diff --git a/particles/string.c b/particles/string.c
index 51ab520..4ffd119 100644
--- a/particles/string.c
+++ b/particles/string.c
@@ -15,8 +15,16 @@ struct private {
 };
 
 struct eprivate {
+    /* Set when instantiating */
     char *text;
+
+    /* Set in begin_expose() */
     cairo_text_extents_t extents;
+    cairo_glyph_t *glyphs;
+    cairo_text_cluster_t *clusters;
+    cairo_text_cluster_flags_t cluster_flags;
+    int num_glyphs;
+    int num_clusters;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -34,21 +42,21 @@ begin_expose(struct exposable *exposable)
     struct eprivate *e = exposable->private;
 
     cairo_scaled_font_t *scaled = font_scaled_font(exposable->particle->font);
-
-    cairo_glyph_t *glyphs = NULL;
-    int num_glyphs;
     cairo_status_t status = cairo_scaled_font_text_to_glyphs(
-        scaled, 0, 0, e->text, -1, &glyphs, &num_glyphs, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+        scaled, 0, 0, e->text, -1, &e->glyphs, &e->num_glyphs,
+        &e->clusters, &e->num_clusters, &e->cluster_flags);
 
     if (status != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
         LOG_WARN("failed to convert \"%s\" to glyphs: %s",
                  e->text, cairo_status_to_string(status));
 
+        e->num_glyphs = -1;
+        e->num_clusters = -1;
         memset(&e->extents, 0, sizeof(e->extents));
         exposable->width = 0;
     } else {
-        cairo_scaled_font_glyph_extents(scaled, glyphs, num_glyphs, &e->extents);
-        cairo_glyph_free(glyphs);
+        cairo_scaled_font_glyph_extents(
+            scaled, e->glyphs, e->num_glyphs, &e->extents);
 
         exposable->width = (exposable->particle->left_margin +
                             e->extents.x_advance +
@@ -64,38 +72,32 @@ expose(const struct exposable *exposable, cairo_t *cr, int x, int y, int height)
     exposable_render_deco(exposable, cr, x, y, height);
 
     const struct eprivate *e = exposable->private;
-    const size_t text_len = strlen(e->text);
+
+    if (e->num_glyphs == -1)
+        return;
+
+    /* Adjust glyph offsets */
+    for (int i = 0; i < e->num_glyphs; i++) {
+        e->glyphs[i].x += x + exposable->particle->left_margin;
+        e->glyphs[i].y += (double)y +
+            ((double)height - e->extents.height) / 2 - e->extents.y_bearing;
+    }
 
     cairo_scaled_font_t *scaled = font_scaled_font(exposable->particle->font);
+    cairo_set_scaled_font(cr, scaled);
+    cairo_set_source_rgba(cr,
+                          exposable->particle->foreground.red,
+                          exposable->particle->foreground.green,
+                          exposable->particle->foreground.blue,
+                          exposable->particle->foreground.alpha);
+    cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER);
 
-    cairo_glyph_t *glyphs = NULL;
-    cairo_text_cluster_t *clusters = NULL;
-    cairo_text_cluster_flags_t cluster_flags;
-    int num_glyphs, num_clusters;
+    cairo_show_text_glyphs(
+        cr, e->text, -1, e->glyphs, e->num_glyphs,
+        e->clusters, e->num_clusters, e->cluster_flags);
 
-    cairo_status_t status = cairo_scaled_font_text_to_glyphs(
-        scaled,
-        x + exposable->particle->left_margin,
-        (double)y + ((double)height - e->extents.height) / 2 - e->extents.y_bearing,
-        e->text, text_len, &glyphs, &num_glyphs,
-        &clusters, &num_clusters, &cluster_flags);
-
-    if (status == CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-        cairo_set_scaled_font(cr, scaled);
-        cairo_set_source_rgba(cr,
-                              exposable->particle->foreground.red,
-                              exposable->particle->foreground.green,
-                              exposable->particle->foreground.blue,
-                              exposable->particle->foreground.alpha);
-        cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER);
-
-        cairo_show_text_glyphs(
-            cr, e->text, text_len, glyphs, num_glyphs,
-            clusters, num_clusters, cluster_flags);
-
-        cairo_glyph_free(glyphs);
-        cairo_text_cluster_free(clusters);
-    }
+    cairo_glyph_free(e->glyphs);
+    cairo_text_cluster_free(e->clusters);
 }
 
 static struct exposable *
@@ -106,6 +108,10 @@ instantiate(const struct particle *particle, const struct tag_set *tags)
 
     e->text = tags_expand_template(p->text, tags);
     memset(&e->extents, 0, sizeof(e->extents));
+    e->glyphs = NULL;
+    e->clusters = NULL;
+    e->num_glyphs = -1;
+    e->num_clusters = -1;
 
     if (p->max_len > 0) {
         const size_t len = strlen(e->text);