diff --git a/src/renderer/Metal.zig b/src/renderer/Metal.zig
index 0dba464c5..8dc03e01a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Metal.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/Metal.zig
@@ -625,8 +625,7 @@ pub fn init(alloc: Allocator, options: renderer.Options) !Metal {
             .cell_size = undefined,
             .grid_size = undefined,
             .grid_padding = undefined,
-            .padding_extend_top = true,
-            .padding_extend_bottom = true,
+            .padding_extend = .{},
             .min_contrast = options.config.min_contrast,
             .cursor_pos = .{ std.math.maxInt(u16), std.math.maxInt(u16) },
             .cursor_color = undefined,
@@ -1950,16 +1949,20 @@ pub fn setScreenSize(
     const padded_dim = dim.subPadding(padding);
 
     // Blank space around the grid.
-    const blank: renderer.Padding = switch (self.config.padding_color) {
-        // We can use zero padding because the background color is our
-        // clear color.
-        .background => .{},
+    const blank: renderer.Padding = dim.blankPadding(padding, grid_size, .{
+        .width = self.grid_metrics.cell_width,
+        .height = self.grid_metrics.cell_height,
+    }).add(padding);
 
-        .extend => dim.blankPadding(padding, grid_size, .{
-            .width = self.grid_metrics.cell_width,
-            .height = self.grid_metrics.cell_height,
-        }).add(padding),
-    };
+    var padding_extend = self.uniforms.padding_extend;
+    if (self.config.padding_color == .extend) {
+        // If padding extension is enabled, we extend left and right always.
+        padding_extend.left = true;
+        padding_extend.right = true;
+    } else {
+        // Otherwise, disable all padding extension.
+        padding_extend = .{};
+    }
 
     // Set the size of the drawable surface to the bounds
     self.layer.setProperty("drawableSize", macos.graphics.Size{
@@ -1990,8 +1993,7 @@ pub fn setScreenSize(
             @floatFromInt(blank.bottom),
             @floatFromInt(blank.left),
         },
-        .padding_extend_top = old.padding_extend_top,
-        .padding_extend_bottom = old.padding_extend_bottom,
+        .padding_extend = padding_extend,
         .min_contrast = old.min_contrast,
         .cursor_pos = old.cursor_pos,
         .cursor_color = old.cursor_color,
@@ -2136,8 +2138,10 @@ fn rebuildCells(
         self.cells.reset();
 
         // We also reset our padding extension depending on the screen type
-        self.uniforms.padding_extend_top = screen_type == .alternate;
-        self.uniforms.padding_extend_bottom = screen_type == .alternate;
+        if (self.config.padding_color == .extend) {
+            self.uniforms.padding_extend.up = screen_type == .alternate;
+            self.uniforms.padding_extend.down = screen_type == .alternate;
+        }
     }
 
     // Go row-by-row to build the cells. We go row by row because we do
@@ -2174,10 +2178,12 @@ fn rebuildCells(
         // under certain conditions we feel are safe. This helps make some
         // scenarios look better while avoiding scenarios we know do NOT look
         // good.
-        if (y == 0 and screen_type == .primary) {
-            self.uniforms.padding_extend_top = !row.neverExtendBg();
-        } else if (y == self.cells.size.rows - 1 and screen_type == .primary) {
-            self.uniforms.padding_extend_bottom = !row.neverExtendBg();
+        if (self.config.padding_color == .extend) {
+            if (y == 0 and screen_type == .primary) {
+                self.uniforms.padding_extend.up = !row.neverExtendBg();
+            } else if (y == self.cells.size.rows - 1 and screen_type == .primary) {
+                self.uniforms.padding_extend.down = !row.neverExtendBg();
+            }
         }
 
         // Split our row into runs and shape each one.
diff --git a/src/renderer/metal/shaders.zig b/src/renderer/metal/shaders.zig
index 9c9b44475..6708a8bec 100644
--- a/src/renderer/metal/shaders.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/metal/shaders.zig
@@ -124,9 +124,10 @@ pub const Uniforms = extern struct {
     /// top, right, bottom, left.
     grid_padding: [4]f32 align(16),
 
-    /// True if vertical padding gets the extended color of the nearest row.
-    padding_extend_top: bool align(1),
-    padding_extend_bottom: bool align(1),
+    /// Bit mask defining which directions to
+    /// extend cell colors in to the padding.
+    /// Order, LSB first: left, right, up, down
+    padding_extend: PaddingExtend align(1),
 
     /// The minimum contrast ratio for text. The contrast ratio is calculated
     /// according to the WCAG 2.0 spec.
@@ -135,6 +136,14 @@ pub const Uniforms = extern struct {
     /// The cursor position and color.
     cursor_pos: [2]u16 align(4),
     cursor_color: [4]u8 align(4),
+
+    const PaddingExtend = packed struct(u8) {
+        left: bool = false,
+        right: bool = false,
+        up: bool = false,
+        down: bool = false,
+        _padding: u4 = 0,
+    };
 };
 
 /// The uniforms used for custom postprocess shaders.
diff --git a/src/renderer/shaders/cell.metal b/src/renderer/shaders/cell.metal
index e34ea18b2..b58e6600e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/shaders/cell.metal
+++ b/src/renderer/shaders/cell.metal
@@ -2,13 +2,19 @@
 
 using namespace metal;
 
+enum Padding : uint8_t {
+  EXTEND_LEFT = 1u,
+  EXTEND_RIGHT = 2u,
+  EXTEND_UP = 4u,
+  EXTEND_DOWN = 8u,
+};
+
 struct Uniforms {
   float4x4 projection_matrix;
   float2 cell_size;
   ushort2 grid_size;
   float4 grid_padding;
-  bool padding_extend_top;
-  bool padding_extend_bottom;
+  uint8_t padding_extend;
   float min_contrast;
   ushort2 cursor_pos;
   uchar4 cursor_color;
@@ -110,21 +116,32 @@ fragment float4 cell_bg_fragment(
   constant uchar4 *cells [[buffer(0)]],
   constant Uniforms& uniforms [[buffer(1)]]
 ) {
-  int2 grid_pos = int2((in.position.xy - uniforms.grid_padding.wx) / uniforms.cell_size);
+  int2 grid_pos = int2(floor((in.position.xy - uniforms.grid_padding.wx) / uniforms.cell_size));
 
   // Clamp x position, extends edge bg colors in to padding on sides.
-  grid_pos.x = clamp(grid_pos.x, 0, uniforms.grid_size.x - 1);
-
-  // Clamp y position if we should extend, otherwise discard if out of bounds.
-  if (grid_pos.y < 0) {
-    if (uniforms.padding_extend_top) {
-      grid_pos.y = 0;
+  if (grid_pos.x < 0) {
+    if (uniforms.padding_extend & EXTEND_LEFT) {
+      grid_pos.x = 0;
+    } else {
+      return float4(0.0);
+    }
+  } else if (grid_pos.x > uniforms.grid_size.x - 1) {
+    if (uniforms.padding_extend & EXTEND_RIGHT) {
+      grid_pos.x = uniforms.grid_size.x - 1;
     } else {
       return float4(0.0);
     }
   }
-  if (grid_pos.y > uniforms.grid_size.y - 1) {
-    if (uniforms.padding_extend_bottom) {
+
+  // Clamp y position if we should extend, otherwise discard if out of bounds.
+  if (grid_pos.y < 0) {
+    if (uniforms.padding_extend & EXTEND_UP) {
+      grid_pos.y = 0;
+    } else {
+      return float4(0.0);
+    }
+  } else if (grid_pos.y > uniforms.grid_size.y - 1) {
+    if (uniforms.padding_extend & EXTEND_DOWN) {
       grid_pos.y = uniforms.grid_size.y - 1;
     } else {
       return float4(0.0);