diff --git a/libs/arg.c b/libs/arg.c
index 4a42294..db410a5 100644
--- a/libs/arg.c
+++ b/libs/arg.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ void moveup(Arg *arg) {
 void complete(Arg *arg) {
     if (hideitem) return;
 
-    strncpy(tx.text, sel->clntext, sizeof tx.text - 1);
+    strncpy(tx.text, sel->text, sizeof tx.text - 1);
     tx.text[sizeof tx.text - 1] = '\0';
     sp.cursor = strlen(tx.text);
 
diff --git a/libs/draw.c b/libs/draw.c
index dbad6c2..5baa8d0 100644
--- a/libs/draw.c
+++ b/libs/draw.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ void drawhighlights(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w, int p, const char *i
 
 int drawitemtext(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w) {
     char buffer[MAXITEMLENGTH]; // buffer containing item text
+    char *ttext;
     int leftpadding = sp.lrpad / 2; // padding
     int wr, rd; // character
     int fg = 7; // foreground
@@ -136,6 +137,9 @@ int drawitemtext(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w) {
     }
 #endif
 
+    ttext = malloc(sizeof(buffer));
+    ttext[0] = '\0';
+
     // parse item text
     for (wr = 0, rd = 0; item->text[rd]; rd++) {
         if (item->text[rd] == '' && item->text[rd + 1] == '[') {
@@ -151,6 +155,8 @@ int drawitemtext(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w) {
                 draw_text(draw, x, y, MIN(w, TEXTW(buffer) - sp.lrpad) + leftpadding, sp.bh, leftpadding, isrtl ? fribidi_text : buffer, 0, pango_item ? True : False, fgcol, bgcol, fga, bga);
                 drawhighlights(item, x, y, MIN(w, TEXTW(buffer) - sp.lrpad) + leftpadding, leftpadding, isrtl ? fribidi_text : buffer);
 
+                strcat(ttext, buffer);
+
                 // position and width
                 x += MIN(w, TEXTW(buffer) - sp.lrpad) + leftpadding;
                 w -= MIN(w, TEXTW(buffer) - sp.lrpad) + leftpadding;
@@ -264,16 +270,15 @@ int drawitemtext(struct item *item, int x, int y, int w) {
     }
 
     buffer[wr] = '\0';
+    strcat(ttext, buffer);
+
+    item->text = ttext; // set item text to one without SGR sequences
 
     // now draw any non-colored text
     apply_fribidi(buffer);
     int r = draw_text(draw, x, y, w, sp.bh, leftpadding, isrtl ? fribidi_text : buffer, 0, pango_item ? True : False, fgcol, bgcol, fga, bga);
     if (!hidehighlight) drawhighlights(item, x, y, w, leftpadding, buffer);
 
-    // copy current buffer to item->clntext instead of item->text, this way SGR sequences aren't drawn
-    item->clntext = malloc(sizeof(buffer));
-    memcpy(item->clntext, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
-
     if (!hidepowerline && powerlineitems && selitem) {
         if (itempwlstyle == 2) {
             draw_circle(draw, r, y, sp.plw, sp.bh, 1, col_menu, bgcol, alpha_menu, bga);
diff --git a/spmenu.c b/spmenu.c
index 83921b7..be79345 100644
--- a/spmenu.c
+++ b/spmenu.c
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ enum {
 
 struct item {
     char *text;
-    char *clntext;
     char *image;
     char *ex;
     struct item *left, *right;