diff --git a/sixel.c b/sixel.c
index 4bb7a28e..fdad65a9 100644
--- a/sixel.c
+++ b/sixel.c
@@ -37,14 +37,22 @@ sixel_init(struct terminal *term)
     /* TODO: default palette */
 }
 
+void
+sixel_destroy(struct sixel *sixel)
+{
+    pixman_image_unref(sixel->pix);
+    free(sixel->data);
+
+    sixel->pix = NULL;
+    sixel->data = NULL;
+}
+
 void
 sixel_unhook(struct terminal *term)
 {
     free(term->sixel.palette);
     term->sixel.palette = NULL;
 
-    LOG_DBG("generating %dx%d pixman image", term->sixel.row * 6, term->sixel.max_col);
-
     if (term->sixel.col > term->sixel.max_col)
         term->sixel.max_col = term->sixel.col;
     term->sixel.row++;
@@ -58,6 +66,8 @@ sixel_unhook(struct terminal *term)
         .pos = (struct coord){term->cursor.point.col, term->grid->offset + term->cursor.point.row},
     };
 
+    LOG_DBG("generating %dx%d pixman image", image.width, image.height);
+
     image.pix = pixman_image_create_bits_no_clear(
         PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8,
         image.width, image.height,
@@ -66,8 +76,7 @@ sixel_unhook(struct terminal *term)
 
     tll_foreach(term->sixel_images, it) {
         if (it->item.pos.row == image.pos.row) {
-            pixman_image_unref(it->item.pix);
-            free(it->item.data);
+            sixel_destroy(&it->item);
             tll_remove(term->sixel_images, it);
         }
     }
diff --git a/sixel.h b/sixel.h
index 0cb24bfe..5933cf81 100644
--- a/sixel.h
+++ b/sixel.h
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@
 void sixel_init(struct terminal *term);
 void sixel_put(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c);
 void sixel_unhook(struct terminal *term);
+
+void sixel_destroy(struct sixel *sixel);
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index c6c349c3..cb7c08e9 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@
 #include "log.h"
 
 #include "async.h"
+#include "config.h"
 #include "grid.h"
 #include "render.h"
-#include "vt.h"
 #include "selection.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "sixel.h"
 #include "slave.h"
+#include "vt.h"
 
 #define min(x, y) ((x) < (y) ? (x) : (y))
 #define max(x, y) ((x) > (y) ? (x) : (y))
@@ -994,10 +995,8 @@ term_destroy(struct terminal *term)
     tll_free(term->ptmx_buffer);
     tll_free(term->tab_stops);
 
-    tll_foreach(term->sixel_images, it) {
-        pixman_image_unref(it->item.pix);
-        free(it->item.data);
-    }
+    tll_foreach(term->sixel_images, it)
+        sixel_destroy(&it->item);
     tll_free(term->sixel_images);
 
     free(term->foot_exe);
@@ -1538,8 +1537,7 @@ term_scroll_partial(struct terminal *term, struct scroll_region region, int rows
             int new_row = (term->grid->offset + r) & (term->grid->num_rows - 1);
 
             if (img_top_row == new_row) {
-                pixman_image_unref(it->item.pix);
-                free(it->item.data);
+                sixel_destroy(&it->item);
                 tll_remove(term->sixel_images, it);
             }
         }
@@ -1605,8 +1603,7 @@ term_scroll_reverse_partial(struct terminal *term,
             int new_row = (term->grid->offset + r) & (term->grid->num_rows - 1);
 
             if (img_bottom_row == new_row) {
-                pixman_image_unref(it->item.pix);
-                free(it->item.data);
+                sixel_destroy(&it->item);
                 tll_remove(term->sixel_images, it);
             }
         }