diff --git a/src/cata_imgui.cpp b/src/cata_imgui.cpp
index 40439cb2b087e..c5b43d88e4b5e 100644
--- a/src/cata_imgui.cpp
+++ b/src/cata_imgui.cpp
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ class cataimgui::window_impl
                 ImVec2 imsize = ImGui::GetWindowSize();
                 imvec2_to_point( &impos, &catapos );
                 imvec2_to_point( &imsize, &catasize );
-                window_adaptor->position( catapos, catasize );
+                window_adaptor->position_absolute( catapos, catasize );
             } );
             window_adaptor->on_screen_resize( [this]( ui_adaptor & ) {
                 is_resized = true;
diff --git a/src/sdltiles.cpp b/src/sdltiles.cpp
index d99ad5eb431fd..b773c3f97af7d 100644
--- a/src/sdltiles.cpp
+++ b/src/sdltiles.cpp
@@ -3788,11 +3788,6 @@ input_event input_manager::get_input_event( const keyboard_mode preferred_keyboa
     // we can skip screen update if `needupdate` is false to improve performance during mouse
     // move events.
     wnoutrefresh( catacurses::stdscr );
-    // This statement is required when the screen is made very small
-    if( ui_adaptor::has_imgui() ) {
-        needupdate = true;
-    }
-
     if( needupdate ) {
         refresh_display();
     }
diff --git a/src/ui_manager.cpp b/src/ui_manager.cpp
index ec7cea68e0dab..d5b0ed7eea1e8 100644
--- a/src/ui_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/ui_manager.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,15 @@ void ui_adaptor::position( const point &topleft, const point &size )
     ui_manager::invalidate( old_dimensions, false );
 }
 
+void ui_adaptor::position_absolute( const point &topleft, const point &size )
+{
+    const rectangle<point> old_dimensions = dimensions;
+    // ensure position is updated before calling invalidate
+    dimensions = rectangle<point>( topleft, topleft + size );
+    invalidated = true;
+    ui_manager::invalidate( old_dimensions, false );
+}
+
 void ui_adaptor::on_redraw( const redraw_callback_t &fun )
 {
     redraw_cb = fun;
diff --git a/src/ui_manager.h b/src/ui_manager.h
index 48a1d2110c868..1c117fe937bca 100644
--- a/src/ui_manager.h
+++ b/src/ui_manager.h
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ class ui_adaptor
          * and curses builds.
          **/
         void position( const point &topleft, const point &size );
+        /**
+         * like 'position', except topleft and size are given as
+         * pixels in tiled builds and console cells on curses builds
+         **/
+        void position_absolute( const point &topleft, const point &size );
         /**
          * Set redraw and resize callbacks. The resize callback should
          * call `position` or `position_from_window` to set the size of the UI,