diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 4a8ba7a4c..9745ac70a 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ rearrangements of Notcurses.
     static linking on systems with libtinfo embedded into libncurses.
   * Added `ncblit_rgb_loose()` and `ncblit_rgb_packed()` helpers for blitting
     32bpp RGBx and 24bpp RGB.
+  * Added `ncplane_erase_region()` to initialize all `nccell`s within a
+    region of a plane.
 
 * 2.2.10 (2021-05-05)
   * Added `NCVISUAL_OPTION_CHILDPLANE` to interpret the `n` field of
diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index c1d234ad7..0862144eb 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -820,6 +820,14 @@ int ncplane_mergedown_simple(const ncplane* restrict src, ncplane* restrict dst)
 // with this ncplane are invalidated, and must not be used after the call,
 // excluding the base cell. The cursor is homed.
 void ncplane_erase(struct ncplane* n);
+
+// Erase every cell in the region starting at {ystart, xstart} and having size
+// {ylen, xlen}. It is an error if any of ystart, xstart, ylen, or xlen is
+// negative. A value of 0 may be provided for ylen and/or xlen, meaning to
+// erase everything along that dimension. It is an error if ystart + ylen
+// or xstart + xlen is not in the plane.
+int ncplane_erase_region(struct ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart,
+                         int ylen, int xlen);
 ```
 
 All planes, including the standard plane, are created with scrolling disabled.
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
index 6e2c0168b..ac4a333bb 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ typedef struct ncplane_options {
 
 **void ncplane_erase(struct ncplane* ***n***);**
 
+**int ncplane_erase_region(struct ncplane* ***n***, int ***ystart***, int ***xstart***, int ***ylen***, int ***xlen***);**
+
 **bool ncplane_set_scrolling(struct ncplane* ***n***, bool ***scrollp***);**
 
 **int ncplane_rotate_cw(struct ncplane* ***n***);**
@@ -286,6 +288,9 @@ might see changes. It is an error to merge a plane onto itself.
 
 **ncplane_erase** zeroes out every cell of the plane, dumps the egcpool, and
 homes the cursor. The base cell is preserved, as are the active attributes.
+**ncplane_erase_region** does the same for a subregion of the plane. For the
+latter, supply 0 for ***ylen*** and/or ***xlen*** to erase through that
+dimension, starting at the specified point.
 
 When a plane is resized (whether by **ncplane_resize**, **SIGWINCH**, or any
 other mechanism), a depth-first recursion is performed on its children.
@@ -397,6 +402,9 @@ destroyed. The caller should release this **nccell** with **nccell_release**.
 **ncplane_as_rgba** returns a heap-allocated array of **uint32_t** values,
 each representing a single RGBA pixel, or **NULL** on failure.
 
+**ncplane_erase_region** returns -1 if any of its parameters are negative, or
+if they specify any area beyond the plane.
+
 Functions returning **int** return 0 on success, and non-zero on error.
 
 All other functions cannot fail (and return **void**).
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 30ef7b477..adfa776ee 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -1982,6 +1982,15 @@ API int ncplane_mergedown(struct ncplane* RESTRICT src,
 // The cursor is homed. The plane's active attributes are unaffected.
 API void ncplane_erase(struct ncplane* n);
 
+// Erase every cell in the region starting at {ystart, xstart} and having size
+// {ylen, xlen}. It is an error if any of ystart, xstart, ylen, or xlen is
+// negative. A value of 0 may be provided for ylen and/or xlen, meaning to
+// erase everything along that dimension. It is an error if ystart + ylen
+// or xstart + xlen is not in the plane.
+API int ncplane_erase_region(struct ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart,
+                             int ylen, int xlen)
+  __attribute__ ((nonnull (1)));
+
 // Extract 24 bits of foreground RGB from 'cl', shifted to LSBs.
 static inline uint32_t
 nccell_fg_rgb(const nccell* cl){
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 4ed6870ed..8cf9dd6b8 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -2030,6 +2030,39 @@ void ncplane_erase(ncplane* n){
   n->y = n->x = 0;
 }
 
+int ncplane_erase_region(ncplane* n, int ystart, int xstart, int ylen, int xlen){
+  const notcurses* nc = ncplane_notcurses_const(n);
+  if(ylen < 0 || xlen < 0){
+    logerror(nc, "Won't erase section of negative length (%d, %d)\n", ylen, xlen);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(ystart < 0 || xstart < 0){
+    logerror(nc, "Illegal start of erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, xstart);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(ystart >= ncplane_dim_y(n) || ystart + ylen > ncplane_dim_y(n)){
+    logerror(nc, "Illegal y spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", ystart, ylen);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(ylen == 0){
+    ylen = ncplane_dim_y(n) - ystart;
+  }
+  if(xstart >= ncplane_dim_x(n) || xstart + xlen > ncplane_dim_x(n)){
+    logerror(nc, "Illegal x spec for erase (%d, %d)\n", xstart, xlen);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(xlen == 0){
+    xlen = ncplane_dim_x(n) - ystart;
+  }
+  for(int y = ystart ; y < ystart + ylen ; ++y){
+    for(int x = xstart ; x < xstart + xlen ; ++x){
+      nccell_release(n, &n->fb[nfbcellidx(n, y, x)]);
+      nccell_init(&n->fb[nfbcellidx(n, y, x)]);
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
 ncplane* notcurses_top(notcurses* n){
   return ncplane_pile(n->stdplane)->top;
 }