diff --git a/include/gfx/font.h b/include/gfx/font.h
index 65ab5af..993b038 100644
--- a/include/gfx/font.h
+++ b/include/gfx/font.h
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ int gfx_get_font_space(void);
 SDL_Color gfx_get_font_color(void);
 void gfx_set_font_name(const char *name);
 
-int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *ts);
+int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *ts, bool blend);
 void gfx_draw_text_to_amap(Texture *dst, int x, int y, char *text);
 void gfx_draw_text_to_pmap(Texture *dst, int x, int y, char *text);
 float gfx_size_char(struct text_style *ts, const char *ch);
diff --git a/include/gfx/gfx.h b/include/gfx/gfx.h
index e897d18..966c632 100644
--- a/include/gfx/gfx.h
+++ b/include/gfx/gfx.h
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void gfx_copy_stretch_with_alpha_map(Texture *dst, int dx, int dy, int dw, int d
 void gfx_copy_grayscale(Texture *dst, int dx, int dy, Texture *src, int sx, int sy, int w, int h);
 void gfx_draw_line(Texture *dst, int x0, int y0, int x1, int y1, int r, int g, int b);
 void gfx_draw_line_to_amap(Texture *dst, int x0, int y0, int x1, int y1, int a);
-void gfx_draw_glyph(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, SDL_Color color, float scale_x, float bold_width);
+void gfx_draw_glyph(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, SDL_Color color, float scale_x, float bold_width, bool blend);
 void gfx_draw_glyph_to_pmap(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, Rectangle glyph_pos, SDL_Color color, float scale_x);
 void gfx_draw_glyph_to_amap(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, Rectangle glyph_pos, float scale_x);
 
diff --git a/shaders/blend_rmap_color.f.glsl b/shaders/blend_rmap_color.f.glsl
index f10b608..9621af7 100644
--- a/shaders/blend_rmap_color.f.glsl
+++ b/shaders/blend_rmap_color.f.glsl
@@ -15,12 +15,14 @@
  */
 
 uniform sampler2D tex;
-uniform vec4 color;
+uniform vec4 color;  // .a is the discard threshold
 
 in vec2 tex_coord;
 out vec4 frag_color;
 
 void main() {
-        vec4 texel = texture(tex, tex_coord);
-        frag_color = vec4(color.rgb, texel.r * color.a);
+	vec4 texel = texture(tex, tex_coord);
+	if (texel.r < color.a)
+		discard;
+	frag_color = vec4(color.rgb, texel.r);
 }
diff --git a/shaders/dilate.f.glsl b/shaders/dilate.f.glsl
index 4497bdc..9993dfe 100644
--- a/shaders/dilate.f.glsl
+++ b/shaders/dilate.f.glsl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 uniform sampler2D tex;
 uniform float threshold;
-uniform vec4 color;
+uniform vec4 color;  // .a is the discard threshold
 
 in vec2 tex_coord;
 out vec4 frag_color;
@@ -43,5 +43,7 @@ void main() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (a_out < color.a)
+		discard;
 	frag_color = vec4(color.rgb, min(a_out, 1.0));
 }
diff --git a/src/draw.c b/src/draw.c
index ecfbf45..f0cb753 100644
--- a/src/draw.c
+++ b/src/draw.c
@@ -1118,29 +1118,23 @@ void gfx_draw_line_to_amap(Texture *dst, int x0, int y0, int x1, int y1, int a)
 }
 
 // XXX: Not an actual DrawGraph function; used for rendering text
-void gfx_draw_glyph(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, SDL_Color color, float scale_x, float bold_width)
+void gfx_draw_glyph(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, SDL_Color color, float scale_x, float bold_width, bool blend)
 {
+	if (blend) {
+		glBlendFuncSeparate(GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ZERO, GL_ONE);
+	} else {
+		glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_ZERO);
+		glBlendEquationSeparate(GL_FUNC_ADD, GL_MAX);
+	}
+
 	dx = roundf(dx);
-
-	glBlendFuncSeparate(GL_ONE, GL_ZERO, GL_ZERO, GL_ONE);
-	struct copy_data fill_data = COPY_DATA(dx, dy, dx, dy, glyph->w * scale_x, glyph->h);
-	fill_data.r = color.r / 255.0;
-	fill_data.g = color.g / 255.0;
-	fill_data.b = color.b / 255.0;
-	fill_data.a = 0.0;
-	fill_data.threshold = 0.001;
-	run_copy_shader(&fill_amap_under_border_shader.s, dst, dst, &fill_data);
-
-	glBlendFunc(GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
-	glBlendEquationSeparate(GL_FUNC_ADD, GL_MAX);
-
 	struct copy_data data = STRETCH_DATA(
 			dx, dy, glyph->w * scale_x, glyph->h,
 			0,  0,  glyph->w,           glyph->h);
 	data.r = color.r / 255.0;
 	data.g = color.g / 255.0;
 	data.b = color.b / 255.0;
-	data.a = 1.0;
+	data.a = 0.01;  // discard threshold
 
 	if (bold_width < 0.01) {
 		run_copy_shader(&blend_rmap_color_shader.s, dst, glyph, &data);
@@ -1160,7 +1154,7 @@ void gfx_draw_glyph_to_pmap(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, Rect
 	data.r = color.r / 255.0;
 	data.g = color.g / 255.0;
 	data.b = color.b / 255.0;
-	data.a = 1.0;
+	data.a = 0.01;  // discard threshold
 	glBlendFuncSeparate(GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ZERO, GL_ONE);
 	run_copy_shader(&blend_rmap_color_shader.s, dst, glyph, &data);
 	restore_blend_mode();
@@ -1174,7 +1168,7 @@ void gfx_draw_glyph_to_amap(Texture *dst, float dx, int dy, Texture *glyph, Rect
 	data.r = 1.0;
 	data.g = 1.0;
 	data.b = 1.0;
-	data.a = 1.0;
+	data.a = 0.0;  // discard threshold
 	glBlendFuncSeparate(GL_ZERO, GL_ONE, GL_ONE, GL_ZERO);
 	run_copy_shader(&blend_rmap_color_shader.s, dst, glyph, &data);
 	restore_blend_mode();
diff --git a/src/hll/CharSpriteManager.c b/src/hll/CharSpriteManager.c
index 219523b..4f77854 100644
--- a/src/hll/CharSpriteManager.c
+++ b/src/hll/CharSpriteManager.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ static void charsprite_render(struct charsprite *cs)
 
 	sprite_init_color(&cs->sp, w, h, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 	sprite_get_texture(&cs->sp); // XXX: force initialization of texture
-	gfx_render_text(&cs->sp.texture, 0.0f, 0, ch, &cs->ts);
+	gfx_render_text(&cs->sp.texture, 0.0f, 0, ch, &cs->ts, false);
 	sprite_dirty(&cs->sp);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hll/Gpx2Plus.c b/src/hll/Gpx2Plus.c
index 2a3458c..31cd3f6 100644
--- a/src/hll/Gpx2Plus.c
+++ b/src/hll/Gpx2Plus.c
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ static void Gpx2Plus_MsgDraw(int surface, int x, int y)
 				skiplen = strlen(s);
 			}
 			pos.y += line_height - ts.size;  // bottom align
-			pos.x += gfx_render_text(dst, pos.x, pos.y, s, &ts);
+			pos.x += gfx_render_text(dst, pos.x, pos.y, s, &ts, true);
 			pos.y -= line_height - ts.size;
 			if (lb)
 				*lb = '<';
diff --git a/src/hll/SengokuRanceFont.c b/src/hll/SengokuRanceFont.c
index 71dd02b..581ecc0 100644
--- a/src/hll/SengokuRanceFont.c
+++ b/src/hll/SengokuRanceFont.c
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ static float sp_text_draw(struct sact_sprite *sp, struct sr_text_properties *tp,
 	tp->last_char = last_char;
 
 	sprite_dirty(sp);
-	return gfx_render_text(tex, x ,y, text->text, &tp->ts);
+	return gfx_render_text(tex, x ,y, text->text, &tp->ts, false);
 }
 
 static void SengokuRanceFont_SP_TextDraw(int sp_no, struct string *text)
diff --git a/src/hll/StoatSpriteEngine.c b/src/hll/StoatSpriteEngine.c
index 6ccc647..d11d8f1 100644
--- a/src/hll/StoatSpriteEngine.c
+++ b/src/hll/StoatSpriteEngine.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ bool StoatSpriteEngine_SP_SetTextSprite(int sp_no, struct string *text)
 		w /= 2;
 	struct sact_sprite *sp = sact_create_sprite(sp_no, w, h, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 	sprite_get_texture(sp); // XXX: force initialization of texture
-	gfx_render_text(&sp->texture, 0.0f, 0, s, &text_sprite_ts);
+	gfx_render_text(&sp->texture, 0.0f, 0, s, &text_sprite_ts, false);
 	sprite_dirty(sp);
 	return true;
 }
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ static bool StoatSpriteEngine_MultiSprite_SetText(int type, int n, struct string
 	int h = ms->ts.size;
 	sprite_init_color(&ms->sp, w, h, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 	sprite_get_texture(&ms->sp); // XXX: force initialization of texture
-	gfx_render_text(&ms->sp.texture, 0.0f, 0, text->text, &ms->ts);
+	gfx_render_text(&ms->sp.texture, 0.0f, 0, text->text, &ms->ts, false);
 	sprite_dirty(&ms->sp);
 
 	ms->cg = 1;
diff --git a/src/hll/vmDrawMsg.c b/src/hll/vmDrawMsg.c
index e03922a..cebf738 100644
--- a/src/hll/vmDrawMsg.c
+++ b/src/hll/vmDrawMsg.c
@@ -161,17 +161,17 @@ static int vmDrawMsg_Draw(int handle)
 				struct vm_surface *sf = vm_surface_get(dm->surfaces[SURFACE_DROP_SHADOW]);
 				int x = dm->pos.x + dm->style.drop_shadow;
 				int y = dm->pos.y + dm->style.drop_shadow;
-				gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, x, y, s, &ts);
+				gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, x, y, s, &ts, false);
 			}
 			if (dm->style.bold) {
 				struct text_style ts = dm->style.ts;
 				ts.bold_width = dm->style.bold;
 				ts.color = dm->style.bold_color;
 				struct vm_surface *sf = vm_surface_get(dm->surfaces[SURFACE_BOLD]);
-				gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, dm->pos.x, dm->pos.y, s, &ts);
+				gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, dm->pos.x, dm->pos.y, s, &ts, false);
 			}
 			struct vm_surface *sf = vm_surface_get(dm->surfaces[SURFACE_TEXT]);
-			dm->pos.x += gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, dm->pos.x, dm->pos.y, s, &dm->style.ts);
+			dm->pos.x += gfx_render_text(&sf->texture, dm->pos.x, dm->pos.y, s, &dm->style.ts, false);
 			if (lb)
 				*lb = '<';
 		} else if (sscanf(s, "<C%d,%d,%d>%n", &a1, &a2, &a3, &skiplen) == 3) {
diff --git a/src/parts/construction.c b/src/parts/construction.c
index fa58d9d..61772ed 100644
--- a/src/parts/construction.c
+++ b/src/parts/construction.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ static void build_copy_cut_cg(struct parts_construction_process *cproc, struct p
 
 static void build_draw_text(struct parts_construction_process *cproc, struct parts_cp_text *op)
 {
-	gfx_render_text(&cproc->common.texture, op->x, op->y, op->text->text, &op->style);
+	gfx_render_text(&cproc->common.texture, op->x, op->y, op->text->text, &op->style, true);
 }
 
 static void build_copy_text(struct parts_construction_process *cproc, struct parts_cp_text *op)
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ static void build_copy_text(struct parts_construction_process *cproc, struct par
 	int h = ceilf(op->style.size + op->style.edge_up + op->style.edge_down);
 	gfx_fill_with_alpha(&cproc->common.texture, op->x, op->y, w, h,
 			op->style.edge_color.r, op->style.edge_color.g, op->style.edge_color.b, 0);
-	gfx_render_text(&cproc->common.texture, op->x, op->y, op->text->text, &op->style);
+	gfx_render_text(&cproc->common.texture, op->x, op->y, op->text->text, &op->style, false);
 }
 
 bool parts_build_construction_process(struct parts *parts,
diff --git a/src/parts/text.c b/src/parts/text.c
index 425d50c..617b39b 100644
--- a/src/parts/text.c
+++ b/src/parts/text.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static const char *parts_text_append_char(struct parts_text *t, const char *str)
 	int width = text_style_width(&t->ts, ch->ch);
 	int height = text_style_height(&t->ts);
 	gfx_init_texture_rgba(&ch->t, width, height, (SDL_Color){0,0,0,0});
-	ch->advance = gfx_render_text(&ch->t, 0, 0, ch->ch, &t->ts);
+	ch->advance = gfx_render_text(&ch->t, 0, 0, ch->ch, &t->ts, false);
 
 	line->width += width;
 	line->height = max(line->height, height);
diff --git a/src/sprite.c b/src/sprite.c
index 7946242..d71b598 100644
--- a/src/sprite.c
+++ b/src/sprite.c
@@ -372,17 +372,11 @@ void sprite_set_text_pos(struct sact_sprite *sp, int x, int y)
 void sprite_text_draw(struct sact_sprite *sp, struct string *text, struct text_style *ts)
 {
 	if (!sp->text.texture.handle) {
-		SDL_Color c;
-		if (text_style_has_edge(ts))
-			c = ts->edge_color;
-		else
-			c = ts->color;
-		c.a = 0;
-		gfx_init_texture_rgba(&sp->text.texture, sp->rect.w, sp->rect.h, c);
+		gfx_init_texture_rgba(&sp->text.texture, sp->rect.w, sp->rect.h, COLOR(0, 0, 0, 0));
 	}
 
 	ts->font_spacing = sp->text.char_space;
-	sp->text.pos.x += gfx_render_text(&sp->text.texture, sp->text.pos.x, sp->text.pos.y, text->text, ts);
+	sp->text.pos.x += gfx_render_text(&sp->text.texture, sp->text.pos.x, sp->text.pos.y, text->text, ts, false);
 	if (sp->text.current_line_height < ts->size)
 		sp->text.current_line_height = ts->size;
 	sprite_dirty(sp);
diff --git a/src/text.c b/src/text.c
index 0a1e9cc..cdbab65 100644
--- a/src/text.c
+++ b/src/text.c
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ float gfx_get_actual_font_size_round_down(unsigned face, float size)
 }
 
 enum text_render_mode {
+	RENDER_COPY,
 	RENDER_BLENDED,
 	RENDER_PMAP,
 	RENDER_AMAP,
@@ -237,10 +238,14 @@ static int render_text(Texture *dst, char *msg, struct text_render_metrics *tm)
 
 		// render glyph
 		Texture *t = &glyph->t[tm->weight];
-		if (tm->mode == RENDER_BLENDED) {
+		if (tm->mode == RENDER_COPY) {
 			float x = pos_x - glyph->rect.x;
 			int y = pos_y - glyph->rect.y;
-			gfx_draw_glyph(dst, x, y, t, tm->color, config.text_x_scale, tm->edge_width);
+			gfx_draw_glyph(dst, x, y, t, tm->color, config.text_x_scale, tm->edge_width, false);
+		} else if (tm->mode == RENDER_BLENDED) {
+			float x = pos_x - glyph->rect.x;
+			int y = pos_y - glyph->rect.y;
+			gfx_draw_glyph(dst, x, y, t, tm->color, config.text_x_scale, tm->edge_width, true);
 		} else if (tm->mode == RENDER_PMAP) {
 			gfx_draw_glyph_to_pmap(dst, pos_x, pos_y, t, glyph->rect, tm->color, config.text_x_scale);
 		} else if (tm->mode == RENDER_AMAP) {
@@ -271,11 +276,12 @@ static enum font_weight int_to_font_weight(int weight)
 	return (weight % 1000) < 551 ? FONT_WEIGHT_BOLD : FONT_WEIGHT_HEAVY;
 }
 
-int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *ts)
+int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *ts, bool blend)
 {
 	enum font_weight weight = int_to_font_weight(ts->weight);
 	struct font_size *font_size = text_style_font_size(ts);
 	float edge_width = text_style_edge_width(ts);
+	enum text_render_mode mode = blend ? RENDER_BLENDED : RENDER_COPY;
 	if (edge_width > 0.01f) {
 		struct text_render_metrics metrics = {
 			.x = x,
@@ -287,10 +293,11 @@ int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *
 			.space_scale_x = ts->space_scale_x,
 			.font_spacing = ts->font_spacing,
 			.edge_spacing = gfx_text_advance_edges ? edge_width : 0.0,
-			.mode = RENDER_BLENDED,
+			.mode = mode,
 			.font_size = font_size,
 		};
 		render_text(dst, msg, &metrics);
+		mode = RENDER_BLENDED;  // core text is blended on top of the edge
 	}
 	struct text_render_metrics metrics = {
 		.x = x,
@@ -302,7 +309,7 @@ int gfx_render_text(Texture *dst, float x, int y, char *msg, struct text_style *
 		.space_scale_x = ts->space_scale_x,
 		.font_spacing = ts->font_spacing,
 		.edge_spacing = gfx_text_advance_edges ? edge_width : 0.0,
-		.mode = RENDER_BLENDED,
+		.mode = mode,
 		.font_size = font_size,
 	};
 	return render_text(dst, msg, &metrics);