diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index e6861c9bf..914612dbf 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ rearrangements of Notcurses.
     `NCOPTION_SCROLLING`, `NCOPTION_NO_CLEAR_BITMAPS`,
     `NCOPTION_NO_ALTERNATE_SCREEN`, and `NCOPTION_PRESERVE_CURSOR`.
   * Added `ncvisual_from_sixel()`.
+  * The control sequence corresponding to a pixel-blitted `ncvisual()`
+    can be retrieved by using `ncplane_at_yx()` on the sprixel plane.
 
 * 3.0.1 (2021-12-14)
   * Added the `NCPLANE_OPTION_VSCROLL` flag. Creating an `ncplane` with this
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
index 2bf79e6f5..b99194a73 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
@@ -375,6 +375,10 @@ secondary column of a wide glyph with **ncplane_at_yx_cell** will fill in
 the **nccell** argument such that **nccell_extended_gcluster(3)** returns an
 empty string, and **nccell_wide_right_p(3)** returns **true**.
 
+If **ncplane_at_yx** is invoked upon a sprixel plane, the control sequence will
+be returned for any valid coordinates (note that this may be quite large).
+This does not apply to **ncplane_at_yx_cell**, which will return an error.
+
 **ncplane_set_name** sets the plane's name, freeing any old name. ***name***
 may be **NULL**. **ncplane_set_name** duplicates the provided name internally.
 
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 7a4084faf..ad217871e 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -1876,18 +1876,22 @@ API int ncplane_scrollup_child(struct ncplane* n, const struct ncplane* child)
 // characters, spaces, half blocks, and full blocks. The plane must have
 // an even number of columns. Use the ncvisual rotation for a more
 // flexible approach.
-API int ncplane_rotate_cw(struct ncplane* n);
-API int ncplane_rotate_ccw(struct ncplane* n);
+API int ncplane_rotate_cw(struct ncplane* n)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
+API int ncplane_rotate_ccw(struct ncplane* n)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Retrieve the current contents of the cell under the cursor. The EGC is
 // returned, or NULL on error. This EGC must be free()d by the caller. The
 // stylemask and channels are written to 'stylemask' and 'channels', respectively.
-API char* ncplane_at_cursor(struct ncplane* n, uint16_t* stylemask, uint64_t* channels);
+API char* ncplane_at_cursor(struct ncplane* n, uint16_t* stylemask, uint64_t* channels)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Retrieve the current contents of the cell under the cursor into 'c'. This
 // cell is invalidated if the associated plane is destroyed. Returns the number
 // of bytes in the EGC, or -1 on error.
-API int ncplane_at_cursor_cell(struct ncplane* n, nccell* c);
+API int ncplane_at_cursor_cell(struct ncplane* n, nccell* c)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1, 2)));
 
 // Retrieve the current contents of the specified cell. The EGC is returned, or
 // NULL on error. This EGC must be free()d by the caller. The stylemask and
@@ -1895,16 +1899,20 @@ API int ncplane_at_cursor_cell(struct ncplane* n, nccell* c);
 // represents how the cell will be used during rendering, and thus integrates
 // any base cell where appropriate. If called upon the secondary columns of a
 // wide glyph, the EGC will be returned (i.e. this function does not distinguish
-// between the primary and secondary columns of a wide glyph).
+// between the primary and secondary columns of a wide glyph). If called on a
+// sprixel plane, its control sequence is returned for all valid locations.
 API char* ncplane_at_yx(const struct ncplane* n, int y, int x,
-                        uint16_t* stylemask, uint64_t* channels);
+                        uint16_t* stylemask, uint64_t* channels)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Retrieve the current contents of the specified cell into 'c'. This cell is
 // invalidated if the associated plane is destroyed. Returns the number of
 // bytes in the EGC, or -1 on error. Unlike ncplane_at_yx(), when called upon
 // the secondary columns of a wide glyph, the return can be distinguished from
-// the primary column (nccell_wide_right_p(c) will return true).
-API int ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, nccell* c);
+// the primary column (nccell_wide_right_p(c) will return true). It is an
+// error to call this on a sprixel plane (unlike ncplane_at_yx()).
+API int ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, nccell* c)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1, 4)));
 
 // Create a flat string from the EGCs of the selected region of the ncplane
 // 'n'. Start at the plane's 'begy'x'begx' coordinate (which must lie on the
@@ -1912,20 +1920,24 @@ API int ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, nccell* c);
 // 'lenx' can be specified as 0 to go through the boundary of the plane.
 // -1 can be specified for 'begx'/'begy' to use the current cursor location.
 API char* ncplane_contents(struct ncplane* n, int begy, int begx,
-                           unsigned leny, unsigned lenx);
+                           unsigned leny, unsigned lenx)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Manipulate the opaque user pointer associated with this plane.
 // ncplane_set_userptr() returns the previous userptr after replacing
 // it with 'opaque'. the others simply return the userptr.
-API void* ncplane_set_userptr(struct ncplane* n, void* opaque);
-API void* ncplane_userptr(struct ncplane* n);
+API void* ncplane_set_userptr(struct ncplane* n, void* opaque)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
+API void* ncplane_userptr(struct ncplane* n)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Find the center coordinate of a plane, preferring the top/left in the
 // case of an even number of rows/columns (in such a case, there will be one
 // more cell to the bottom/right of the center than the top/left). The
 // center is then modified relative to the plane's origin.
 API void ncplane_center_abs(const struct ncplane* n, int* RESTRICT y,
-                            int* RESTRICT x);
+                            int* RESTRICT x)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
 
 // Create an RGBA flat array from the selected region of the ncplane 'nc'.
 // Start at the plane's 'begy'x'begx' coordinate (which must lie on the
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 3706b3849..e0e898ab9 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -229,6 +229,15 @@ char* ncplane_at_yx(const ncplane* n, int y, int x, uint16_t* stylemask, uint64_
     logerror("invalid coordinates: %d/%d", y, x);
     return NULL;
   }
+  if(n->sprite){
+    if(stylemask){
+      *stylemask = 0;
+    }
+    if(channels){
+      *channels = 0;
+    }
+    return strdup(n->sprite->glyph.buf);
+  }
   const nccell* yx = &n->fb[nfbcellidx(n, y, x)];
   // if we're the right side of a wide glyph, we return the main glyph
   if(nccell_wide_right_p(yx)){
@@ -258,6 +267,10 @@ int ncplane_at_cursor_cell(ncplane* n, nccell* c){
 }
 
 int ncplane_at_yx_cell(ncplane* n, int y, int x, nccell* c){
+  if(n->sprite){
+    logerror("invoked on a sprixel plane");
+    return -1;
+  }
   if(y < 0){
     if(y != -1){
       logerror("invalid y: %d", y);
diff --git a/src/poc/quantanal.c b/src/poc/quantanal.c
index 4780ab2fa..3a4825f9e 100644
--- a/src/poc/quantanal.c
+++ b/src/poc/quantanal.c
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+#include <inttypes.h>
 #include <notcurses/notcurses.h>
+#include <compat/compat.h>
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv){
   if(argc < 2){
-    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s images...\n", *argv);
+    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s images..." NL, *argv);
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
   struct notcurses_options opts = {0};
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv){
     struct ncvisual* ncv = ncvisual_from_file(*argv);
     if(ncv == NULL){
       notcurses_stop(nc);
-      fprintf(stderr, "error opening %s\n", *argv);
+      fprintf(stderr, "error opening %s" NL, *argv);
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
     struct ncplane* ncp = ncplane_dup(stdn, NULL);
@@ -34,16 +36,25 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv){
     vopts.flags = NCVISUAL_OPTION_NODEGRADE;
     if(ncvisual_blit(nc, ncv, &vopts) == NULL){
       notcurses_stop(nc);
-      fprintf(stderr, "error rendering %s\n", *argv);
+      fprintf(stderr, "error rendering %s" NL, *argv);
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
-    // FIXME acquire sixel as s
-    char* s = strdup("");
+    char* s;
+    if((s = ncplane_at_yx(ncp, 0, 0, NULL, NULL)) == NULL){
+      notcurses_stop(nc);
+      fprintf(stderr, "error retrieving sixel for %s" NL, *argv);
+      return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+    ncplane_set_fg_rgb(stdn, 0x74b72e);
+    size_t slen = strlen(s);
+    ncplane_printf(stdn, " control sequence: %" PRIuPTR " byte%s\n",
+                   slen, slen == 1 ? "" : "s");
+    notcurses_render(nc);
     unsigned leny = 0, lenx = 0; // FIXME
     struct ncvisual* quantncv = ncvisual_from_sixel(s, leny, lenx);
     if(quantncv == NULL){
       notcurses_stop(nc);
-      fprintf(stderr, "error loading %zuB sixel\n", strlen(s));
+      fprintf(stderr, "error loading %" PRIuPTR "B sixel" NL, slen);
       free(s);
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }