diff --git a/src/Grid.zig b/src/Grid.zig
index aa75c78ac..6dbc53302 100644
--- a/src/Grid.zig
+++ b/src/Grid.zig
@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@ pub fn updateCells(self: *Grid, term: Terminal) !void {
 
     for (term.screen.items) |line, y| {
         for (line.items) |cell, x| {
+            // It can be zero if the cell is empty
+            if (cell.empty()) continue;
+
             // Get our glyph
             const glyph = try self.font_atlas.addGlyph(self.alloc, cell.char);
 
diff --git a/src/Window.zig b/src/Window.zig
index 66a328cdd..3c8c856b3 100644
--- a/src/Window.zig
+++ b/src/Window.zig
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ pub fn create(alloc: Allocator) !*Window {
     // Create our terminal
     var term = Terminal.init(grid.size.columns, grid.size.rows);
     errdefer term.deinit(alloc);
-    try term.append(alloc, "hello!");
+    try term.append(alloc, "hello!\r\nworld!");
 
     self.* = .{
         .window = window,
diff --git a/src/terminal/Terminal.zig b/src/terminal/Terminal.zig
index 608d4cb58..77fe678ca 100644
--- a/src/terminal/Terminal.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/Terminal.zig
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ const Cell = struct {
     char: u32,
 
     // TODO(mitchellh): this is where we'll track fg/bg and other attrs.
+
+    /// True if the cell should be skipped for drawing
+    pub fn empty(self: Cell) bool {
+        return self.char == 0;
+    }
 };
 
 /// Cursor represents the cursor state.