diff --git a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
index 3f9765f0..186a1eb3 100644
--- a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
+++ b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
       const isCursorCell = isCursorRow && x === cursorX;
       const isLinkHover = hasHover && x >= linkStart && x <= linkEnd;
 
+      let isDecorated = false;
+      this._decorationService.forEachDecorationAtCell(x, row, undefined, d => {
+        isDecorated = true;
+      });
+
       // get chars to render for this cell
       let chars = cell.getChars() || WHITESPACE_CELL_CHAR;
       if (chars === ' ' && (cell.isUnderline() || cell.isOverline())) {
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
           && spacing === oldSpacing
           && !isCursorCell
           && !isJoined
+          && !isDecorated
         ) {
           // no span alterations, thus only account chars skipping all code below
           text += chars;
@@ -386,7 +392,7 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
       }
 
       // exclude conditions for cell merging - never merge these
-      if (!isCursorCell && !isInSelection && !isJoined) {
+      if (!isCursorCell && !isInSelection && !isJoined && !isDecorated) {
         cellAmount++;
       } else {
         charElement.textContent = text;
diff --git a/src/common/SortedList.ts b/src/common/SortedList.ts
index 737b9acb..c5e7bc36 100644
--- a/src/common/SortedList.ts
+++ b/src/common/SortedList.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export class SortedList<T> {
       this._array.push(value);
       return;
     }
-    i = this._search(this._getKey(value), 0, this._array.length - 1);
+    i = this._search(this._getKey(value));
     this._array.splice(i, 0, value);
   }
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export class SortedList<T> {
     if (key === undefined) {
       return false;
     }
-    i = this._search(key, 0, this._array.length - 1);
+    i = this._search(key);
     if (i === -1) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export class SortedList<T> {
     if (this._array.length === 0) {
       return;
     }
-    i = this._search(key, 0, this._array.length - 1);
+    i = this._search(key);
     if (i < 0 || i >= this._array.length) {
       return;
     }
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export class SortedList<T> {
     if (this._array.length === 0) {
       return;
     }
-    i = this._search(key, 0, this._array.length - 1);
+    i = this._search(key);
     if (i < 0 || i >= this._array.length) {
       return;
     }
@@ -92,23 +92,26 @@ export class SortedList<T> {
     return this._array.values();
   }
 
-  private _search(key: number, min: number, max: number): number {
-    if (max < min) {
-      return min;
+  private _search(key: number): number {
+    let min = 0;
+    let max = this._array.length - 1;
+    while (max >= min) {
+      let mid = (min + max) >> 1;
+      const midKey = this._getKey(this._array[mid]);
+      if (midKey > key) {
+        max = mid - 1;
+      } else if (midKey < key) {
+        min = mid + 1;
+      } else {
+        // key in list, walk to lowest duplicate
+        while (mid > 0 && this._getKey(this._array[mid - 1]) === key) {
+          mid--;
+        }
+        return mid;
+      }
     }
-    let mid = Math.floor((min + max) / 2);
-    const midKey = this._getKey(this._array[mid]);
-    if (midKey > key) {
-      return this._search(key, min, mid - 1);
-    }
-    if (midKey < key) {
-      return this._search(key, mid + 1, max);
-    }
-    // Value found! Since keys can be duplicates, move the result index back to the lowest index
-    // that matches the key.
-    while (mid > 0 && this._getKey(this._array[mid - 1]) === key) {
-      mid--;
-    }
-    return mid;
+    // key not in list
+    // still return closest min (also used as insert position)
+    return min;
   }
 }