diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index a69cc259f..4a09252a5 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -1335,10 +1335,10 @@ cell_set_fchannel(nccell* cl, uint32_t channel){
 }
 
 // Returns the result of blending two channels. 'blends' indicates how heavily
-// 'c1' ought be weighed. If 'blends' is 0, 'c1' will be entirely replaced by
-// 'c2'. If 'c1' is otherwise the default color, 'c1' will not be touched,
-// since we can't blend default colors. Likewise, if 'c2' is a default color,
-// it will not be used (unless 'blends' is 0).
+// 'c1' ought be weighed. If 'blends' is 0 (indicating that 'c1' has not yet
+// been set), 'c1' will be entirely determined by 'c2'. Otherwise, the default
+// color is preserved if both are the default, palette color is preserved if
+// both are the same palette index, and the result is otherwise RGB.
 static inline unsigned
 channels_blend(notcurses* nc, unsigned c1, unsigned c2, unsigned* blends,
                uint32_t defchan){
@@ -1354,6 +1354,13 @@ channels_blend(notcurses* nc, unsigned c1, unsigned c2, unsigned* blends,
     }else{
       ncchannel_set(&c1, ncchannel_rgb(c2));
     }
+  }else if(ncchannel_default_p(c1) && ncchannel_default_p(c2)){
+    // do nothing, leave as default
+  // intentional bitwise AND on the first condition, to eliminate the
+  // dependency due to C's short-circuit evaluation
+  }else if((ncchannel_palindex_p(c1) & ncchannel_palindex_p(c2)) &&
+           ncchannel_palindex(c1) == ncchannel_palindex(c2)){
+    // do nothing, leave as palette
   }else{
     unsigned r1, g1, b1;
     unsigned r2, g2, b2;
diff --git a/src/tests/channel.cpp b/src/tests/channel.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 4852decde..000000000
--- a/src/tests/channel.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,197 +0,0 @@
-#include "main.h"
-
-// These tests primarily check against expected constant values, which is
-// useful in terms of maintaining ABI, but annoying when they do change.
-
-TEST_CASE("ChannelGetRGB") {
-  const struct t {
-    uint32_t channel;
-    int r, g, b;
-  } test[] = {
-    { .channel = 0x000000, .r = 0x00, .g = 0x00, .b = 0x00, },
-    { .channel = 0x808080, .r = 0x80, .g = 0x80, .b = 0x80, },
-    { .channel = 0x080808, .r = 0x08, .g = 0x08, .b = 0x08, },
-    { .channel = 0xffffff, .r = 0xff, .g = 0xff, .b = 0xff, },
-  };
-  for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
-    unsigned r, g, b;
-    CHECK(test[i].channel == ncchannel_rgb8(test[i].channel, &r, &g, &b));
-    CHECK(test[i].r == r);
-    CHECK(test[i].g == g);
-    CHECK(test[i].b == b);
-  }
-}
-
-TEST_CASE("ChannelGetAlpha") {
-  const struct t {
-    uint32_t channel;
-    int a;
-  } test[] = {
-    { .channel = 0x00000000, .a = NCALPHA_OPAQUE, },
-    { .channel = 0x10808080, .a = NCALPHA_BLEND, },
-    { .channel = 0x20080808, .a = NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT, },
-    { .channel = 0xe0080808, .a = NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT, },
-    { .channel = 0x3fffffff, .a = NCALPHA_HIGHCONTRAST, },
-    { .channel = 0xffffffff, .a = NCALPHA_HIGHCONTRAST, },
-  };
-  for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
-    CHECK(test[i].a == ncchannel_alpha(test[i].channel));
-  }
-}
-
-TEST_CASE("ChannelGetDefault") {
-  const struct t {
-    uint32_t channel;
-    bool def;
-  } test[] = {
-    { .channel = 0x00000000, .def = true, },
-    { .channel = 0x0fffffff, .def = true, },
-    { .channel = 0xbfffffff, .def = true, },
-    { .channel = 0x40000000, .def = false, },
-    { .channel = 0x40080808, .def = false, },
-    { .channel = 0xffffffff, .def = false, },
-  };
-  for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
-    CHECK(test[i].def == ncchannel_default_p(test[i].channel));
-  }
-}
-
-TEST_CASE("ChannelSetDefault") {
-  const uint32_t channels[] = {
-    0x40000000, 0x4fffffff, 0xcfffffff,
-    0x40808080, 0x40080808, 0xffffffff,
-  };
-  for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(channels) / sizeof(*channels) ; ++i){
-    uint32_t channel = channels[i];
-    CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(channel));
-    ncchannel_set_default(&channel);
-    CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(channel));
-  }
-}
-
-// blend of 0 ought set c1 to c2
-TEST_CASE("ChannelBlend0") {
-  uint32_t c1 = 0;
-  uint32_t c2 = 0;
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x88, 0x44, 0x22);
-  unsigned blends = 0;
-  uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends);
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  unsigned r, g, b;
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0x88 == r);
-  CHECK(0x44 == g);
-  CHECK(0x22 == b);
-  CHECK(1 == blends);
-}
-
-// blend of 1 ought perfectly average c1 and c2
-TEST_CASE("ChannelBlend1") {
-  uint32_t c1 = 0;
-  uint32_t c2 = 0;
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0);
-  unsigned blends = 1;
-  uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends);
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  unsigned r, g, b;
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0x40 == r);
-  CHECK(0x20 == g);
-  CHECK(0x10 == b);
-  CHECK(2 == blends);
-}
-
-// blend of 2 ought weigh c1 twice as much as c2
-TEST_CASE("ChannelBlend2") {
-  uint32_t c1 = 0;
-  uint32_t c2 = 0;
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x60, 0x30, 0x0f);
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0);
-  unsigned blends = 2;
-  uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends);
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  unsigned r, g, b;
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0x40 == r);
-  CHECK(0x20 == g);
-  CHECK(0x0a == b);
-  CHECK(3 == blends);
-}
-
-// you can't blend into a default color at any positive number of blends
-TEST_CASE("ChannelBlendDefaultLeft") {
-  uint32_t c1 = 0;
-  uint32_t c2 = 0;
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
-  unsigned blends = 0;
-  uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends); // will replace
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  unsigned r, g, b;
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0x80 == r);
-  CHECK(0x40 == g);
-  CHECK(0x20 == b);
-  CHECK(1 == blends);
-  c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends); // will not replace
-  CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0 == r);
-  CHECK(0 == g);
-  CHECK(0 == b);
-  CHECK(2 == blends);
-  c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends); // will not replace
-  CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0 == r);
-  CHECK(0 == g);
-  CHECK(0 == b);
-  CHECK(3 == blends);
-}
-
-// you can't blend from a default color, but blend 0 sets it
-TEST_CASE("ChannelBlendDefaultRight") {
-  uint32_t c1 = 0;
-  uint32_t c2 = 0;
-  ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c1));
-  CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(c2));
-  unsigned blends = 0;
-  uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends);
-  CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  CHECK(1 == blends);
-  c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends);
-  CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
-  unsigned r, g, b;
-  ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
-  CHECK(0x80 == r);
-  CHECK(0x40 == g);
-  CHECK(0x20 == b);
-  CHECK(2 == blends);
-}
-
-// test that colors are inverted, but nothing else
-TEST_CASE("ChannelsReverse") {
-  uint64_t channels = 0;
-  uint64_t rev = ncchannels_reverse(channels);
-  CHECK(0 == rev);
-  ncchannels_set_fg_palindex(&channels, 8);
-  rev = ncchannels_reverse(channels);
-  CHECK(8 == ncchannels_bg_palindex(rev));
-  CHECK(0 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
-  ncchannels_set_fg_palindex(&rev, 63);
-  rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
-  CHECK(8 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
-  CHECK(63 == ncchannels_bg_palindex(rev));
-  ncchannels_set_fg_default(&rev);
-  ncchannels_set_bg_alpha(&rev, NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT);
-  rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
-  CHECK(63 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
-  CHECK(ncchannels_bg_default_p(rev));
-  CHECK(NCALPHA_OPAQUE == ncchannels_bg_alpha(rev));
-  ncchannels_set_fg_rgb(&rev, 0x2288cc);
-  rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
-  CHECK(0x2288cc == ncchannels_bg_rgb(rev));
-  CHECK(ncchannels_fg_default_p(rev));
-}
diff --git a/src/tests/channels.cpp b/src/tests/channels.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..923801ac7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/channels.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+#include "main.h"
+
+// These tests primarily check against expected constant values, which is
+// useful in terms of maintaining ABI, but annoying when they do change.
+TEST_CASE("Channels") {
+
+  SUBCASE("ChannelGetRGB") {
+    const struct t {
+      uint32_t channel;
+      int r, g, b;
+    } test[] = {
+      { .channel = 0x000000, .r = 0x00, .g = 0x00, .b = 0x00, },
+      { .channel = 0x808080, .r = 0x80, .g = 0x80, .b = 0x80, },
+      { .channel = 0x080808, .r = 0x08, .g = 0x08, .b = 0x08, },
+      { .channel = 0xffffff, .r = 0xff, .g = 0xff, .b = 0xff, },
+    };
+    for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
+      unsigned r, g, b;
+      CHECK(test[i].channel == ncchannel_rgb8(test[i].channel, &r, &g, &b));
+      CHECK(test[i].r == r);
+      CHECK(test[i].g == g);
+      CHECK(test[i].b == b);
+    }
+  }
+
+  SUBCASE("ChannelGetAlpha") {
+    const struct t {
+      uint32_t channel;
+      int a;
+    } test[] = {
+      { .channel = 0x00000000, .a = NCALPHA_OPAQUE, },
+      { .channel = 0x10808080, .a = NCALPHA_BLEND, },
+      { .channel = 0x20080808, .a = NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT, },
+      { .channel = 0xe0080808, .a = NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT, },
+      { .channel = 0x3fffffff, .a = NCALPHA_HIGHCONTRAST, },
+      { .channel = 0xffffffff, .a = NCALPHA_HIGHCONTRAST, },
+    };
+    for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
+      CHECK(test[i].a == ncchannel_alpha(test[i].channel));
+    }
+  }
+
+  SUBCASE("ChannelGetDefault") {
+    const struct t {
+      uint32_t channel;
+      bool def;
+    } test[] = {
+      { .channel = 0x00000000, .def = true, },
+      { .channel = 0x0fffffff, .def = true, },
+      { .channel = 0xbfffffff, .def = true, },
+      { .channel = 0x40000000, .def = false, },
+      { .channel = 0x40080808, .def = false, },
+      { .channel = 0xffffffff, .def = false, },
+    };
+    for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(test) / sizeof(*test) ; ++i){
+      CHECK(test[i].def == ncchannel_default_p(test[i].channel));
+    }
+  }
+
+  SUBCASE("ChannelSetDefault") {
+    const uint32_t channels[] = {
+      0x40000000, 0x4fffffff, 0xcfffffff,
+      0x40808080, 0x40080808, 0xffffffff,
+    };
+    for(auto i = 0u ; i < sizeof(channels) / sizeof(*channels) ; ++i){
+      uint32_t channel = channels[i];
+      CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(channel));
+      ncchannel_set_default(&channel);
+      CHECK(ncchannel_default_p(channel));
+    }
+  }
+
+  // blend of 0 ought set c1 to c2
+  SUBCASE("ChannelBlend0") {
+    uint32_t c1 = 0;
+    uint32_t c2 = 0;
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x88, 0x44, 0x22);
+    unsigned blends = 0;
+    uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends, 0);
+    CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
+    unsigned r, g, b;
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x88 == r);
+    CHECK(0x44 == g);
+    CHECK(0x22 == b);
+    CHECK(1 == blends);
+  }
+
+  // blend of 1 ought perfectly average c1 and c2
+  SUBCASE("ChannelBlend1") {
+    uint32_t c1 = 0;
+    uint32_t c2 = 0;
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0);
+    unsigned blends = 1;
+    uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends, 0);
+    CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
+    unsigned r, g, b;
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x40 == r);
+    CHECK(0x20 == g);
+    CHECK(0x10 == b);
+    CHECK(2 == blends);
+  }
+
+  // blend of 2 ought weigh c1 twice as much as c2
+  SUBCASE("ChannelBlend2") {
+    uint32_t c1 = 0;
+    uint32_t c2 = 0;
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c1, 0x60, 0x30, 0x0f);
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0);
+    unsigned blends = 2;
+    uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends, 0);
+    CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
+    unsigned r, g, b;
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x40 == r);
+    CHECK(0x20 == g);
+    CHECK(0x0a == b);
+    CHECK(3 == blends);
+  }
+
+  // blending the default color in ought use the provided default
+  SUBCASE("ChannelBlendDefaultLeft") {
+    uint32_t c1 = 0;
+    uint32_t c2 = 0;
+    ncchannel_set_rgb8(&c2, 0x80, 0x40, 0x20);
+    unsigned blends = 0;
+    uint32_t c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends, 0); // will replace
+    CHECK(!ncchannel_default_p(c));
+    unsigned r, g, b;
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x80 == r);
+    CHECK(0x40 == g);
+    CHECK(0x20 == b);
+    CHECK(1 == blends);
+    c = channels_blend(nullptr, c, c1, &blends, 0x666666); // blends 0x666666 into 0x804020
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x73 == r);
+    CHECK(0x53 == g);
+    CHECK(0x43 == b);
+    CHECK(2 == blends);
+    c = channels_blend(nullptr, c1, c2, &blends, 0x666666); // blends 0x804020 into 0x666666x2
+    ncchannel_rgb8(c, &r, &g, &b);
+    CHECK(0x6e == r);
+    CHECK(0x59 == g);
+    CHECK(0x4e == b);
+    CHECK(3 == blends);
+  }
+
+  // test that colors are inverted, but nothing else
+  SUBCASE("ChannelsReverse") {
+    uint64_t channels = 0;
+    uint64_t rev = ncchannels_reverse(channels);
+    CHECK(0 == rev);
+    ncchannels_set_fg_palindex(&channels, 8);
+    rev = ncchannels_reverse(channels);
+    CHECK(8 == ncchannels_bg_palindex(rev));
+    CHECK(0 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
+    ncchannels_set_fg_palindex(&rev, 63);
+    rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
+    CHECK(8 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
+    CHECK(63 == ncchannels_bg_palindex(rev));
+    ncchannels_set_fg_default(&rev);
+    ncchannels_set_bg_alpha(&rev, NCALPHA_TRANSPARENT);
+    rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
+    CHECK(63 == ncchannels_fg_palindex(rev));
+    CHECK(ncchannels_bg_default_p(rev));
+    CHECK(NCALPHA_OPAQUE == ncchannels_bg_alpha(rev));
+    ncchannels_set_fg_rgb(&rev, 0x2288cc);
+    rev = ncchannels_reverse(rev);
+    CHECK(0x2288cc == ncchannels_bg_rgb(rev));
+    CHECK(ncchannels_fg_default_p(rev));
+  }
+
+}