diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 62be1784f..0904c7993 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ endif
 
 # Enable image support.
 if ENABLE_IMAGES
-dist_tmux_SOURCES += image.c image-sixel.c image-kitty.c image-ascii.c
+dist_tmux_SOURCES += image.c image-sixel.c image-kitty.c
 endif
 
 # Add bits for fuzzing if enabled.
diff --git a/image-ascii.c b/image-ascii.c
deleted file mode 100644
index d1598a26f..000000000
--- a/image-ascii.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-/* $OpenBSD$ */
-
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2026 Michael Grant <mgrant@grant.org>
- *
- * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
- * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
- * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
- *
- * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
- * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
- * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
- * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
- * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF MIND, USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER
- * IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING
- * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
- */
-
-#include <sys/types.h>
-
-#include <string.h>
-
-#include "tmux.h"
-
-void
-image_get_text_cell(__unused struct tty *tty, struct image *im, u_int x,
-    u_int y, const struct grid_cell *gc, struct grid_cell *out,
-    __unused const struct tty_style_ctx *style_ctx)
-{
-	static const char	 ramp[] = " .:-=+*#%@";
-	const struct image_cell	*cell;
-	u_int			 level = 0;
-
-	memcpy(out, gc, sizeof *out);
-	cell = image_get_cell(im, x, y);
-	if (cell != NULL)
-		level = cell->whole.brightness * (sizeof ramp - 2) / 255;
-	utf8_set(&out->data, ramp[level]);
-	out->flags &= ~GRID_FLAG_IMAGE;
-}
diff --git a/image.c b/image.c
index 46da4e789..5f41f7677 100644
--- a/image.c
+++ b/image.c
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ struct image_backend {
 	void		(*geometry_changed)(struct tty *);
 };
 
-static const struct image_backend image_backend_ascii = {
-	"ascii", IMAGE_BACKEND_SCROLLS, NULL, NULL, NULL
+static const struct image_backend image_backend_fallback = {
+	"fallback", IMAGE_BACKEND_SCROLLS, NULL, NULL, NULL
 };
 static const struct image_backend image_backend_kitty = {
 	"kitty", IMAGE_BACKEND_GRAPHICAL|IMAGE_BACKEND_SCROLLS,
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ image_tty_find_backend(struct tty *tty)
 	if (tty->term != NULL && tty->term->flags & TERM_SIXEL &&
 	    tty->xpixel != 0 && tty->ypixel != 0)
 		return (&image_backend_sixel);
-	return (&image_backend_ascii);
+	return (&image_backend_fallback);
 }
 
 void
@@ -328,6 +328,24 @@ image_get_cell(struct image *im, u_int x, u_int y)
 	return (&im->cells[(size_t)y * im->sx + x]);
 }
 
+/* Character-cell fallback for clients without a graphical image protocol. */
+void
+image_get_fallback_cell(__unused struct tty *tty, struct image *im, u_int x,
+    u_int y, const struct grid_cell *gc, struct grid_cell *out,
+    __unused const struct tty_style_ctx *style_ctx)
+{
+	static const char	 ramp[] = " .:-=+*#%@";
+	const struct image_cell	*cell;
+	u_int			 level = 0;
+
+	memcpy(out, gc, sizeof *out);
+	cell = image_get_cell(im, x, y);
+	if (cell != NULL)
+		level = cell->whole.brightness * (sizeof ramp - 2) / 255;
+	utf8_set(&out->data, ramp[level]);
+	out->flags &= ~GRID_FLAG_IMAGE;
+}
+
 void
 image_set_cell(struct grid_cell *gc, struct image *im, u_int x, u_int y)
 {
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 4bcfc0cbe..6724838a0 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -4298,7 +4298,7 @@ void		 image_tty_free(struct tty *, int);
 void		 image_draw_line(struct tty *, struct screen *, u_int, u_int,
 		     u_int, u_int, u_int, const struct tty_style_ctx *);
 const struct image_cell *image_get_cell(struct image *, u_int, u_int);
-void		 image_get_text_cell(struct tty *, struct image *, u_int,
+void		 image_get_fallback_cell(struct tty *, struct image *, u_int,
 		     u_int, const struct grid_cell *, struct grid_cell *,
 		     const struct tty_style_ctx *);
 void		 image_clear(struct screen_write_ctx *, u_int);
diff --git a/tty-draw.c b/tty-draw.c
index 51d2d7dcd..6e815cb54 100644
--- a/tty-draw.c
+++ b/tty-draw.c
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ tty_draw_line(struct tty *tty, struct screen *s, u_int px, u_int py, u_int nx,
 						    ~GRID_FLAG_IMAGE;
 						skip = 1;
 					} else {
-						image_get_text_cell(tty, im,
+						image_get_fallback_cell(tty, im,
 						    gc.image_x, gc.image_y, &gc,
 						    &image_gc, style_ctx);
 					}
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index 329f6ab37..afb170aa5 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -2159,7 +2159,7 @@ tty_cell(struct tty *tty, const struct grid_cell *gc,
 		if (image_tty_is_graphical(tty))
 			return;
 		im = image_find(gc->image_id);
-		image_get_text_cell(tty, im, gc->image_x, gc->image_y, gc,
+		image_get_fallback_cell(tty, im, gc->image_x, gc->image_y, gc,
 		    &image_gc, style_ctx);
 		gc = &image_gc;
 	}