diff --git a/dwl.c b/dwl.c
index 8614fdd..35f611d 100644
--- a/dwl.c
+++ b/dwl.c
@@ -193,6 +193,15 @@ typedef struct {
 	void (*arrange)(Monitor *);
 } Layout;
 
+typedef struct {
+	struct wlr_buffer base;
+	struct wl_listener release;
+	size_t stride;
+	bool acquired;
+	Img *image;
+	uint32_t data[];
+} Buffer;
+
 struct Monitor {
 	struct wl_list link;
 	struct wlr_output *wlr_output;
@@ -222,15 +231,10 @@ struct Monitor {
 	char ltsymbol[16];
 	int asleep;
 	Drwl *drw;
+	Buffer *pool[2];
 	int lrpad;
 };
 
-typedef struct {
-    struct wlr_buffer base;
-    size_t stride;
-    uint32_t data[];
-} Buffer;
-
 typedef struct {
 	const char *name;
 	float mfact;
@@ -272,6 +276,7 @@ static void arrangelayer(Monitor *m, struct wl_list *list,
 static void arrangelayers(Monitor *m);
 static void axisnotify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 static bool bar_accepts_input(struct wlr_scene_buffer *buffer, double *sx, double *sy);
+static void buffer_release(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 static void buffer_destroy(struct wlr_buffer *buffer);
 static bool buffer_begin_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *buffer, uint32_t flags, void **data, uint32_t *format, size_t *stride);
 static void buffer_end_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *buffer);
@@ -644,11 +649,22 @@ bar_accepts_input(struct wlr_scene_buffer *buffer, double *sx, double *sy)
 	return true;
 }
 
+void
+buffer_release(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
+{
+	Buffer *buf = wl_container_of(listener, buf, release);
+	buf->acquired = false;
+	wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "buffer %p ready for reuse", buf);
+	wl_list_remove(&buf->release.link);
+}
+
 void
 buffer_destroy(struct wlr_buffer *wlr_buffer)
 {
-	Buffer *buf;
-	buf = wl_container_of(wlr_buffer, buf, base);
+	Buffer *buf = wl_container_of(wlr_buffer, buf, base);
+	if (buf->acquired)
+		wl_list_remove(&buf->release.link);
+	drwl_image_destroy(buf->image);
 	free(buf);
 }
 
@@ -656,8 +672,7 @@ bool
 buffer_begin_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *wlr_buffer, uint32_t flags,
                              void **data, uint32_t *format, size_t *stride)
 {
-	Buffer *buf;
-	buf = wl_container_of(wlr_buffer, buf, base);
+	Buffer *buf = wl_container_of(wlr_buffer, buf, base);
 
 	if (flags & WLR_BUFFER_DATA_PTR_ACCESS_WRITE) return false;
 
@@ -669,7 +684,7 @@ buffer_begin_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *wlr_buffer, uint32_t flags,
 }
 
 void
-buffer_end_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *buffer)
+buffer_end_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *wlr_buffer)
 {
 }
 
@@ -821,6 +836,9 @@ cleanupmon(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 			wlr_layer_surface_v1_destroy(l->layer_surface);
 	}
 
+	for (i = 0; i < LENGTH(m->pool); i++)
+		wlr_buffer_drop(&m->pool[i]->base);
+
 	drwl_destroy(m->drw);
 
 	wl_list_remove(&m->destroy.link);
@@ -1455,6 +1473,50 @@ dirtomon(enum wlr_direction dir)
 	return selmon;
 }
 
+Buffer *
+bufmon(Monitor *m)
+{
+	size_t i;
+	size_t stride = drwl_image_stride(m->b.width);
+	Buffer *buf = NULL;
+
+	wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "looking for drawbar buffer for stride=%d", stride);
+	
+	for (i = 0; i < LENGTH(m->pool); i++) {
+		if (m->pool[i])
+			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "buffer slot %d %p busy=%d stride=%d", i, m->pool[i], m->pool[i]->acquired, m->pool[i]->stride);
+		if (m->pool[i] && !m->pool[i]->acquired && m->pool[i]->stride != stride) {
+			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "destroying buffer %d (%p) old stride %d vs %d",
+				i, &m->pool[i], stride, m->pool[i]->stride);
+			wlr_buffer_drop(&m->pool[i]->base);
+			m->pool[i] = NULL;
+		}
+		if (m->pool[i] && !m->pool[i]->acquired) {
+			buf = m->pool[i];
+			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "reusing available buffer %d (%p) stride=%d", i, buf, stride);
+		}
+		if (m->pool[i] || buf) {
+			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "successfully selected buffer %d (%p) stride=%d", i, buf, stride);
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		buf = ecalloc(1, sizeof(Buffer) + (stride * m->b.height));
+		buf->stride = stride;
+		buf->image = drwl_image_create(m->drw, m->b.width, m->b.height, buf->data, stride);
+		wlr_buffer_init(&buf->base, &buffer_impl, m->b.width, m->b.height);
+		m->pool[i] = buf;
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "empty slot; creating buffer %d (%p) stride=%d", i, buf, stride);
+	}
+	if (!buf)
+		return NULL;
+
+	wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "using drawbar buffer %p stride=%d", buf, stride);
+
+	buf->acquired = true;
+	LISTEN(&buf->base.events.release, &buf->release, buffer_release);
+	return buf;
+}
+
 void
 drawbar(Monitor *m)
 {
@@ -1462,21 +1524,20 @@ drawbar(Monitor *m)
 	int boxs = m->drw->font->height / 9;
 	int boxw = m->drw->font->height / 6 + 2;
 	uint32_t i, occ = 0, urg = 0;
-	int32_t stride, size;
 	Client *c;
 	Buffer *buf;
 
 	if (!m->scene_buffer->node.enabled)
 		return;
 
-	stride = drwl_stride(m->b.width);
-	size = stride * m->b.height;
+	if (!(buf = bufmon(m)))
+		return;
 
-	buf = ecalloc(1, sizeof(Buffer) + size);
-	buf->stride = stride;
-	wlr_buffer_init(&buf->base, &buffer_impl, m->b.width, m->b.height);
+	wlr_buffer_lock(&buf->base);
 
-	drwl_prepare_drawing(m->drw, m->b.width, m->b.height, buf->data, stride);
+	char addr[24];
+	snprintf(addr, sizeof(addr), "%p %d", buf, buf->stride);
+	strncpy(stext, addr, 256);
 
 	/* draw status first so it can be overdrawn by tags later */
 	if (m == selmon) { /* status is only drawn on selected monitor */
@@ -1520,13 +1581,12 @@ drawbar(Monitor *m)
 		}
 	}
 
-	drwl_finish_drawing(m->drw);
 	wlr_scene_buffer_set_dest_size(m->scene_buffer,
 		m->b.real_width, m->b.real_height);
 	wlr_scene_node_set_position(&m->scene_buffer->node, m->m.x,
 		m->m.y + (topbar ? 0 : m->m.height - m->b.real_height));
 	wlr_scene_buffer_set_buffer(m->scene_buffer, &buf->base);
-	wlr_buffer_drop(&buf->base);
+	wlr_buffer_unlock(&buf->base);
 }
 
 void