diff --git a/src/Buffer.ts b/src/Buffer.ts
index 12b2137d..bd3645e7 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.ts
+++ b/src/Buffer.ts
@@ -13,21 +13,21 @@ import { CircularList } from './utils/CircularList';
  *   - scroll position
  */
 export class Buffer {
-  public lines: CircularList<[number, string, number][]>;
+  public readonly lines: CircularList<[number, string, number][]>;
 
   public savedY: number;
   public savedX: number;
 
   /**
    * Create a new Buffer.
-   * @param {Terminal} terminal - The terminal the Buffer will belong to
+   * @param {Terminal} _terminal - The terminal the Buffer will belong to
    * @param {number} ydisp - The scroll position of the Buffer in the viewport
    * @param {number} ybase - The scroll position of the y cursor (ybase + y = the y position within the Buffer)
    * @param {number} y - The cursor's y position after ybase
    * @param {number} x - The cursor's x position after ybase
    */
   constructor(
-    private terminal: ITerminal,
+    private _terminal: ITerminal,
     public ydisp: number = 0,
     public ybase: number = 0,
     public y: number = 0,
@@ -36,7 +36,78 @@ export class Buffer {
     public scrollTop: number = 0,
     public tabs: any = {},
   ) {
-    this.lines = new CircularList<[number, string, number][]>(this.terminal.scrollback);
-    this.scrollBottom = this.terminal.rows - 1;
+    this.lines = new CircularList<[number, string, number][]>(this._terminal.scrollback);
+    this.scrollBottom = this._terminal.rows - 1;
+  }
+
+  public resize(newCols: number, newRows: number): void {
+    // Don't resize the buffer if it's empty and hasn't been used yet.
+    if (this.lines.length === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Deal with columns increasing (we don't do anything when columns reduce)
+    if (this._terminal.cols < newCols) {
+      const ch: [number, string, number] = [this._terminal.defAttr, ' ', 1]; // does xterm use the default attr?
+      for (let i = 0; i < this.lines.length; i++) {
+        if (this.lines.get(i) === undefined) {
+          this.lines.set(i, this._terminal.blankLine());
+        }
+        while (this.lines.get(i).length < newCols) {
+          this.lines.get(i).push(ch);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Resize rows in both directions as needed
+    let addToY = 0;
+    if (this._terminal.rows < newRows) {
+      for (let y = this._terminal.rows; y < newRows; y++) {
+        if (this.lines.length < newRows + this.ybase) {
+          if (this.ybase > 0 && this.lines.length <= this.ybase + this.y + addToY + 1) {
+            // There is room above the buffer and there are no empty elements below the line,
+            // scroll up
+            this.ybase--;
+            addToY++;
+            if (this.ydisp > 0) {
+              // Viewport is at the top of the buffer, must increase downwards
+              this.ydisp--;
+            }
+          } else {
+            // Add a blank line if there is no buffer left at the top to scroll to, or if there
+            // are blank lines after the cursor
+            this.lines.push(this._terminal.blankLine());
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } else { // (this._terminal.rows >= newRows)
+      for (let y = this._terminal.rows; y > newRows; y--) {
+        if (this.lines.length > newRows + this.ybase) {
+          if (this.lines.length > this.ybase + this.y + 1) {
+            // The line is a blank line below the cursor, remove it
+            this.lines.pop();
+          } else {
+            // The line is the cursor, scroll down
+            this.ybase++;
+            this.ydisp++;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Make sure that the cursor stays on screen
+    if (this.y >= newRows) {
+      this.y = newRows - 1;
+    }
+    if (addToY) {
+      this.y += addToY;
+    }
+
+    if (this.x >= newCols) {
+      this.x = newCols - 1;
+    }
+
+    this.scrollTop = 0;
+    this.scrollBottom = newRows - 1;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/BufferSet.ts b/src/BufferSet.ts
index e86c098f..4a65dbfe 100644
--- a/src/BufferSet.ts
+++ b/src/BufferSet.ts
@@ -65,4 +65,9 @@ export class BufferSet extends EventEmitter implements IBufferSet {
     this._activeBuffer = this._alt;
     this.emit('activate', this._alt);
   }
+
+  public resize(newCols: number, newRows: number): void {
+    this._normal.resize(newCols, newRows);
+    this._alt.resize(newCols, newRows);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/Interfaces.ts b/src/Interfaces.ts
index f19a7f28..d463fcb7 100644
--- a/src/Interfaces.ts
+++ b/src/Interfaces.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export interface ITerminal {
   emit(event: string, data: any);
   reset(): void;
   showCursor(): void;
+  blankLine(cur?: boolean, isWrapped?: boolean);
 }
 
 export interface IBuffer {
diff --git a/src/xterm.js b/src/xterm.js
index 5aa069e7..92fc0df8 100644
--- a/src/xterm.js
+++ b/src/xterm.js
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ function Terminal(options) {
   this.surrogate_high = '';
 
   // Create the terminal's buffers and set the current buffer
-  this.buffers = new BufferSet(this);
+  this.buffers = this.buffers || new BufferSet(this);
   this.buffer = this.buffers.active;  // Convenience shortcut;
   this.buffers.on('activate', function (buffer) {
     this._terminal.buffer = buffer;
@@ -1930,86 +1930,21 @@ Terminal.prototype.resize = function(x, y) {
   if (x < 1) x = 1;
   if (y < 1) y = 1;
 
-  // resize cols
-  j = this.cols;
-  if (j < x) {
-    ch = [this.defAttr, ' ', 1]; // does xterm use the default attr?
-    i = this.buffer.lines.length;
-    while (i--) {
-      if (this.buffer.lines.get(i) === undefined) {
-        this.buffer.lines.set(i, this.blankLine());
-      }
-      while (this.buffer.lines.get(i).length < x) {
-        this.buffer.lines.get(i).push(ch);
-      }
-    }
+  this.buffers.resize(x, y);
+
+  // Adjust rows in the DOM to accurately reflect the new dimensions
+  while (this.children.length < y) {
+    this.insertRow();
+  }
+  while (this.children.length > y) {
+    el = this.children.shift();
+    if (!el) continue;
+    el.parentNode.removeChild(el);
   }
 
   this.cols = x;
-  this.setupStops(this.cols);
-
-  // resize rows
-  j = this.rows;
-  addToY = 0;
-  if (j < y) {
-    el = this.element;
-    while (j++ < y) {
-      // y is rows, not this.buffer.y
-      if (this.buffer.lines.length < y + this.buffer.ybase) {
-        if (this.buffer.ybase > 0 && this.buffer.lines.length <= this.buffer.ybase + this.buffer.y + addToY + 1) {
-          // There is room above the buffer and there are no empty elements below the line,
-          // scroll up
-          this.buffer.ybase--;
-          addToY++;
-          if (this.buffer.ydisp > 0) {
-            // Viewport is at the top of the buffer, must increase downwards
-            this.buffer.ydisp--;
-          }
-        } else {
-          // Add a blank line if there is no buffer left at the top to scroll to, or if there
-          // are blank lines after the cursor
-          this.buffer.lines.push(this.blankLine());
-        }
-      }
-      if (this.children.length < y) {
-        this.insertRow();
-      }
-    }
-  } else { // (j > y)
-    while (j-- > y) {
-      if (this.buffer.lines.length > y + this.buffer.ybase) {
-        if (this.buffer.lines.length > this.buffer.ybase + this.buffer.y + 1) {
-          // The line is a blank line below the cursor, remove it
-          this.buffer.lines.pop();
-        } else {
-          // The line is the cursor, scroll down
-          this.buffer.ybase++;
-          this.buffer.ydisp++;
-        }
-      }
-      if (this.children.length > y) {
-        el = this.children.shift();
-        if (!el) continue;
-        el.parentNode.removeChild(el);
-      }
-    }
-  }
   this.rows = y;
-
-  // Make sure that the cursor stays on screen
-  if (this.buffer.y >= y) {
-    this.buffer.y = y - 1;
-  }
-  if (addToY) {
-    this.buffer.y += addToY;
-  }
-
-  if (this.buffer.x >= x) {
-    this.buffer.x = x - 1;
-  }
-
-  this.buffer.scrollTop = 0;
-  this.buffer.scrollBottom = y - 1;
+  this.setupStops(this.cols);
 
   this.charMeasure.measure();