diff --git a/src/renderer/image.zig b/src/renderer/image.zig
index 8aa755e0b..bf8a606d5 100644
--- a/src/renderer/image.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/image.zig
@@ -299,6 +299,18 @@ pub const State = struct {
         const top_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.screen, top).?.screen.y;
         const bot_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.screen, bot).?.screen.y;
 
+        // Relative placements whose parent chain roots at a virtual
+        // placement can only be positioned once the placeholder cells
+        // have been scanned below, so they are collected here first.
+        var pending_relative: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(struct {
+            image_id: u32,
+            p: terminal.kitty.graphics.ImageStorage.Placement,
+            root_key: terminal.kitty.graphics.ImageStorage.PlacementKey,
+            horizontal_offset: i32,
+            vertical_offset: i32,
+        }) = .empty;
+        defer pending_relative.deinit(alloc);
+
         // Go through the placements and ensure the image is
         // on the GPU or else is ready to be sent to the GPU.
         var it = storage.placements.iterator();
@@ -306,8 +318,9 @@ pub const State = struct {
             const p = kv.value_ptr;
 
             // Special logic based on location
-            switch (p.location) {
-                .pin => {},
+            const origin: Origin = switch (p.location) {
+                .pin => |pin| .{ .pin = pin },
+
                 .virtual => {
                     // We need to mark virtual placements on our renderer so that
                     // we know to rebuild in more scenarios since cell changes can
@@ -319,7 +332,46 @@ pub const State = struct {
                     // placement itself.
                     continue;
                 },
-            }
+
+                .relative => |rel| origin: {
+                    // An unresolvable chain is never drawn. This only
+                    // happens transiently (storage reaps orphans) or for
+                    // chains re-parented too deep, which kitty doesn't
+                    // draw either.
+                    const chain = storage.resolveChain(rel) orelse continue;
+                    switch (chain.root.location) {
+                        // Rooted at a pin: anchored at the root's pin,
+                        // offset by the accumulated chain offsets.
+                        .pin => |root_pin| break :origin .{
+                            .pin = root_pin,
+                            .horizontal_offset = chain.horizontal_offset,
+                            .vertical_offset = chain.vertical_offset,
+                        },
+
+                        // Rooted at a virtual placement: positioned from
+                        // the root's placeholder cells, which we only
+                        // know after the placeholder scan below. The
+                        // placeholders also move with cell changes so we
+                        // must rebuild every frame, like virtuals.
+                        .virtual => {
+                            self.kitty_virtual = true;
+                            pending_relative.append(alloc, .{
+                                .image_id = kv.key_ptr.image_id,
+                                .p = p.*,
+                                .root_key = chain.root_key,
+                                .horizontal_offset = chain.horizontal_offset,
+                                .vertical_offset = chain.vertical_offset,
+                            }) catch |err| {
+                                log.warn("error deferring relative placement err={}", .{err});
+                            };
+                            continue;
+                        },
+
+                        // resolveChain roots are never relative.
+                        .relative => unreachable,
+                    }
+                },
+            };
 
             // Get the image for the placement
             const image = storage.imageById(kv.key_ptr.image_id) orelse {
@@ -337,6 +389,7 @@ pub const State = struct {
                 bot_y,
                 &image,
                 p,
+                origin,
             ) catch |err| {
                 // For errors we log and continue. We try to place
                 // other placements even if one fails.
@@ -346,6 +399,17 @@ pub const State = struct {
 
         // If we have virtual placements then we need to scan for placeholders.
         if (self.kitty_virtual) {
+            // The minimum placeholder cell seen per virtual placement,
+            // in viewport coordinates. This is the origin for relative
+            // placements rooted at a virtual placement: kitty positions
+            // those at the min-x/min-y of the parent's placeholder
+            // cells. Only tracked when such placements exist.
+            var virtual_origins: std.AutoHashMapUnmanaged(
+                terminal.kitty.graphics.ImageStorage.PlacementKey,
+                struct { x: u32, y: u32 },
+            ) = .empty;
+            defer virtual_origins.deinit(alloc);
+
             var v_it = terminal.kitty.graphics.unicode.placementIterator(top, bot);
             while (v_it.next()) |virtual_p| {
                 self.prepKittyVirtualPlacement(
@@ -358,6 +422,69 @@ pub const State = struct {
                     // other placements even if one fails.
                     log.warn("error preparing kitty placement err={}", .{err});
                 };
+
+                // We need to track the origins of all the placeholders
+                // when we have relative cells so that we can calculate
+                // the proper offsets later.
+                if (pending_relative.items.len > 0) fold: {
+                    // Find the target for this virtual placeholder.
+                    const target = storage.placeholderTarget(
+                        virtual_p.image_id,
+                        virtual_p.placement_id,
+                    ) orelse break :fold;
+
+                    // Get the actual viewport position for it.
+                    const vp = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(
+                        .viewport,
+                        virtual_p.pin,
+                    ) orelse break :fold;
+
+                    // Add the origin for this target
+                    const gop = virtual_origins.getOrPut(
+                        alloc,
+                        target.key,
+                    ) catch |err| {
+                        log.warn("error tracking virtual origin err={}", .{err});
+                        break :fold;
+                    };
+                    if (!gop.found_existing) {
+                        gop.value_ptr.* = .{ .x = vp.viewport.x, .y = vp.viewport.y };
+                    } else {
+                        gop.value_ptr.x = @min(gop.value_ptr.x, vp.viewport.x);
+                        gop.value_ptr.y = @min(gop.value_ptr.y, vp.viewport.y);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Position the relative placements rooted at virtual
+            // placements now that the placeholder cells are known. A
+            // root with no placeholders on screen leaves its relative
+            // placements undrawn, matching kitty.
+            for (pending_relative.items) |pr| {
+                const origin = virtual_origins.get(pr.root_key) orelse continue;
+                const image = storage.imageById(pr.image_id) orelse continue;
+                if (image.data.isPending()) continue;
+
+                const grid = pr.p.gridSize(image, t);
+                if (grid.cols == 0 or grid.rows == 0) continue;
+
+                // Viewport-relative signed position; cull placements
+                // entirely outside the viewport.
+                const x: i64 = @as(i64, origin.x) + pr.horizontal_offset;
+                const y: i64 = @as(i64, origin.y) + pr.vertical_offset;
+                if (y >= t.rows or y + grid.rows - 1 < 0) continue;
+                if (x >= t.cols or x + grid.cols - 1 < 0) continue;
+
+                self.appendKittyPlacement(
+                    alloc,
+                    t,
+                    &image,
+                    &pr.p,
+                    std.math.cast(i32, x) orelse continue,
+                    std.math.cast(i32, y) orelse continue,
+                ) catch |err| {
+                    log.warn("error preparing kitty placement err={}", .{err});
+                };
             }
         }
 
@@ -403,8 +530,19 @@ pub const State = struct {
         ImageConversionError,
     };
 
-    /// Get the viewport-relative position for this
-    /// placement and add it to the placements list.
+    /// Where a placement is anchored on screen: a pin, plus cell
+    /// offsets from it for relative placements. The pin is the
+    /// placement's own pin for pin placements; for relative placements
+    /// it is the root of the parent chain and the offsets are the
+    /// accumulated chain offsets in cells.
+    const Origin = struct {
+        pin: *const terminal.Pin,
+        horizontal_offset: i32 = 0,
+        vertical_offset: i32 = 0,
+    };
+
+    /// Get the viewport-relative position for this placement and add it
+    /// to the placements list.
     fn prepKittyPlacement(
         self: *State,
         alloc: Allocator,
@@ -413,23 +551,58 @@ pub const State = struct {
         bot_y: u32,
         image: *const terminal.kitty.graphics.Image,
         p: *const terminal.kitty.graphics.ImageStorage.Placement,
+        origin: Origin,
     ) PrepImageError!void {
         // Keep the native placement but do not create a renderer placement or
         // texture until the decoded bytes arrive.
         if (image.data.isPending()) return;
 
-        // Get the rect for the placement. If this placement doesn't have
-        // a rect then its virtual or something so skip it.
-        const rect = p.rect(image.*, t) orelse return;
+        // An origin whose tracked content was pruned has no position.
+        if (origin.pin.garbage) return;
+
+        // The size of the placement in grid cells. A zero size can
+        // occur when pixel geometry is unavailable; nothing to place.
+        const grid = p.gridSize(image.*, t);
+        if (grid.cols == 0 or grid.rows == 0) return;
 
         // This is expensive but necessary.
-        const img_top_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.screen, rect.top_left).?.screen.y;
-        const img_bot_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.screen, rect.bottom_right).?.screen.y;
+        const origin_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(
+            .screen,
+            origin.pin.*,
+        ).?.screen.y;
 
-        // If the selection isn't within our viewport then skip it.
-        if (img_top_y > bot_y) return;
-        if (img_bot_y < top_y) return;
+        // The placement's edges in screen coordinates. Chain offsets
+        // are signed: a relative placement can hang above or to the
+        // left of its origin, so this math must be signed and widened.
+        const img_top_y: i64 = @as(i64, origin_y) + origin.vertical_offset;
+        const img_bot_y: i64 = img_top_y + grid.rows - 1;
+        const img_left_x: i64 = @as(i64, origin.pin.x) + origin.horizontal_offset;
+        const img_right_x: i64 = img_left_x + grid.cols - 1;
 
+        // If the placement isn't within our viewport then skip it.
+        if (img_top_y > bot_y or img_bot_y < top_y) return;
+        if (img_left_x >= t.cols or img_right_x < 0) return;
+
+        // Viewport-relative position. Offsets so extreme that the
+        // position is unrepresentable have no renderable pixels.
+        const y_pos = std.math.cast(i32, img_top_y - top_y) orelse return;
+        const x_pos = std.math.cast(i32, img_left_x) orelse return;
+
+        try self.appendKittyPlacement(alloc, t, image, p, x_pos, y_pos);
+    }
+
+    /// Compute the sizes for a native kitty placement positioned at the
+    /// given viewport cell position, prepare its image for the GPU, and
+    /// append it to the placements list.
+    fn appendKittyPlacement(
+        self: *State,
+        alloc: Allocator,
+        t: *const terminal.Terminal,
+        image: *const terminal.kitty.graphics.Image,
+        p: *const terminal.kitty.graphics.ImageStorage.Placement,
+        x: i32,
+        y: i32,
+    ) PrepImageError!void {
         // We need to prep this image for upload if it isn't in the
         // cache OR it is in the cache but the transmit time doesn't
         // match meaning this image is different.
@@ -442,15 +615,12 @@ pub const State = struct {
 
         const source = p.sourceRect(image.*);
 
-        // Get the viewport-relative Y position of the placement.
-        const y_pos: i32 = @as(i32, @intCast(img_top_y)) - @as(i32, @intCast(top_y));
-
         // Accumulate the placement
         if (dest_size.width > 0 and dest_size.height > 0) {
             try self.kitty_placements.append(alloc, .{
                 .image_id = .{ .kitty = image.id },
-                .x = @intCast(rect.top_left.x),
-                .y = y_pos,
+                .x = x,
+                .y = y,
                 .z = p.z,
                 .width = dest_size.width,
                 .height = dest_size.height,
@@ -1071,3 +1241,201 @@ test "kitty renderer uses the intersected source rectangle" {
     try testing.expectEqual(@as(u32, 1), placement.source_width);
     try testing.expectEqual(@as(u32, 2), placement.source_height);
 }
+
+test "kitty renderer positions relative placements from the parent pin" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 10, .cols = 10 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    t.width_px = 100;
+    t.height_px = 100;
+
+    var state: State = .empty;
+    defer state.deinit(alloc);
+
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    const pixels = try alloc.alloc(u8, 3);
+    @memset(pixels, 0);
+    try storage.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{
+        .id = 1,
+        .width = 1,
+        .height = 1,
+        .format = .rgb,
+        .data = .{ .complete = pixels },
+    });
+
+    // Parent at (2, 1).
+    const pin = try t.screens.active.pages.trackPin(
+        t.screens.active.pages.pin(.{ .active = .{ .x = 2, .y = 1 } }).?,
+    );
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .pin = pin },
+        .columns = 1,
+        .rows = 1,
+    });
+
+    // Child offset (3, 2) cells from the parent.
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 2, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = 3,
+            .vertical_offset = 2,
+        } },
+        .columns = 1,
+        .rows = 1,
+        .z = 1,
+    });
+
+    state.kittyUpdate(alloc, &t, .{ .width = 10, .height = 10 });
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 2), state.kitty_placements.items.len);
+
+    // Sorted by z: parent (z=0) first, child (z=1) second.
+    const parent = state.kitty_placements.items[0];
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 2), parent.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 1), parent.y);
+    const child = state.kitty_placements.items[1];
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 5), child.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 3), child.y);
+
+    // Pin-rooted relative placements don't force per-frame rebuilds.
+    try testing.expect(!state.kitty_virtual);
+}
+
+test "kitty renderer relative placement with negative offsets" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 10, .cols = 10 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    t.width_px = 100;
+    t.height_px = 100;
+
+    var state: State = .empty;
+    defer state.deinit(alloc);
+
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    const pixels = try alloc.alloc(u8, 3);
+    @memset(pixels, 0);
+    try storage.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{
+        .id = 1,
+        .width = 1,
+        .height = 1,
+        .format = .rgb,
+        .data = .{ .complete = pixels },
+    });
+
+    const pin = try t.screens.active.pages.trackPin(
+        t.screens.active.pages.pin(.{ .active = .{ .x = 2, .y = 2 } }).?,
+    );
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .pin = pin },
+        .columns = 1,
+        .rows = 1,
+    });
+
+    // Hangs up and to the left of the viewport but still has visible
+    // cells at (0, 0), so it must be kept with a negative position.
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 2, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = -3,
+            .vertical_offset = -3,
+        } },
+        .columns = 2,
+        .rows = 2,
+        .z = 1,
+    });
+
+    // Entirely off the left edge of the screen: culled.
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 3, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = -9,
+        } },
+        .columns = 2,
+        .rows = 2,
+        .z = 2,
+    });
+
+    state.kittyUpdate(alloc, &t, .{ .width = 10, .height = 10 });
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 2), state.kitty_placements.items.len);
+    const child = state.kitty_placements.items[1];
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, -1), child.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, -1), child.y);
+}
+
+test "kitty renderer positions relative placements from virtual parent placeholders" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    t.width_px = 50;
+    t.height_px = 50;
+    t.modes.set(.grapheme_cluster, true);
+
+    var state: State = .empty;
+    defer state.deinit(alloc);
+
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    const pixels = try alloc.alloc(u8, 10 * 10 * 3);
+    @memset(pixels, 0);
+    try storage.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{
+        .id = 1,
+        .width = 10,
+        .height = 10,
+        .format = .rgb,
+        .data = .{ .complete = pixels },
+    });
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .virtual = {} },
+    });
+
+    // Placeholder cells for the virtual placement at (1, 1) and
+    // (3, 2): the minimum cell (1, 1) is the anchor for relative
+    // placements rooted at the virtual placement.
+    try t.setAttribute(.{ .@"256_fg" = 1 });
+    try t.setAttribute(.{ .@"256_underline_color" = 1 });
+    t.screens.active.cursorAbsolute(1, 1);
+    try t.printString("\u{10EEEE}\u{0305}\u{0305}");
+    t.screens.active.cursorAbsolute(3, 2);
+    try t.printString("\u{10EEEE}\u{0305}\u{0305}");
+
+    // Child of the virtual placement, offset (1, 2) cells.
+    try storage.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 2, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = 1,
+            .vertical_offset = 2,
+        } },
+        .columns = 1,
+        .rows = 1,
+        .z = 5,
+    });
+
+    state.kittyUpdate(alloc, &t, .{ .width = 10, .height = 10 });
+    try testing.expect(state.kitty_virtual);
+
+    // Two placeholder runs (z=-1) plus the child (z=5), sorted by z.
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 3), state.kitty_placements.items.len);
+    const child = state.kitty_placements.items[2];
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 5), child.z);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 2), child.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 3), child.y);
+}
diff --git a/src/terminal/Screen.zig b/src/terminal/Screen.zig
index aa9d79bf7..a0333ee2f 100644
--- a/src/terminal/Screen.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/Screen.zig
@@ -397,11 +397,16 @@ pub fn reset(self: *Screen) void {
     self.pages.reset();
 
     // The above reset preserves tracked pins so we can still use
-    // our cursor pin, which should be at the top-left already.
+    // our cursor pin, which should be at the top-left already. The
+    // reset marks every tracked pin as garbage, but we keep using
+    // this one at its new valid position, so clear the flag: copies
+    // of the cursor pin (e.g. for Kitty image placements) must not
+    // be born garbage.
     const cursor_pin: *PageList.Pin = self.cursor.page_pin;
     assert(cursor_pin.node == self.pages.pages.first.?);
     assert(cursor_pin.x == 0);
     assert(cursor_pin.y == 0);
+    cursor_pin.garbage = false;
     const cursor_rac = cursor_pin.rowAndCell();
     self.cursor.deinit(self.alloc);
     self.cursor = .{
@@ -3806,6 +3811,23 @@ test "Screen forwards optional scrollback limits" {
     try testing.expect(!s.no_scrollback);
 }
 
+test "Screen reset cursor pin is not garbage" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var s = try Screen.init(io, alloc, .{ .cols = 80, .rows = 24, .max_scrollback_bytes = 1000 });
+    defer s.deinit();
+    try s.testWriteString("hello, world");
+
+    // The page reset marks every tracked pin garbage but the screen
+    // keeps using the cursor pin, so it must come back clean: anything
+    // that copies it (e.g. Kitty image placements) would otherwise be
+    // born garbage and reaped.
+    s.reset();
+    try testing.expect(!s.cursor.page_pin.garbage);
+}
+
 test "Screen read and write" {
     const testing = std.testing;
     const alloc = testing.allocator;
diff --git a/src/terminal/c/kitty_graphics.zig b/src/terminal/c/kitty_graphics.zig
index 02fb650ae..a509d23cf 100644
--- a/src/terminal/c/kitty_graphics.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/c/kitty_graphics.zig
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const grid_ref = @import("grid_ref.zig");
 const selection_c = @import("selection.zig");
 const terminal_c = @import("terminal.zig");
 const Terminal = @import("../Terminal.zig");
+const PageList = @import("../PageList.zig");
 const Result = @import("result.zig").Result;
 
 /// C: GhosttyKittyGraphics
@@ -600,10 +601,35 @@ fn computeViewportPos(
 ) struct { col: i32, row: i32, visible: bool } {
     // Virtual placements use unicode placeholders and don't have a
     // screen position — they are rendered inline by the text layout.
-    const pin = switch (p.location) {
-        .pin => |pin| pin,
+    // Relative placements are anchored at the root of their parent
+    // chain, offset by the accumulated chain offsets. A chain rooted
+    // at a virtual placement has no resolvable position here: its
+    // origin is the parent's placeholder cells, which only a renderer
+    // scanning the screen can locate.
+    const origin: struct {
+        pin: *const PageList.Pin,
+        col_offset: i32 = 0,
+        row_offset: i32 = 0,
+    } = switch (p.location) {
+        .pin => |pin| .{ .pin = pin },
         .virtual => return .{ .col = 0, .row = 0, .visible = false },
+        .relative => |rel| origin: {
+            const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+            const chain = storage.resolveChain(rel) orelse
+                return .{ .col = 0, .row = 0, .visible = false };
+            switch (chain.root.location) {
+                .pin => |root_pin| break :origin .{
+                    .pin = root_pin,
+                    .col_offset = chain.horizontal_offset,
+                    .row_offset = chain.vertical_offset,
+                },
+                .virtual => return .{ .col = 0, .row = 0, .visible = false },
+                .relative => unreachable, // resolveChain roots are never relative
+            }
+        },
     };
+
+    const pin = origin.pin;
     if (pin.garbage) return .{ .col = 0, .row = 0, .visible = false };
 
     // Convert both the placement's pin and the viewport's top-left
@@ -618,17 +644,23 @@ fn computeViewportPos(
 
     // Subtracting viewport origin from the pin gives us viewport-
     // relative coordinates. The row can be negative when the
-    // placement has partially scrolled above the viewport.
-    const vp_row: i32 = @as(i32, @intCast(pin_screen.screen.y)) -
-        @as(i32, @intCast(vp_screen.screen.y));
-    const vp_col: i32 = @intCast(pin_screen.screen.x);
+    // placement has partially scrolled above the viewport, and both
+    // can be negative for relative placements with negative offsets.
+    const vp_row: i32 = (@as(i32, @intCast(pin_screen.screen.y)) -
+        @as(i32, @intCast(vp_screen.screen.y))) +| origin.row_offset;
+    const vp_col: i32 = @as(i32, @intCast(pin_screen.screen.x)) +|
+        origin.col_offset;
 
-    // A placement is invisible if its bottom edge (row + height)
-    // is above the viewport, or its top edge is at or below the
-    // viewport's last row.
+    // A placement is invisible if its bottom edge (row + height) is
+    // above the viewport, or its top edge is at or below the viewport's
+    // last row. The same applies horizontally: a pin's column is always
+    // in bounds, but a relative placement's offsets can push it fully
+    // off either side.
     const grid_size = p.gridSize(image.*, t);
     const bottom_row = @as(i64, vp_row) + @as(i64, grid_size.rows);
-    const visible = bottom_row > 0 and vp_row < @as(i32, t.rows);
+    const right_col = @as(i64, vp_col) + @as(i64, grid_size.cols);
+    const visible = bottom_row > 0 and vp_row < @as(i32, t.rows) and
+        right_col > 0 and vp_col < @as(i32, t.cols);
 
     return .{ .col = vp_col, .row = vp_row, .visible = visible };
 }
@@ -1632,7 +1664,7 @@ test "placement_render_info returns all fields" {
     const entry = iter.?.entry.?;
     const pin = switch (entry.value_ptr.location) {
         .pin => |pin| pin,
-        .virtual => unreachable,
+        .virtual, .relative => unreachable,
     };
     pin.garbage = true;
 
diff --git a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_exec.zig b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_exec.zig
index 461fc097e..e27500aab 100644
--- a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_exec.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_exec.zig
@@ -232,6 +232,13 @@ fn display(
         .placement_id = d.placement_id,
     };
 
+    // A virtual placement (U=1) cannot also be a relative placement.
+    // Kitty checks this before even looking up the image.
+    if (d.virtual_placement and d.parent_id > 0) {
+        result.message = "EINVAL: virtual placement cannot refer to a parent";
+        return result;
+    }
+
     // Verify the requested image exists if we have an ID
     const storage = &terminal.screens.active.kitty_images;
     const img_: ?Image = if (d.image_id != 0)
@@ -249,25 +256,57 @@ fn display(
     // Location where the placement will go.
     const location: ImageStorage.Placement.Location = location: {
         // Virtual placements are not tracked
-        if (d.virtual_placement) {
-            if (d.parent_id > 0) {
-                result.message = "EINVAL: virtual placement cannot refer to a parent";
-                return result;
-            }
+        if (d.virtual_placement) break :location .virtual;
 
-            break :location .{ .virtual = {} };
+        // No parent reference (P=): the placement is pinned to the
+        // cursor. The cursor is always tracked but we don't want
+        // this pin to move with the cursor.
+        if (d.parent_id == 0) {
+            const pin = terminal.screens.active.pages.trackPin(
+                terminal.screens.active.cursor.page_pin.*,
+            ) catch |err| {
+                log.warn("failed to create pin for Kitty graphics err={}", .{err});
+                result.message = "EINVAL: failed to prepare terminal state";
+                return result;
+            };
+            break :location .{ .pin = pin };
         }
 
-        // Track a new pin for our cursor. The cursor is always tracked but we
-        // don't want this one to move with the cursor.
-        const pin = terminal.screens.active.pages.trackPin(
-            terminal.screens.active.cursor.page_pin.*,
+        // A parent reference makes this a relative placement: it is
+        // positioned relative to the parent placement instead of the
+        // cursor.
+
+        // The key of the placement being created, when it is
+        // addressable (an explicit placement ID). Needed for
+        // self-parent and cycle detection.
+        const child: ?ImageStorage.PlacementKey = if (d.placement_id > 0) .{
+            .image_id = img.id,
+            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = d.placement_id },
+        } else null;
+
+        const parent = storage.resolveParent(
+            io,
+            terminal.screens.active,
+            child,
+            d.parent_id,
+            d.parent_placement_id,
         ) catch |err| {
-            log.warn("failed to create pin for Kitty graphics err={}", .{err});
-            result.message = "EINVAL: failed to prepare terminal state";
+            result.message = switch (err) {
+                error.ParentImageNotFound => "ENOPARENT: parent image not found",
+                error.ParentPlacementNotFound => "ENOPARENT: parent placement not found",
+                error.SelfParent => "EINVAL: placement cannot be its own parent",
+                error.Cycle => "ECYCLE: parent chain creates a cycle",
+                error.TooDeep => "ETOODEEP: parent chain too deep",
+                error.AncestorNotFound => "ENOENT: parent chain ancestor not found",
+            };
             return result;
         };
-        break :location .{ .pin = pin };
+
+        break :location .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = parent,
+            .horizontal_offset = d.horizontal_offset,
+            .vertical_offset = d.vertical_offset,
+        } };
     };
 
     // Add the placement
@@ -304,9 +343,11 @@ fn display(
         return result;
     };
 
-    // Apply cursor movement setting. This only applies to pin placements.
+    // Apply cursor movement setting. This only applies to pin placements:
+    // relative placements never move the cursor regardless of C=, just
+    // like kitty.
     switch (p.location) {
-        .virtual => {},
+        .virtual, .relative => {},
         .pin => |pin| switch (d.cursor_movement) {
             .none => {},
             .after => {
@@ -1320,11 +1361,11 @@ test "kittygfx placement moves cursor past a tall image" {
     }).?;
     const first_pin = switch (first.location) {
         .pin => |pin| pin,
-        .virtual => unreachable,
+        .virtual, .relative => unreachable,
     };
     const second_pin = switch (second.location) {
         .pin => |pin| pin,
-        .virtual => unreachable,
+        .virtual, .relative => unreachable,
     };
     const first_y = t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(
         .screen,
@@ -1608,3 +1649,494 @@ test "kittygfx implicit id assignment does not replace client image" {
     try testing.expect(implicit.metadata.implicit_id);
     try testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, &.{ 0, 0, 255 }, implicit.data.bytes().?);
 }
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement with missing parent image" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(
+            alloc,
+            "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        );
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // The parent image does not exist: the placement must be rejected
+    // with ENOPARENT, nothing may be created, and the cursor must not
+    // move (a relative placement never moves the cursor, and a failed
+    // one certainly must not).
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(
+            alloc,
+            "a=p,i=1,p=1,P=42,Q=1,H=2,V=2",
+        );
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ENOPARENT: parent image not found",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
+    try testing.expectEqual(0, t.screens.active.cursor.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(0, t.screens.active.cursor.y);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement with missing parent placement" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=2;AAAA",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // The parent image exists but has no placements at all.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=1,P=2");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ENOPARENT: parent placement not found",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    // The parent image has a placement, but not the requested one.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=2,p=1,C=1");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=1,P=2,Q=9");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ENOPARENT: parent placement not found",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 1), storage.placements.count());
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement cannot parent itself" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // Explicitly via Q, and implicitly when the Q=0 fallback selects
+    // the placement being replaced.
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,P=1,Q=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,P=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "EINVAL: placement cannot be its own parent",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    // The original placement must be untouched.
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    const p = storage.placements.get(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }).?;
+    try testing.expect(p.location == .pin);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement cycle" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=2,P=1,Q=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // Replacing placement 1 with a parent of placement 2 would create
+    // the cycle 1 -> 2 -> 1.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=1,p=1,P=1,Q=2");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ECYCLE: parent chain creates a cycle",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    // The original placement must be untouched, keeping the stored
+    // chains acyclic.
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    const p = storage.placements.get(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }).?;
+    try testing.expect(p.location == .pin);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement chain depth limit" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // Chains of up to parent_chain_limit (8) links must work: these
+    // placements form the chain 9 -> 8 -> ... -> 2 -> 1.
+    for (2..10) |id| {
+        var buf: [64]u8 = undefined;
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(
+            alloc,
+            try std.fmt.bufPrint(&buf, "a=p,i=1,p={},P=1,Q={}", .{ id, id - 1 }),
+        );
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // One more link exceeds the limit.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=1,p=10,P=1,Q=9");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ETOODEEP: parent chain too deep",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 9), storage.placements.count());
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement does not move cursor" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    // C is left at its default (move after) on the relative placement
+    // but it must never move the cursor.
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=2,P=1,Q=1,H=3,V=2,c=2,r=2",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(0, t.screens.active.cursor.x);
+    try testing.expectEqual(0, t.screens.active.cursor.y);
+
+    // The stored placement carries the parent link and offsets.
+    const p = storage.placements.get(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 2 },
+    }).?;
+    const rel = p.location.relative;
+    try testing.expect(rel.parent.eql(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }));
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 3), rel.horizontal_offset);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 2), rel.vertical_offset);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx virtual placement with parent rejected before image lookup" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    // Kitty rejects U=1 + P= before checking that the image exists,
+    // so this must not be ENOENT.
+    const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=42,U=1,P=1");
+    defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+    const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+    try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+    try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+        "EINVAL: virtual placement cannot refer to a parent",
+        resp.message,
+    );
+}
+
+test "kittygfx deleting a parent deletes relative placements transitively" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    // Root (pin) <- child <- grandchild
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=2,P=1,Q=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=3,P=1,Q=2",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 3), storage.placements.count());
+
+    // Deleting the middle placement takes the grandchild with it but
+    // leaves the root.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=d,d=i,i=1,p=2");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd) == null);
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 1), storage.placements.count());
+    try testing.expect(storage.placements.contains(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }));
+
+    // Deleting the root removes the remaining placement, and the
+    // image itself is retained (lowercase delete).
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=d,d=i,i=1,p=1");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd) == null);
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
+    try testing.expect(storage.imageById(1) != null);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx retransmitting parent image deletes relative placements" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    // Image 2's placement is relative to image 1's placement.
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=2;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=2,p=1,P=1,Q=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 2), storage.placements.count());
+
+    // Retransmitting image 1 removes its placements, which orphans
+    // and removes image 2's placement too. Image 2 is left without
+    // any placement so it is freed as well: retransmission deletes
+    // with uppercase semantics, and kitty also removes an image whose
+    // last placement died from a broken parent chain.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(
+            alloc,
+            "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        );
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
+    try testing.expect(storage.imageById(2) == null);
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement parent fallback picks lowest external id" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=2;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=7,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=3,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=2,P=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    var it = storage.placements.iterator();
+    const rel = while (it.next()) |entry| {
+        if (entry.key_ptr.image_id == 2) break entry.value_ptr.location.relative;
+    } else return error.PlacementNotFound;
+    try testing.expect(rel.parent.eql(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 3 },
+    }));
+}
+
+test "kittygfx placements created after a full reset are retained" {
+    // Regression test: Screen.reset reuses the cursor's tracked pin
+    // but PageList.reset marked it garbage. Placements copy the cursor
+    // pin, so every placement created after a reset was born garbage
+    // and silently swept by the next placement command.
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 24, .cols = 80 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    t.fullReset();
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=2,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=3,P=1,Q=2",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 3), storage.placements.count());
+}
+
+test "kittygfx relative placement with pruned parent is ENOPARENT" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // The parent's tracked content is pruned from history but the
+    // placement hasn't been swept yet. The put must reap it and answer
+    // ENOPARENT rather than storing an orphan against it.
+    const parent = storage.placements.getPtr(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }).?;
+    parent.location.pin.garbage = true;
+
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=p,i=1,p=2,P=1,Q=1");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        const resp = execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?;
+        try testing.expect(!resp.ok());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings(
+            "ENOPARENT: parent placement not found",
+            resp.message,
+        );
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
+}
+
+test "kittygfx uppercase delete frees image of cascaded placements" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+
+    var t = try Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+    const storage = &t.screens.active.kitty_images;
+
+    for ([_][]const u8{
+        "a=t,f=24,s=1,v=1,i=1;AAAA",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=1,C=1",
+        "a=p,i=1,p=2,P=1,Q=1",
+    }) |input| {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, input);
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd).?.ok());
+    }
+
+    // The uppercase delete only matches placement 1. The cascade
+    // removes placement 2, leaving the image without placements, so
+    // the image must be freed too.
+    {
+        const cmd = try command.Parser.parseString(alloc, "a=d,d=I,i=1,p=1");
+        defer cmd.deinit(alloc);
+        try testing.expect(execute(io, alloc, &t, &cmd) == null);
+    }
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
+    try testing.expect(storage.imageById(1) == null);
+}
diff --git a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_storage.zig b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_storage.zig
index 9cbcdf351..53382344c 100644
--- a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_storage.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_storage.zig
@@ -307,10 +307,14 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
 
         log.debug("addImage image={}", .{img.withoutData()});
 
-        // Retransmitting a specific image ID replaces the old image and all
-        // of its placements, as required by the Kitty graphics protocol.
         if (gop.found_existing) {
+            // Retransmitting a specific image ID replaces the old image and all
+            // of its placements, as required by the Kitty graphics protocol.
             self.removePlacementsByImageId(s, img.id);
+
+            // Relative placements parented to the removed placements go too.
+            _ = self.removeOrphans(s, null);
+
             self.total_bytes -= gop.value_ptr.data.len();
             gop.value_ptr.deinit(alloc);
         }
@@ -362,13 +366,11 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             p,
         });
 
-        // Tracked pins are marked garbage when their underlying history is
-        // pruned. Kitty removes placements once they scroll out of retained
-        // history, so reclaim those placements before growing the map for a
-        // new one. If allocation below fails, the sweep is still a content
-        // mutation and must be visible to consumers.
-        const removed_garbage = self.removeGarbagePlacements(s);
-        errdefer if (removed_garbage) self.markMutated(io);
+        // When we add a placement, take this opportunity to reap garbage.
+        // Garbage are placements that disappeared off scrollback (were
+        // pruned). We don't clear Kitty state in the hot path so we do
+        // this opportunistically here.
+        self.reapGarbagePlacements(io, s);
 
         // The important piece here is that the placement ID needs to
         // be marked internal if it is zero. This allows multiple placements
@@ -405,6 +407,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         }
         gop.value_ptr.* = p;
 
+        // This always mutates
         self.markMutated(io);
     }
 
@@ -467,13 +470,14 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             const p: *Placement = entry.value_ptr;
 
             // Virtual placements follow their placeholder cells and
-            // are never adjusted by scrolls, matching kitty.
+            // relative placements follow their parents, so neither is
+            // ever adjusted by scrolls, matching kitty.
             const pin: *PageList.Pin = switch (p.location) {
                 .pin => |pin| pin,
-                .virtual => continue,
+                .virtual, .relative => continue,
             };
 
-            // Pruned placements are reaped by removeGarbagePlacements.
+            // Pruned placements are reaped by reapGarbagePlacements.
             if (pin.garbage) continue;
 
             // Placements anchored outside the active area (scrollback)
@@ -550,8 +554,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                 // placement is deleted, like kitty. The image itself is
                 // retained for future placements.
                 if (!visible) {
-                    p.deinit(s);
-                    self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                    self.removePlacement(s, entry);
                     mutated = true;
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -569,31 +572,47 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             };
         }
 
-        if (mutated) self.markMutated(io);
+        if (mutated) {
+            // Placements deleted by clipping may orphan relative placements.
+            // Orphans have no pins so this never touches the restores.
+            _ = self.removeOrphans(s, null);
+            self.markMutated(io);
+        }
+
         return result;
     }
 
-    /// Remove pin-backed placements whose tracked content has been pruned.
-    /// Virtual placements have no tracked screen location and are retained.
-    fn removeGarbagePlacements(
+    /// Reap pin-backed placements whose tracked content has been pruned
+    /// from history, along with any relative placements orphaned by
+    /// that, marking the content mutation.
+    ///
+    /// Virtual and relative placements have no tracked screen location and
+    /// are never pruned themselves. Kitty removes placements once they
+    /// scroll out of retained history.
+    fn reapGarbagePlacements(
         self: *ImageStorage,
+        io: std.Io,
         s: *terminal.Screen,
-    ) bool {
+    ) void {
         var removed = false;
         var it = self.placements.iterator();
         while (it.next()) |entry| {
             const pin = switch (entry.value_ptr.location) {
                 .pin => |pin| pin,
-                .virtual => continue,
+                .virtual, .relative => continue,
             };
             if (!pin.garbage) continue;
 
-            entry.value_ptr.deinit(s);
-            self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+            self.removePlacement(s, entry);
             removed = true;
         }
+        if (!removed) return;
 
-        return removed;
+        // If we removed a placement, then also remove any orphan
+        // children if this was a parent.
+        _ = self.removeOrphans(s, null);
+
+        self.markMutated(io);
     }
 
     fn clearPlacements(self: *ImageStorage, s: *terminal.Screen) void {
@@ -610,16 +629,280 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         var it = self.placements.iterator();
         while (it.next()) |entry| {
             if (entry.key_ptr.image_id != image_id) continue;
-            entry.value_ptr.deinit(s);
-            self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+            self.removePlacement(s, entry);
         }
     }
 
-    fn removePlacementByPtr(self: *ImageStorage, key: *PlacementKey) void {
-        const img = self.images.getPtr(key.image_id).?;
+    /// Remove a placement by its map entry, releasing any tracked pin
+    /// and keeping the image's placement count in sync. The entry must
+    /// point into the placements map (via iteration or getEntry).
+    fn removePlacement(
+        self: *ImageStorage,
+        s: *terminal.Screen,
+        entry: PlacementMap.Entry,
+    ) void {
+        entry.value_ptr.deinit(s);
+        const img = self.images.getPtr(entry.key_ptr.image_id).?;
         assert(img.metadata.placement_count > 0);
         img.metadata.placement_count -= 1;
-        self.placements.removeByPtr(key);
+        self.placements.removeByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+    }
+
+    /// Remove relative placements whose parent placement no longer
+    /// exists, keeping a relative placement's lifetime tied to its
+    /// parent chain. Chains can be several links deep, so this loops
+    /// until a pass removes nothing to take out entire orphaned
+    /// subtrees. Returns true if anything was removed.
+    ///
+    /// If `delete_unused` is non-null, an image left without placements
+    /// by the reap is freed using it. This matches uppercase delete
+    /// semantics; every other removal path retains image data and
+    /// passes null.
+    ///
+    /// This must be called, outside of any placements iteration, after
+    /// every operation that removes placements. Kitty gets the same
+    /// effect lazily by dropping unresolvable placements while drawing;
+    /// we do it eagerly because our renderer never mutates terminal
+    /// state.
+    fn removeOrphans(
+        self: *ImageStorage,
+        s: *terminal.Screen,
+        delete_unused: ?Allocator,
+    ) bool {
+        var removed_any = false;
+        var removed = true;
+        while (removed) {
+            removed = false;
+            var it = self.placements.iterator();
+            while (it.next()) |entry| {
+                const rel = switch (entry.value_ptr.location) {
+                    .relative => |rel| rel,
+                    .pin, .virtual => continue,
+                };
+                if (self.placements.contains(rel.parent)) continue;
+
+                // Parent is gone, remove this placement.
+                const image_id = entry.key_ptr.image_id;
+                self.removePlacement(s, entry);
+                removed = true;
+                removed_any = true;
+
+                if (delete_unused) |alloc| self.deleteIfUnused(
+                    alloc,
+                    image_id,
+                );
+            }
+        }
+
+        return removed_any;
+    }
+
+    /// Maximum number of parent links in a relative placement chain,
+    /// matching the minimum specified in the spec and the actual
+    /// limit defined by Kitty at the time of authoring.
+    pub const parent_chain_limit = 8;
+
+    pub const ParentError = error{
+        /// The parent image (P=) does not exist.
+        ParentImageNotFound,
+        /// The parent image exists but the requested placement (Q=, or
+        /// any placement when Q is omitted) does not.
+        ParentPlacementNotFound,
+        /// The placement refers to itself as its own parent.
+        SelfParent,
+        /// The parent chain loops back to the placement being created.
+        Cycle,
+        /// The parent chain exceeds parent_chain_limit links.
+        TooDeep,
+        /// An ancestor in the chain no longer exists. This should not
+        /// happen since removeOrphans keeps chains intact, but we
+        /// check anyway rather than trusting the invariant.
+        AncestorNotFound,
+    };
+
+    /// Resolve and validate the parent reference (P=/Q=) of a relative
+    /// placement, returning the concrete key of the parent placement.
+    /// `child` is the key of the placement being created when it is
+    /// addressable (an explicit placement ID); null for placements that
+    /// will receive a fresh internal ID, which nothing can refer to yet.
+    ///
+    /// Checks: the parent must exist, the placement must not
+    /// parent itself, and the resulting ancestor chain must be acyclic
+    /// and within parent_chain_limit.
+    pub fn resolveParent(
+        self: *ImageStorage,
+        io: std.Io,
+        s: *terminal.Screen,
+        child: ?PlacementKey,
+        parent_image_id: u32,
+        parent_placement_id: u32,
+    ) ParentError!PlacementKey {
+        // Reap placements whose content has been pruned from history
+        // before resolving: a pruned parent must be reported as missing,
+        // not accepted and then immediately reaped by addPlacement's own
+        // sweep, which would store an orphan.
+        self.reapGarbagePlacements(io, s);
+
+        // If the parent doesn't exist we're already failed.
+        if (!self.images.contains(parent_image_id)) {
+            return error.ParentImageNotFound;
+        }
+
+        // Find the parent
+        const parent: PlacementKey = parent: {
+            // An explicit parent placement ID (Q=) selects exactly that
+            // placement.
+            if (parent_placement_id > 0) {
+                const key: PlacementKey = .{
+                    .image_id = parent_image_id,
+                    .placement_id = .{
+                        .tag = .external,
+                        .id = parent_placement_id,
+                    },
+                };
+                if (!self.placements.contains(key)) {
+                    return error.ParentPlacementNotFound;
+                }
+                break :parent key;
+            }
+
+            // No Q: pick a placement of the parent image. Kitty picks
+            // the oldest surviving placement; our placement map doesn't
+            // track creation order so we pick by PlacementId.preferredOver
+            // instead. This is unspecified so any behavior here is fine.
+            // In practice the parent image has a single placement, and
+            // clients use Q when it doesn't.
+            const best: PlacementId = best: {
+                var best: ?PlacementId = null;
+                var it = self.placements.keyIterator();
+                while (it.next()) |key| {
+                    if (key.image_id != parent_image_id) continue;
+                    const id = key.placement_id;
+                    const b = best orelse {
+                        best = id;
+                        continue;
+                    };
+                    if (id.preferredOver(b)) best = id;
+                }
+                break :best best orelse return error.ParentPlacementNotFound;
+            };
+
+            break :parent .{
+                .image_id = parent_image_id,
+                .placement_id = best,
+            };
+        };
+
+        // A placement cannot be its own parent. This must be checked
+        // before the chain walk so it reports EINVAL, not ECYCLE.
+        if (child) |c| if (parent.eql(c)) return error.SelfParent;
+
+        // Walk the would-be ancestor chain. `depth` counts parent links,
+        // starting at one for the link we are about to create.
+        var depth: usize = 1;
+        var key = parent;
+        while (true) {
+            if (child) |c| if (key.eql(c)) return error.Cycle;
+            const p = self.placements.get(key) orelse return error.AncestorNotFound;
+            const rel = switch (p.location) {
+                .relative => |rel| rel,
+                // A pin or virtual placement is the chain root.
+                .pin, .virtual => break,
+            };
+            if (depth >= parent_chain_limit) return error.TooDeep;
+            depth += 1;
+            key = rel.parent;
+        }
+
+        return parent;
+    }
+
+    /// The result of resolving a relative placement's parent chain:
+    /// the chain's root placement (always pin or virtual, never
+    /// relative) and the total cell offset from the root's origin.
+    pub const ResolvedChain = struct {
+        root_key: PlacementKey,
+        root: Placement,
+        horizontal_offset: i32,
+        vertical_offset: i32,
+    };
+
+    /// Resolve a relative placement's parent chain to its root,
+    /// accumulating the cell offsets (H=/V=) of every link on the way.
+    /// The placement's position is the root's origin plus the accumulated
+    /// offsets.
+    ///
+    /// Returns null when the chain is broken or too deep. Neither can
+    /// normally happen for stored placements (resolveParent validates
+    /// chains and removeOrphans removes broken ones), with one kitty
+    /// quirk: replacing an ancestor placement can deepen the chains
+    /// below it beyond parent_chain_limit after the fact.
+    pub fn resolveChain(
+        self: *const ImageStorage,
+        rel: Placement.Relative,
+    ) ?ResolvedChain {
+        var horizontal = rel.horizontal_offset;
+        var vertical = rel.vertical_offset;
+        var key = rel.parent;
+        var depth: usize = 1;
+        while (true) {
+            const p = self.placements.get(key) orelse return null;
+            switch (p.location) {
+                .relative => |parent_rel| {
+                    if (depth >= parent_chain_limit) return null;
+                    depth += 1;
+                    horizontal +|= parent_rel.horizontal_offset;
+                    vertical +|= parent_rel.vertical_offset;
+                    key = parent_rel.parent;
+                },
+
+                .pin, .virtual => return .{
+                    .root_key = key,
+                    .root = p,
+                    .horizontal_offset = horizontal,
+                    .vertical_offset = vertical,
+                },
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the placement that a unicode placeholder cell referencing
+    /// this image/placement ID pair targets, or null if there is none. A
+    /// zero placement ID targets one of the image's virtual placements,
+    /// chosen by PlacementId.preferredOver so the choice is stable (an
+    /// image rarely has more than one). This is the shared lookup used
+    /// both for sizing placeholder runs and for positioning relative
+    /// placements whose chain roots at a virtual placement.
+    pub fn placeholderTarget(
+        self: *const ImageStorage,
+        image_id: u32,
+        placement_id: u32,
+    ) ?struct { key: PlacementKey, placement: Placement } {
+        if (placement_id > 0) {
+            const key: PlacementKey = .{
+                .image_id = image_id,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = placement_id },
+            };
+            const p = self.placements.get(key) orelse return null;
+            return .{ .key = key, .placement = p };
+        }
+
+        var best: ?PlacementKey = null;
+        var it = self.placements.iterator();
+        while (it.next()) |entry| {
+            if (entry.key_ptr.image_id != image_id) continue;
+            if (entry.value_ptr.location != .virtual) continue;
+            const b = best orelse {
+                best = entry.key_ptr.*;
+                continue;
+            };
+            if (entry.key_ptr.placement_id.preferredOver(b.placement_id)) {
+                best = entry.key_ptr.*;
+            }
+        }
+
+        const key = best orelse return null;
+        return .{ .key = key, .placement = self.placements.get(key).? };
     }
 
     /// Get an image by its ID. If the image doesn't exist, null is returned.
@@ -657,8 +940,11 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         const placements_before = self.placements.count();
         const images_before = self.images.count();
 
-        // Delete unused placements and images
+        // Delete unused placements and images. Orphaned relative
+        // placements must be reaped before the image sweep so that
+        // their images are reclaimable too.
         self.deleteVisiblePlacements(alloc, t, true);
+        _ = self.removeOrphans(t.screens.active, null);
         var image_it = self.images.iterator();
         while (image_it.next()) |entry| {
             self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, entry.key_ptr.*);
@@ -780,8 +1066,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                     const img = self.imageById(entry.key_ptr.image_id) orelse continue;
                     const rect = entry.value_ptr.rect(img, t) orelse continue;
                     if (rect.top_left.x <= x and rect.bottom_right.x >= x) {
-                        entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-                        self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                        self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
                         if (v.delete) self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, img.id);
                     }
                 }
@@ -809,8 +1094,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                     var target_pin_copy = target_pin;
                     target_pin_copy.x = rect.top_left.x;
                     if (target_pin_copy.isBetween(rect.top_left, rect.bottom_right)) {
-                        entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-                        self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                        self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
                         if (v.delete) self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, img.id);
                     }
                 }
@@ -820,7 +1104,9 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                 var it = self.placements.iterator();
                 while (it.next()) |entry| {
                     switch (entry.value_ptr.location) {
-                        .pin => {},
+                        // Relative placements carry their own z value and
+                        // are matched by z deletes just like kitty does.
+                        .pin, .relative => {},
 
                         // Virtual placeholders cannot delete by z according
                         // to the spec.
@@ -829,8 +1115,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
 
                     if (entry.value_ptr.z == v.z) {
                         const image_id = entry.key_ptr.image_id;
-                        entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-                        self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                        self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
                         if (v.delete) self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, image_id);
                     }
                 }
@@ -848,8 +1133,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                     if (entry.key_ptr.image_id < v.first or
                         entry.key_ptr.image_id > v.last) continue;
 
-                    entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-                    self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                    self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
                 }
 
                 // Uppercase deletion also frees matching images that are now
@@ -868,6 +1152,21 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             // deleted!
             .animation_frames => {},
         }
+
+        // Deleting placements orphans any relative placements parented
+        // to them (transitively). Their lifetime is tied to the parent
+        // so they are removed as well, and an uppercase delete also
+        // frees any image the cascade leaves without placements (the
+        // per-branch deleteIfUnused calls above ran while the orphans
+        // still counted as placements).
+        const delete_unused: bool = switch (cmd) {
+            .all, .intersect_cursor, .animation_frames => |v| v,
+            inline else => |v| v.delete,
+        };
+        _ = self.removeOrphans(
+            t.screens.active,
+            if (delete_unused) alloc else null,
+        );
     }
 
     /// Delete only non-virtual placements that intersect the active screen.
@@ -884,7 +1183,10 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         while (it.next()) |entry| {
             const pin = switch (entry.value_ptr.location) {
                 .pin => |pin| pin,
-                .virtual => continue,
+                // Virtual placements are never selected by visible
+                // deletes per the protocol. Relative placements are
+                // removed with their parents instead (removeOrphans).
+                .virtual, .relative => continue,
             };
             if (pin.garbage) continue;
 
@@ -901,8 +1203,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             }
 
             const image_id = entry.key_ptr.image_id;
-            entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-            self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+            self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
             if (delete_unused) self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, image_id);
         }
     }
@@ -928,8 +1229,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
                 .id = placement_id,
             },
         })) |entry| {
-            entry.value_ptr.deinit(s);
-            self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+            self.removePlacement(s, entry);
             matched = true;
         }
 
@@ -968,8 +1268,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             const rect = entry.value_ptr.rect(img, t) orelse continue;
             if (rect.contains(target_pin)) {
                 if (filter) |f| if (!f(filter_ctx, entry.value_ptr.*)) continue;
-                entry.value_ptr.deinit(t.screens.active);
-                self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                self.removePlacement(t.screens.active, entry);
                 if (delete_unused) self.deleteIfUnused(alloc, img.id);
             }
         }
@@ -1034,8 +1333,13 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
 
         // Evicting anything is a content mutation. This matters for the
         // setLimit path in particular, which doesn't otherwise mark it.
+        // Evicted placements can also orphan relative placements of
+        // other images, which must be reaped along with them.
         const images_before = self.images.count();
-        defer if (self.images.count() != images_before) self.markMutated(io);
+        defer if (self.images.count() != images_before) {
+            _ = self.removeOrphans(s, null);
+            self.markMutated(io);
+        };
 
         var evicted: usize = 0;
         while (evicted < req) {
@@ -1055,8 +1359,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             var p_it = self.placements.iterator();
             while (p_it.next()) |entry| {
                 if (entry.key_ptr.image_id == c.id) {
-                    entry.value_ptr.deinit(s);
-                    self.removePlacementByPtr(entry.key_ptr);
+                    self.removePlacement(s, entry);
                 }
             }
 
@@ -1108,10 +1411,28 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
     /// Likewise, if a placement ID isn't specified it is assumed to be 0.
     pub const PlacementKey = struct {
         image_id: u32,
-        placement_id: packed struct {
-            tag: enum(u1) { internal, external },
-            id: u32,
-        },
+        placement_id: PlacementId,
+
+        pub fn eql(self: PlacementKey, other: PlacementKey) bool {
+            return std.meta.eql(self, other);
+        }
+    };
+
+    /// Internal placement IDs are assigned by us for placements created
+    /// without an explicit ID (p=0); external IDs are client-specified.
+    /// The two are separate namespaces, hence the tag.
+    pub const PlacementId = packed struct {
+        tag: enum(u1) { internal, external },
+        id: u32,
+
+        /// Deterministic preference order used when an operation must
+        /// pick a single placement out of several (kitty uses creation
+        /// order, which our map doesn't track): external IDs win over
+        /// internal ones, and lower IDs win within a tag.
+        pub fn preferredOver(self: PlacementId, other: PlacementId) bool {
+            if (self.tag != other.tag) return self.tag == .external;
+            return self.id < other.id;
+        }
     };
 
     pub const Placement = struct {
@@ -1140,7 +1461,27 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             pin: *PageList.Pin,
 
             /// Virtual placement (U=1) for unicode placeholders.
-            virtual: void,
+            virtual,
+
+            /// Placed relative to a parent placement (P=/Q=). The
+            /// placement has no screen position of its own; it is
+            /// positioned at render time by resolving the parent chain
+            /// to its root (see resolveChain) and therefore follows the
+            /// parent through scrolls automatically. Its lifetime is
+            /// tied to the parent: removing any ancestor removes it
+            /// too (see removeOrphans).
+            relative: Relative,
+        };
+
+        pub const Relative = struct {
+            /// The parent placement. Resolved to a concrete key when
+            /// the placement is created, so the parent is guaranteed
+            /// to exist at that point.
+            parent: PlacementKey,
+
+            /// Cell offsets from the parent's origin (H=/V=).
+            horizontal_offset: i32 = 0,
+            vertical_offset: i32 = 0,
         };
 
         pub fn deinit(
@@ -1149,7 +1490,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         ) void {
             switch (self.location) {
                 .pin => |p| s.pages.untrackPin(p),
-                .virtual => {},
+                .virtual, .relative => {},
             }
         }
 
@@ -1408,6 +1749,11 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
         /// Returns a selection of the entire rectangle this placement
         /// occupies within the screen. This can return null for a virtual
         /// placement or when unavailable pixel geometry makes it empty.
+        ///
+        /// Relative placements also return null: they have no screen
+        /// position of their own, so geometric queries (delete by
+        /// intersection, row, column, etc.) never match them directly.
+        /// They are instead removed when their parent chain is removed.
         pub fn rect(
             self: Placement,
             image: Image,
@@ -1416,7 +1762,7 @@ pub const ImageStorage = struct {
             const grid_size = self.gridSize(image, t);
             const pin = switch (self.location) {
                 .pin => |p| p,
-                .virtual => return null,
+                .virtual, .relative => return null,
             };
             if (pin.garbage) return null;
 
@@ -3571,3 +3917,185 @@ test "storage: scroll margins multi-line scroll up with scrollback" {
     try t.scrollUp(2);
     try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), storage.placements.count());
 }
+
+test "storage: resolveChain accumulates offsets to the pin root" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    var s: ImageStorage = .{};
+    defer s.deinit(alloc, t.screens.active);
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{ .id = 1 });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .pin = try trackPin(&t, .{ .x = 1, .y = 1 }) },
+    });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 2, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = 2,
+            .vertical_offset = 1,
+        } },
+    });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 3, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 2 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = -1,
+            .vertical_offset = 4,
+        } },
+    });
+
+    const grandchild = s.placements.get(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 3 },
+    }).?;
+    const chain = s.resolveChain(grandchild.location.relative).?;
+    try testing.expect(chain.root_key.eql(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }));
+    try testing.expect(chain.root.location == .pin);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 1), chain.horizontal_offset);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 5), chain.vertical_offset);
+}
+
+test "storage: resolveChain finds virtual roots" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    var s: ImageStorage = .{};
+    defer s.deinit(alloc, t.screens.active);
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{ .id = 1 });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .virtual = {} },
+    });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 2, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{
+            .parent = .{
+                .image_id = 1,
+                .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+            },
+            .horizontal_offset = 1,
+        } },
+    });
+
+    const child = s.placements.get(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 2 },
+    }).?;
+    const chain = s.resolveChain(child.location.relative).?;
+    try testing.expect(chain.root.location == .virtual);
+    try testing.expect(chain.root_key.eql(.{
+        .image_id = 1,
+        .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+    }));
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 1), chain.horizontal_offset);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 0), chain.vertical_offset);
+}
+
+test "storage: eviction removes orphaned relative placements" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    var s: ImageStorage = .{};
+    defer s.deinit(alloc, t.screens.active);
+    s.total_limit = 8;
+
+    // Image 1 holds most of the byte budget and has a pin placement.
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{
+        .id = 1,
+        .width = 2,
+        .height = 1,
+        .data = .{ .complete = try alloc.dupe(u8, &.{ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }) },
+    });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .pin = try trackPin(&t, .{ .x = 1, .y = 1 }) },
+    });
+
+    // Image 2's placement is relative to image 1's placement.
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{ .id = 2 });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 2, 1, .{
+        .location = .{ .relative = .{ .parent = .{
+            .image_id = 1,
+            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 1 },
+        } } },
+    });
+
+    // Adding image 3 exceeds the limit and evicts image 1 (oldest),
+    // removing its placement, which orphans image 2's placement.
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{
+        .id = 3,
+        .width = 2,
+        .height = 1,
+        .data = .{ .complete = try alloc.dupe(u8, &.{ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }) },
+    });
+
+    try testing.expect(s.imageById(1) == null);
+    try testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), s.placements.count());
+    try testing.expect(s.imageById(2) != null);
+}
+
+test "storage: placeholderTarget lookup" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    const io = testing.io;
+    var t = try terminal.Terminal.init(io, alloc, .{ .rows = 5, .cols = 5 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    var s: ImageStorage = .{};
+    defer s.deinit(alloc, t.screens.active);
+    try s.addImage(io, alloc, t.screens.active, .{ .id = 1 });
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 5, .{
+        .location = .{ .virtual = {} },
+    });
+
+    // Exact external ID match.
+    {
+        const target = s.placeholderTarget(1, 5).?;
+        const expected: ImageStorage.PlacementKey = .{
+            .image_id = 1,
+            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 5 },
+        };
+        try testing.expectEqual(expected, target.key);
+        try testing.expect(target.placement.location == .virtual);
+    }
+
+    // Zero placement ID falls back to the image's virtual placement.
+    {
+        const target = s.placeholderTarget(1, 0).?;
+        const expected: ImageStorage.PlacementKey = .{
+            .image_id = 1,
+            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 5 },
+        };
+        try testing.expectEqual(expected, target.key);
+    }
+
+    try testing.expect(s.placeholderTarget(1, 9) == null);
+    try testing.expect(s.placeholderTarget(2, 0) == null);
+
+    // With multiple virtual placements, the zero-ID fallback picks
+    // deterministically by PlacementId.preferredOver: lowest external.
+    try s.addPlacement(io, alloc, t.screens.active, 1, 3, .{
+        .location = .{ .virtual = {} },
+    });
+    {
+        const expected: ImageStorage.PlacementKey = .{
+            .image_id = 1,
+            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = 3 },
+        };
+        try testing.expectEqual(expected, s.placeholderTarget(1, 0).?.key);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_unicode.zig b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_unicode.zig
index 485502593..b62f8177c 100644
--- a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_unicode.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_unicode.zig
@@ -363,29 +363,17 @@ pub const Placement = struct {
         image: *const Image,
         cell_width: u32,
         cell_height: u32,
-    ) !struct {
+    ) Error!struct {
         rows: u32,
         columns: u32,
     } {
         // Get the placement. If an ID is specified we look for the exact one.
         // If no ID, then we find the first virtual placement for this image.
-        const placement = if (self.placement_id > 0) storage.placements.get(.{
-            .image_id = self.image_id,
-            .placement_id = .{ .tag = .external, .id = self.placement_id },
-        }) orelse {
-            return Error.PlacementMissingPlacement;
-        } else placement: {
-            var it = storage.placements.iterator();
-            while (it.next()) |entry| {
-                if (entry.key_ptr.image_id == self.image_id and
-                    entry.value_ptr.location == .virtual)
-                {
-                    break :placement entry.value_ptr.*;
-                }
-            }
-
-            return Error.PlacementMissingPlacement;
-        };
+        const target = storage.placeholderTarget(
+            self.image_id,
+            self.placement_id,
+        ) orelse return Error.PlacementMissingPlacement;
+        const placement = target.placement;
 
         // Use requested rows/columns if specified
         // For unspecified rows/columns, calculate based on the image size.