diff --git a/drawer/render.go b/drawer/render.go
index 9d31358..3a9f880 100644
--- a/drawer/render.go
+++ b/drawer/render.go
@@ -43,11 +43,7 @@ func (m Model) renderOne(d Drawer, background string, w, h int) string {
 		x = max(w-bw, 0)
 	}
 
-	compositor := lipgloss.NewCompositor(
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(dim(background, s.DimColor)),
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(box).X(x).Y(0).Z(1),
-	)
-	return compositor.Render()
+	return style.Overlay(dim(background, s.DimColor), box, x, 0)
 }
 
 func dim(s string, c color.Color) string {
diff --git a/modal/render.go b/modal/render.go
index d94ae00..1553aeb 100644
--- a/modal/render.go
+++ b/modal/render.go
@@ -42,11 +42,7 @@ func (m Model) renderOne(mo Modal, background string, w, h int) string {
 	bw, bh := lipgloss.Width(box), lipgloss.Height(box)
 	x, y := max((w-bw)/2, 0), max((h-bh)/2, 0)
 
-	compositor := lipgloss.NewCompositor(
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(dim(background, s.DimColor)),
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(box).X(x).Y(y).Z(1),
-	)
-	return compositor.Render()
+	return style.Overlay(dim(background, s.DimColor), box, x, y)
 }
 
 func dim(s string, c color.Color) string {
diff --git a/notification/render.go b/notification/render.go
index 6b6372d..fa600f6 100644
--- a/notification/render.go
+++ b/notification/render.go
@@ -24,11 +24,7 @@ func (m Model) Render(background string) string {
 	sw, sh := lipgloss.Width(stack), lipgloss.Height(stack)
 	x, y := placement(m.position, w, h, sw, sh)
 
-	compositor := lipgloss.NewCompositor(
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(background),
-		lipgloss.NewLayer(stack).X(x).Y(y).Z(1),
-	)
-	return compositor.Render()
+	return style.Overlay(background, stack, x, y)
 }
 
 func (m Model) View(width, height int) string {
diff --git a/style/overlay.go b/style/overlay.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14da177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/style/overlay.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package style
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi"
+)
+
+func Overlay(base, top string, x, y int) string {
+	baseLines := strings.Split(base, "\n")
+	topLines := strings.Split(top, "\n")
+
+	for i, tl := range topLines {
+		row := y + i
+		if row < 0 || row >= len(baseLines) {
+			continue
+		}
+		bl := baseLines[row]
+		tw := ansi.StringWidth(tl)
+		left := ansi.Cut(bl, 0, x)
+		right := ansi.Cut(bl, x+tw, ansi.StringWidth(bl))
+		baseLines[row] = left + tl + right
+	}
+
+	return strings.Join(baseLines, "\n")
+}