (x = 0; x < line->length; x++) {
 			int dir;
 #ifdef CONFIG_UTF8
-			unicode_val_T ch = line->chars[x].data;
+			unicode_val_T ch = line->ch.chars[x].data;
 			unicode_val_T prev_char, next_char, up_char, down_char;
 #else
-			unsigned char ch = line->chars[x].data;
+			unsigned char ch = line->ch.chars[x].data;
 			unsigned char prev_char, next_char, up_char, down_char;
 #endif
 			if (ch != '+' && ch != '-' && ch != '|') {
 				continue;
 			}
 
-			prev_char = x > 0 ? line->chars[x - 1].data : ' ';
-			next_char = x < line->length - 1 ? line->chars[x + 1].data : ' ';
-			up_char = (prev_line && x < prev_line->length) ? prev_line->chars[x].data : ' ';
-			down_char = (next_line && x < next_line->length) ? next_line->chars[x].data : ' ';
+			prev_char = x > 0 ? line->ch.chars[x - 1].data : ' ';
+			next_char = x < line->length - 1 ? line->ch.chars[x + 1].data : ' ';
+			up_char = (prev_line && x < prev_line->length) ? prev_line->ch.chars[x].data : ' ';
+			down_char = (next_line && x < next_line->length) ? next_line->ch.chars[x].data : ' ';
 
 			switch (ch) {
 			case '+':
@@ -884,40 +884,40 @@ fixup_tables(struct plain_renderer *renderer)
 
 				switch (dir) {
 				case 15:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SCROSS;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SCROSS;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 13:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SLTEE;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SLTEE;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 7:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SRTEE;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SRTEE;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 6:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SULCORNER;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SULCORNER;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 12:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SURCORNER;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SURCORNER;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 3:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SDLCORNER;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SDLCORNER;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 9:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SDRCORNER;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SDRCORNER;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 11:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SUTEE;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SUTEE;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				case 14:
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SDTEE;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SDTEE;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 					break;
 				default:
 					break;
@@ -927,8 +927,8 @@ fixup_tables(struct plain_renderer *renderer)
 				if (prev_char == BORDER_SHLINE || prev_char == BORDER_SCROSS || prev_char == '+' || prev_char == '|'
 				|| prev_char == BORDER_SULCORNER || prev_char == BORDER_SDLCORNER || prev_char == BORDER_SRTEE
 				|| prev_char == BORDER_SUTEE || prev_char == BORDER_SDTEE) {
-					line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SHLINE;
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SHLINE;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 				}
 				break;
 			case '|':
@@ -936,13 +936,13 @@ fixup_tables(struct plain_renderer *renderer)
 				|| up_char == BORDER_SURCORNER || up_char == BORDER_SCROSS || up_char == BORDER_SRTEE || up_char == BORDER_SLTEE
 				|| up_char == BORDER_SDTEE) {
 					if (next_char == '-') {
-						line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SRTEE;
+						line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SRTEE;
 					} else if (prev_char == BORDER_SHLINE || prev_char == '-') {
-						line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SLTEE;
+						line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SLTEE;
 					} else {
-						line->chars[x].data = BORDER_SVLINE;
+						line->ch.chars[x].data = BORDER_SVLINE;
 					}
-					line->chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
+					line->ch.chars[x].attr = SCREEN_ATTR_FRAME;
 				}
 				break;
 			default:
diff --git a/src/viewer/dump/dump-specialized.h b/src/viewer/dump/dump-specialized.h
index 1d973b57..4f5aea55 100644
--- a/src/viewer/dump/dump-specialized.h
+++ b/src/viewer/dump/dump-specialized.h
@@ -78,23 +78,23 @@ DUMP_FUNCTION_SPECIALIZED(struct document *document, struct dump_output *out)
 			unsigned char c;
 #endif  /* !DUMP_CHARSET_UTF8 */
 			const unsigned char attr
-				= document->data[y].chars[x].attr;
+				= document->data[y].ch.chars[x].attr;
 #ifdef DUMP_COLOR_MODE_16
 			const unsigned char color1
-				= document->data[y].chars[x].c.color[0];
+				= document->data[y].ch.chars[x].c.color[0];
 #elif defined(DUMP_COLOR_MODE_256)
 			const unsigned char color1
-				= document->data[y].chars[x].c.color[0];
+				= document->data[y].ch.chars[x].c.color[0];
 			const unsigned char color2
-				= document->data[y].chars[x].c.color[1];
+				= document->data[y].ch.chars[x].c.color[1];
 #elif defined(DUMP_COLOR_MODE_TRUE)
 			const unsigned char *const new_foreground
-				= &document->data[y].chars[x].c.color[0];
+				= &document->data[y].ch.chars[x].c.color[0];
 			const unsigned char *const new_background
-				= &document->data[y].chars[x].c.color[3];
+				= &document->data[y].ch.chars[x].c.color[3];
 #endif	/* DUMP_COLOR_MODE_TRUE */
 
-			c = document->data[y].chars[x].data;
+			c = document->data[y].ch.chars[x].data;
 
 #ifdef DUMP_CHARSET_UTF8
 			if (c == UCS_NO_CHAR) {
diff --git a/src/viewer/text/draw.c b/src/viewer/text/draw.c
index 7a1e5e75..8975b4a2 100644
--- a/src/viewer/text/draw.c
+++ b/src/viewer/text/draw.c
@@ -422,19 +422,19 @@ draw_doc(struct session *ses, struct document_view *doc_view, int active)
 		if (en - st > 0) {
 			draw_line(term, box->x + st - vx, box->y + y - vy,
 				  en - st,
-				  &doc_view->document->data[y].chars[st]);
+				  &doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[st]);
 
 			for (i = en - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
-				if (doc_view->document->data[y].chars[i].data != ' ') {
-					last = &doc_view->document->data[y].chars[i];
+				if (doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[i].data != ' ') {
+					last = &doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[i];
 					last_index = i + 1;
 					break;
 				}
 			}
 		}
 		for (i = st; i < max; i++) {
-			if (doc_view->document->data[y].chars[i].data != ' ') {
-				first = &doc_view->document->data[y].chars[i];
+			if (doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[i].data != ' ') {
+				first = &doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[i];
 				break;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/viewer/text/link.cpp b/src/viewer/text/link.cpp
index 088397cc..b331b972 100644
--- a/src/viewer/text/link.cpp
+++ b/src/viewer/text/link.cpp
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ draw_link(struct terminal *term, struct document_view *doc_view,
 			struct screen_char *ch;
 
 			ch = get_char(term, x + xpos, y + ypos);
-			copy_struct(ch, &doc_view->document->data[y].chars[x]);
+			copy_struct(ch, &doc_view->document->data[y].ch.chars[x]);
 			set_screen_dirty(term->screen, y + ypos, y + ypos);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/viewer/text/search.c b/src/viewer/text/search.c
index 2e8da7aa..37969b73 100644
--- a/src/viewer/text/search.c
+++ b/src/viewer/text/search.c
@@ -160,15 +160,15 @@ get_srch(struct document *document)
 			                    document->data[y].length);
 
 			for (x = node->box.x;
-			     x < width && document->data[y].chars[x].data <= ' ';
+			     x < width && document->data[y].ch.chars[x].data <= ' ';
 			     x++);
 
 			for (; x < width; x++) {
-				UCHAR c = document->data[y].chars[x].data;
+				UCHAR c = document->data[y].ch.chars[x].data;
 				int count = 0;
 				int xx;
 
-				if (document->data[y].chars[x].attr & SCREEN_ATTR_UNSEARCHABLE)
+				if (document->data[y].ch.chars[x].attr & SCREEN_ATTR_UNSEARCHABLE)
 					continue;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_UTF8
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ get_srch(struct document *document)
 				}
 
 				for (xx = x + 1; xx < width; xx++) {
-					if ((unsigned char)document->data[y].chars[xx].data < ' ')
+					if ((unsigned char)document->data[y].ch.chars[xx].data < ' ')
 						continue;
 					count = xx - x;
 					break;
@@ -1536,7 +1536,7 @@ static inline UCHAR
 get_document_char(struct document *document, int x, int y)
 {
 	return (document->height > y && document->data[y].length > x)
-		? document->data[y].chars[x].data : 0;
+		? document->data[y].ch.chars[x].data : 0;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/viewer/text/view.cpp b/src/viewer/text/view.cpp
index 23c2dfa8..b45623d8 100644
--- a/src/viewer/text/view.cpp
+++ b/src/viewer/text/view.cpp
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ copy_to_clipboard2(struct document_view *doc_view)
 #else
 			unsigned char c;
 #endif
-			c = document->data[y].chars[x].data;
+			c = document->data[y].ch.chars[x].data;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_UTF8
 			if (utf8 && c == UCS_NO_CHAR) {