diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1db42ea..301be41 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ set(SOURCES
   src/render-cg/dsubimage.c
   src/render-cg/dupdate.c
   src/render-cg/dvram.c
+  src/render-cg/dvram.S
   src/render-cg/gint_dline.c
   src/render-cg/topti-asm.S
   src/render-cg/topti.c
diff --git a/fxcp_hh2.ld.c b/fxcp_hh2.ld.c
index 25a9edd..9e9c2ba 100644
--- a/fxcp_hh2.ld.c
+++ b/fxcp_hh2.ld.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ SECTIONS
 	   - All text from .text and .text.* (including user code) */
 	.text : {
 		*(.text.header)
-		*(.hh2info)
+		KEEP(*(.hh2info))
 		*(.text.entry)
 
 		_bctors = . ;
diff --git a/include/gint/display-cg.h b/include/gint/display-cg.h
index 48f4412..05572e0 100644
--- a/include/gint/display-cg.h
+++ b/include/gint/display-cg.h
@@ -109,6 +109,35 @@ void dsetvram(uint16_t *main, uint16_t *secondary);
    Returns the VRAM buffer addresses used to render on fx-CG 50. */
 void dgetvram(uint16_t **main, uint16_t **secondary);
 
+
+//---
+// VRAM backup
+// On the fx-CP gint backs up the VRAM when loading and restores it when
+// leaving. While this is a transparent mechanism, the following parts of the
+// implementation are exposed at the internal API level.
+//---
+
+/* Encode the VRAM contents between [in_start] and [in_end] at [output]. While
+   [*in_end] is excluded from the encoding, it will be modified temporarily to
+   serve as bounds check, so it must not be accessed asynchronously during the
+   encoding. The size of the output is not known but is at most the distance
+   between in_end and in_start in bytes. Setting output = in_start to compress
+   in-place is supported. Returns the end pointer after encoding. */
+uint8_t *gint_vrambackup_encode(
+   uint8_t *output, uint16_t *in_start, uint16_t *in_end);
+
+/* Predefine palette based on the GUI at the Hollyhock loading screen. Contains
+   109 entries plus a 110th dummy entry used internally as bounds check. */
+extern uint16_t gint_vrambackup_palette[110];
+
+/* Get the pointer to the encoded VRAM backup created at load time. If [size]
+   is not NULL, sets the size in [*size]. The pointer is heap allocated and
+   remains owned by gint. */
+void *gint_vrambackup_get(int *size);
+
+/* Decode the load-time VRAM backup back to VRAM. */
+void gint_vrambackup_show(void);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/render-cg/dvram.S b/src/render-cg/dvram.S
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d16830
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/render-cg/dvram.S
@@ -0,0 +1,297 @@
+#include <gint/config.h>
+#ifdef GINT_OS_CP
+
+/*
+Compressed VRAM backup for the fx-CP, with RLE encoding and palette indexing.
+
+I went a bit overboard with this--I think it was just fun to optimize the heck
+out of it. Essentially when we start an fx-CP add-in we save the VRAM and
+restore it when leaving, which is essentially what the loader expects us to do.
+Normally we'd use the OS's LCD_VRAMBackup() and LCD_VRAMRestore() functions
+which just memcpy() to another VRAM-sized buffer.
+
+However, we want to use that other buffer, which is at a fixed address, to load
+code. So we have to backup elsewhere. The standard idea, which CPDoom does, is
+just to allocate a third VRAM-sized buffer in the heap. But that's 330 kB, and
+the copy still takes some 30 ms due to the sheer amount of data. I wanted to
+optimize that.
+
+This file implements a compressed encoding of the VRAM data. It's slightly
+lossy but the difference isn't noticeable unless you know what to look for or
+flip between the original and compressed frames. Conceptually, the encoding has
+three phases:
+
+1. Reduce the number of colors by or-ing all pixels with a mask (namely 0x0821)
+2. Index the entire picture through a palette
+3. RLE-encode the indexed data
+
+Step 2 uses a predefined palette that I extracted from the HollyHock loading
+GUI and sorted by decreasing frequency (to optimize linear search, which, yes,
+appears to be faster than binary search in this case, due to the imbalance I
+guess). The HHK loading screen never really changes but if a color appears
+that's not in the palette it will use the last slot as a safety default. The
+total size of the palette is 109 colors + the last slot.
+
+Step 3 uses a simple RLE encoding. For most runs, the encoding is 2 bytes: the
+color index in the palette (< 110), then the length of the run (≤ 255). For
+length-1 runs, the encoding is the color index in the palette + 110, which
+takes a single byte.
+
+This results in typical frames of 20-30 kB and a save time of ~22 ms, which is
+a 10-15x space improvement and ~25% time improvement over memcpy (29.5 ms) and
+even slightly more over LCD__VRAMBackup() (35.5 ms for some reason).
+
+For the sake of future readability, below is the encoding function that, up to
+typical assembly optimizations, the implementation follows.
+
+static int cvt_encode(u16 const *colors, u16 mask, u8 *output, int count)
+{
+    u16 *backup = CVT_SOURCE;
+    u16 *next = backup + (DWIDTH * DHEIGHT);
+    u8 *output_init = output;
+
+    u16 next_backup = next[0];
+    next[0] = ~next[-1];
+
+    while(backup < next) {
+        u16 run_color = *backup++ | mask;
+
+        int index = 0;
+        while(index < 0xff && colors[index] != run_color)
+            index++;
+
+        if((*backup | mask) != run_color) {
+            *output++ = count + index;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        int run_length = 1;
+        do run_length++, backup++;
+        while((*backup | mask) == run_color);
+
+        while(run_length > 0xff) {
+            *output++ = index;
+            *output++ = 0xff;
+            run_length -= 0xff;
+        }
+
+        *output++ = index;
+        *output++ = run_length;
+    }
+
+    next[0] = next_backup;
+    return output - output_init;
+}
+*/
+
+.global	_gint_vrambackup_encode
+.global	_gint_vrambackup_palette
+.balign 4
+
+#define _index         r2  /* Index of current run's color in palette */
+#define _mask          r3  /* Color reduction mask = 0x0821 */
+#define _output        r4  /* Output buffer (advances every write) */
+#define _input         r5  /* Input pointer (advances every read) */
+#define _input_end     r6  /* End of input pointer */
+#define _palette       r7  /* Color palette */
+#define _palette_end   r8  /* End of palette (_palette + 2 * 109) */
+
+#define _next_pixel    r9  /* Color of second pixel of each run */
+#define _run_length    r9  /* Length of any given run */
+
+/* u8 *gint_vrambackup_encode(u8 *output, u16 *in_start, u16 *in_end) */
+_gint_vrambackup_encode:
+	mov.l	r8, @-r15
+	add	#-2, _input_end
+
+	sts.l	pr, @-r15
+	mov	#0x08, _mask
+
+	# Set _input_end[1] = ~_input_end[0], which makes the past-the-end
+	# pixel value different from the last pixel value, ensuring that the
+	# last run ends at the right time without us having to check bounds in
+	# the run-length inner loop.
+	mov.w	@_input_end, r1
+	shll8	_mask
+
+	mov.w	@(2, _input_end), r0
+	add	#0x21, _mask
+
+	mov.l	r0, @-r15
+	neg	r1, r0
+
+	mov.l	.palette, _palette
+	mov	_palette, _palette_end
+
+	mov.w	r0, @(2, _input_end)
+	add	#109, _palette_end
+
+	mov.l	r9, @-r15
+	add	#109, _palette_end
+
+	mov.l	r10, @-r15
+	nop
+
+.loop_run:
+	# Determine current run color (r0) and its index in the palette
+	# (_index). In order to get a faster lookup we also write the searched
+	# value in the past-the-end slot, this way we don't have to check
+	# bounds in the palette-search inner loop.
+	mov.w	@_input+, r0
+	mov	_palette, _index
+
+	mov.w	@_input, _next_pixel
+	nop
+
+	# Precharge the palette-search loop
+	mov.w	@_index+, r1
+	or	_mask, r0
+
+	mov.w	r0, @_palette_end
+	or	_mask, _next_pixel
+
+	#=== Palette search ===#
+
+.ps:	cmp/eq	r1, r0
+	mov.w	@_index+, r1
+
+	bf	.ps
+1:	nop
+
+	# Compute index from pointer difference
+	# _index = (_index - _palette - 2) / 2
+	sub	_palette, _index
+	nop
+
+	add	#-4, _index
+	nop
+
+	#=== Length-1-run fast path ===#
+
+	# Avoid the run-length loop if the run is of length 1. We have a
+	# special encoding for that anyway.
+	cmp/eq	_next_pixel, r0
+	nop
+
+	bf.s	.length_1_run
+	shlr	_index
+
+.length_n_run:
+	# Compute the run length. Here we use the _run_length register to save
+	# up the value of _input and we'll compute the difference after the
+	# loop.
+	mov.w	@_input+, r1 /* LS-based increment */
+	mov	_input, _run_length
+
+	mov.w	@_input+, r1
+	nop
+
+	# (bubble)
+
+	#=== Run length computation ===#
+
+.rl:	or	_mask, r1
+	nop
+
+	cmp/eq	r1, r0
+	mov.w	@_input+, r1
+
+	bt.s	.rl
+1:	nop
+
+	#=== Run generation ===#
+
+	mov	_input, r1
+	sub	_run_length, r1
+
+	mov	r1, _run_length
+	shlr	_run_length
+
+	add	#-4, _input
+	nop
+
+	mov	#-1, r1
+	shll8	r1
+
+	# While _run_length > 0xff, generate 0xff-length runs
+	tst	r1, _run_length
+	mov	#-1, r0
+
+	bt	.sre
+	extu.b	r0, r0
+
+.sr:	# (bubble after jump)
+
+	mov.b	_index, @_output
+	sub	r0, _run_length
+
+	mov.b	r0, @(1, _output)
+	tst	r1, _run_length
+
+	bf.s	.sr
+	add	#2, _output
+
+	# Generate the last, short run
+.sre:
+	mov.b	_index, @_output
+	mov	_run_length, r0
+
+	cmp/hs	_input_end, _input
+	mov.b	r0, @(1, _output)
+
+	bf.s	.loop_run
+	add	#2, _output
+
+.length_1_run:
+	# Encode byte as palette size + color index + 1.
+	add	#110, _index
+	mov.b	_index, @_output
+
+	cmp/hs	_input_end, _input
+	nop
+
+	bf.s	.loop_run
+	add	#1, _output
+
+.end:
+	# Restore _input_end[1] and leave
+	mov.l	@r15+, r10
+	nop
+
+	mov.l	@r15+, r9
+	nop
+
+	mov.l	@r15+, r0
+	nop
+
+	mov.w	r0, @(2, _input_end)
+	nop
+
+	lds.l	@r15+, pr
+	mov	_output, r0
+
+	rts
+	mov.l	@r15+, r8
+
+.palette:
+	.long	_gint_vrambackup_palette
+
+/* Palette of colors used by the launch GUI, sorted by decreasing frequency */
+_gint_vrambackup_palette:
+	.word 0xffff, 0x5aeb, 0xffbf, 0xef3d, 0x8c31, 0xef7d, 0xdefb, 0xff7f
+	.word 0x7baf, 0xbdb7, 0x9cb3, 0x4aab, 0xcebb, 0xbdf7, 0xad75, 0xdebb
+	.word 0xce79, 0x9db9, 0xce39, 0x8cf5, 0x9cf5, 0xefbd, 0x6eff, 0x0821
+	.word 0x7c31, 0xad35, 0x7bf1, 0xeefd, 0x7bef, 0x9cf3, 0x8bf1, 0xdf3b
+	.word 0xbe39, 0x8c2f, 0x6b6d, 0xadf9, 0xadb9, 0x9d77, 0x9d37, 0x5e7d
+	.word 0x6baf, 0x6ebf, 0x9d35, 0x6b6f, 0x8c71, 0x7c73, 0x8cb1, 0x9c73
+	.word 0x5b2d, 0x4aeb, 0x5dfb, 0x8cb3, 0xefbf, 0xff7d, 0xdefd, 0xce7b
+	.word 0x5dfd, 0xbe3b, 0x7c71, 0x5aed, 0x8bef, 0x4dbb, 0x9efd, 0x4cf9
+	.word 0x4c75, 0x6ebd, 0x4d39, 0xbe37, 0xacf5, 0xde7b, 0x5d37, 0x5e3d
+	.word 0x5ebf, 0x5d79, 0x4d79, 0x6f3f, 0x6c73, 0x6e7d, 0x6e3d, 0x8dfb
+	.word 0x7dbb, 0x6c33, 0x9d33, 0xcdf9, 0x4dfb, 0x6cb5, 0x6c75, 0x5cf7
+	.word 0x4d7b, 0x4cb7, 0x9eff, 0x5e7f, 0xaebd, 0xdf7f, 0xbefd, 0x6c31
+	.word 0x4c35, 0x4dfd, 0x5d39, 0x5ebd, 0x9c71, 0x7e3d, 0x7e3b, 0xcf3f
+	.word 0x6e3b, 0xcf3d, 0x7dfb, 0x5c33, 0x8df9
+	.word 0x0000 /* Extra entry for bounds non-check safety net */
+
+#endif /* GINT_OS_CP */
diff --git a/src/render-cg/dvram.c b/src/render-cg/dvram.c
index c4307ff..aac777a 100644
--- a/src/render-cg/dvram.c
+++ b/src/render-cg/dvram.c
@@ -3,32 +3,88 @@
 #include <gint/video.h>
 #include <gint/image.h>
 #include <gint/config.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #if GINT_RENDER_RGB
 
 #if GINT_OS_CP
 
 extern void *__GetVRAMAddress(void);
-extern void __VRAMBackup(void);
-extern void __VRAMRestore(void);
 
 uint16_t *gint_vram = NULL;
 
+static uint8_t *gint_vrambackup = NULL;
+static int gint_vrambackup_size = -1;
+
 bool dvram_init(void)
 {
-	__VRAMBackup();
+	/* Backup the VRAM up, but not to the normal backup area--we use that
+	   to load code. Instead, save over VRAM itself then copy to heap. */
+	void *VRAM      = (void *)0x8c000000;
+	void *VRAM_END  = (void *)0x8c052800;
+	void *SCRATCH   = VRAM;
+
+	// prof_enter(*p1);
+	void *SCRATCH_END = gint_vrambackup_encode(SCRATCH, VRAM, VRAM_END);
+	// prof_leave(*p1);
+
+	// prof_enter(*p2);
+	gint_vrambackup_size = (u8 *)SCRATCH_END - (u8 *)SCRATCH;
+	gint_vrambackup = malloc(gint_vrambackup_size);
+	if(gint_vrambackup)
+		memcpy(gint_vrambackup, SCRATCH, gint_vrambackup_size);
+	// prof_leave(*p2);
+
 	gint_vram = __GetVRAMAddress();
 	return true;
 }
 
 void dvram_quit(void)
 {
-	__VRAMRestore();
 	// TODO: CP dvram_quit: use global framebuffer image
 	image_t *img = image_create_vram();
+	gint_vrambackup_show();
+	free(gint_vrambackup);
+	gint_vrambackup = NULL;
 	video_update(0, 0, img, VIDEO_UPDATE_FOREIGN_WORLD);
 	image_free(img);
 }
 
+void dgetvram(uint16_t **ptr_vram_1, uint16_t **ptr_vram_2)
+{
+	*ptr_vram_1 = *ptr_vram_2 = gint_vram;
+}
+
+void gint_vrambackup_show(void)
+{
+	uint8_t *rle = gint_vrambackup;
+	int i = 0;
+	while(i < DWIDTH * DHEIGHT) {
+		int index = *rle++;
+		int run_length, run_color;
+
+		if(index >= 110) {
+			run_length = 1;
+			run_color = gint_vrambackup_palette[index - 110];
+		}
+		else {
+			run_length = *rle++;
+			run_color = gint_vrambackup_palette[index];
+		}
+
+		for(int j = 0; j < run_length; j++)
+			gint_vram[i+j] = run_color;
+		i += run_length;
+	}
+}
+
+void *gint_vrambackup_get(int *size)
+{
+	if(size)
+		*size = gint_vrambackup_size;
+	return gint_vrambackup;
+}
+
 #elif GINT_OS_CG
 // TODO[3]: CG: Remove triple buffering