diff --git a/32blit/graphics/blend.cpp b/32blit/graphics/blend.cpp
index 503f958eb..0bc51e72e 100644
--- a/32blit/graphics/blend.cpp
+++ b/32blit/graphics/blend.cpp
@@ -348,27 +348,6 @@ namespace blit {
     uint8_t* d = dest->data + (doff * 3);
     uint8_t* m = dest->mask ? dest->mask->data + doff : nullptr;
 
-    // solid fill/blend
-    if(!m && src_step == 0 && cnt > 1) {
-      Pen *pen = src->palette ? &src->palette[*s] : (Pen *)s;
-
-      uint16_t a = src->format == PixelFormat::RGB ? 255 : pen->a;
-
-      if(!a) return;
-
-      a = alpha(a, dest->alpha);
-
-      if (a >= 255) {
-        // no alpha, just copy
-        copy_rgba_rgb(pen, d, cnt);
-      }
-      else {
-        // alpha, blend
-        blend_rgba_rgb(pen, d, a, cnt);
-      }
-      return;
-    }
-
     do {
       Pen *pen = src->palette ? &src->palette[*s] : (Pen *)s;
 
@@ -394,27 +373,6 @@ namespace blit {
     uint8_t* d = dest->data + (doff * 2);
     uint8_t* m = dest->mask ? dest->mask->data + doff : nullptr;
 
-    // solid fill/blend
-    if(!m && src_step == 0 && cnt > 1) {
-      Pen *pen = src->palette ? &src->palette[*s] : (Pen *)s;
-
-      uint16_t a = src->format == PixelFormat::RGB ? 255 : pen->a;
-
-      if(!a) return;
-
-      a = alpha(a, dest->alpha);
-
-      if (a >= 255) {
-        // no alpha, just copy
-        copy_rgba_rgb565(pen, d, cnt);
-      }
-      else {
-        // alpha, blend
-        blend_rgba_rgb565(pen, d, a, cnt);
-      }
-      return;
-    }
-
     auto d16 = (uint16_t *)d;
 
     do {
@@ -459,4 +417,33 @@ namespace blit {
       s += src_step;
     } while (--cnt);
   }
+
+  Pen get_pen_rgb(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset) {
+    auto ptr = surf->data + offset * 3;
+    return {ptr[0], ptr[1], ptr[2]};
+  }
+
+  Pen get_pen_rgba(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset) {
+    auto ptr = surf->data + offset * 4;
+    return *(Pen *)ptr;
+  }
+
+  Pen get_pen_p(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset) {
+    auto ptr = surf->data + offset;
+    return surf->palette[*ptr];
+  }
+
+  Pen get_pen_m(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset) {
+    auto ptr = surf->data + offset;
+    return {*ptr}; // mask is just alpha
+  }
+
+  Pen get_pen_rgb565(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset) {
+    auto ptr = surf->data + offset * 2;
+
+    auto rgb565 = *(uint16_t *)ptr;
+    uint8_t r, g, b;
+    unpack_rgb565(rgb565, r, g, b);
+    return {r, g, b};
+  }
 }
diff --git a/32blit/graphics/blend.hpp b/32blit/graphics/blend.hpp
index 477eebca9..108ef346a 100644
--- a/32blit/graphics/blend.hpp
+++ b/32blit/graphics/blend.hpp
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ namespace blit {
   // supports source alpha, global alpha, and mask alpha where needed
   using BlitBlendFunc = void(*)(const Surface* src, uint32_t soff, const Surface* dest, uint32_t doff, uint32_t cnt, int32_t src_step);
 
+  // reads a pixel from the surface and converts it to a Pen
+  using PenGetFunc = Pen(*)(const Surface* surf, uint32_t off);
+
   extern void RGBA_RGBA(const Pen* pen, const Surface* dest, uint32_t off, uint32_t cnt);
   extern void RGBA_RGB(const Pen* pen, const Surface* dest, uint32_t off, uint32_t cnt);
   extern void RGBA_RGB565(const Pen* pen, const Surface* dest, uint32_t off, uint32_t cnt);
@@ -27,4 +30,9 @@ namespace blit {
   extern void P_P(const Surface* src, uint32_t soff, const Surface* dest, uint32_t doff, uint32_t cnt, int32_t src_step);
   extern void M_M(const Surface* src, uint32_t soff, const Surface* dest, uint32_t doff, uint32_t cnt, int32_t src_step);
 
+  Pen get_pen_rgb(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset);
+  Pen get_pen_rgba(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset);
+  Pen get_pen_p(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset);
+  Pen get_pen_m(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset);
+  Pen get_pen_rgb565(const Surface *surf, uint32_t offset);
 }
diff --git a/32blit/graphics/surface.cpp b/32blit/graphics/surface.cpp
index 2e7bcddda..3d5432630 100644
--- a/32blit/graphics/surface.cpp
+++ b/32blit/graphics/surface.cpp
@@ -60,22 +60,27 @@ namespace blit {
     case PixelFormat::RGBA: {
       pbf = RGBA_RGBA;
       bbf = RGBA_RGBA;
+      pgf = get_pen_rgba;
     }break;
     case PixelFormat::RGB: {
       pbf = RGBA_RGB;
       bbf = RGBA_RGB;
+      pgf = get_pen_rgb;
     }break;
     case PixelFormat::P: {
       pbf = P_P;
       bbf = P_P;
+      pgf = get_pen_p;
     }break;
     case PixelFormat::M: {
       pbf = M_M;
       bbf = M_M;
+      pgf = get_pen_m;
     }break;
     case PixelFormat::RGB565: {
       pbf = RGBA_RGB565;
       bbf = RGBA_RGB565;
+      pgf = get_pen_rgb565;
     }break;
     }
   }
@@ -419,7 +424,8 @@ namespace blit {
           new_x += x_step;
         }
 
-        bbf(src, src_offset + (x >> fix_shift) * src_step, this, dest_offset, num, 0);
+        auto pen = src->get_pixel(src_offset + (x >> fix_shift) * src_step);
+        pbf(&pen, this, dest_offset, num);
         dest_offset += num;
 
         x = new_x;
@@ -511,7 +517,8 @@ namespace blit {
           new_x += scale_x;
         }
 
-        bbf(src, src_offset + (x >> fix_shift), this, dest_offset, num, 0);
+        auto pen = src->get_pixel(src_offset + (x >> fix_shift));
+        pbf(&pen, this, dest_offset, num);
         dest_offset += num;
 
         x = new_x;
diff --git a/32blit/graphics/surface.hpp b/32blit/graphics/surface.hpp
index f833982f9..a39f02e74 100644
--- a/32blit/graphics/surface.hpp
+++ b/32blit/graphics/surface.hpp
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ namespace blit {
     // blend functions
     blit::PenBlendFunc              pbf;
     blit::BlitBlendFunc             bbf;
+    blit::PenGetFunc                pgf;
 
     std::vector<Surface *>          mipmaps;                  // TODO: probably too niche/specific to attach directly to surface
 
@@ -164,6 +165,9 @@ namespace blit {
 
     void generate_mipmaps(uint8_t depth);
 
+    Pen get_pixel(uint32_t offset) {return pgf(this, offset);}
+    Pen get_pixel(Point p) {return pgf(this, offset(p));}
+
     void clear();
     void pixel(const Point &p);
     void v_span(Point p, int16_t c);
diff --git a/32blit/graphics/tilemap.cpp b/32blit/graphics/tilemap.cpp
index 03aae5e7b..f9ae41193 100644
--- a/32blit/graphics/tilemap.cpp
+++ b/32blit/graphics/tilemap.cpp
@@ -222,8 +222,8 @@ namespace blit {
           count++;
         } while(c && (wc.x >> fix_shift) == wcx && (wc.y >> fix_shift) == wcy);
 
-        int soff = src->offset(u, v);
-        dest->bbf(src, soff, dest, doff, count, 0);
+        auto pen = src->get_pixel({u, v});
+        dest->pbf(&pen, dest, doff, count);
 
         doff += count;