diff --git a/examples/demo-app/demo_app.cpp b/examples/demo-app/demo_app.cpp
index a8be07cb..1dc196ad 100644
--- a/examples/demo-app/demo_app.cpp
+++ b/examples/demo-app/demo_app.cpp
@@ -769,15 +769,17 @@ void callback() {
     ImGuiIO& io = ImGui::GetIO();
     if (io.MouseClicked[0]) {
       glm::vec2 screenCoords{io.MousePos.x, io.MousePos.y};
+      int xInd, yInd;
+      std::tie(xInd, yInd) = polyscope::view::screenCoordsToBufferInds(screenCoords);
 
       glm::vec3 worldRay = polyscope::view::screenCoordsToWorldRay(screenCoords);
       glm::vec3 worldPos = polyscope::view::screenCoordsToWorldPosition(screenCoords);
-      std::pair<polyscope::Structure*, size_t> pickPair =
-          polyscope::pick::evaluatePickQuery(screenCoords.x, screenCoords.y);
+      std::pair<polyscope::Structure*, size_t> pickPair = polyscope::pick::pickAtScreenCoords(screenCoords);
 
       std::cout << "Polyscope scene test click " << std::endl;
       std::cout << "    io.MousePos.x: " << io.MousePos.x << " io.MousePos.y: " << io.MousePos.y << std::endl;
       std::cout << "    screenCoords.x: " << screenCoords.x << " screenCoords.y: " << screenCoords.y << std::endl;
+      std::cout << "    bufferInd.x: " << xInd << " bufferInd.y: " << yInd << std::endl;
       std::cout << "    worldRay: ";
       polyscope::operator<<(std::cout, worldRay) << std::endl;
       std::cout << "    worldPos: ";
diff --git a/include/polyscope/pick.h b/include/polyscope/pick.h
index 82e45d41..2facd906 100644
--- a/include/polyscope/pick.h
+++ b/include/polyscope/pick.h
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ size_t requestPickBufferRange(Structure* requestingStructure, size_t count);
 // == Main query
 // Get the structure which was clicked on (nullptr if none), and the pick ID in local indices for that structure (such
 // that 0 is the first index as returned from requestPickBufferRange())
-std::pair<Structure*, size_t> evaluatePickQuery(int xPos, int yPos);
+std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickAtScreenCoords(glm::vec2 screenCoords); // takes screen coordinates
+std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickAtBufferCoords(int xPos, int yPos);     // takes indices into the buffer
+std::pair<Structure*, size_t> evaluatePickQuery(int xPos, int yPos);      // old, badly named. takes buffer coordinates.
 
 
 // == Stateful picking: track and update a current selection
diff --git a/include/polyscope/view.h b/include/polyscope/view.h
index 6090fbd8..06c0f2d3 100644
--- a/include/polyscope/view.h
+++ b/include/polyscope/view.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <array>
 #include <string>
+#include <tuple>
 
 #include "polyscope/camera_parameters.h"
 #include "polyscope/types.h"
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ void getCameraFrame(glm::vec3& lookDir, glm::vec3& upDir, glm::vec3& rightDir);
 
 // Get world geometry corresponding to a screen pixel (e.g. from a mouse click)
 glm::vec3 screenCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 screenCoords);
-glm::vec3 bufferCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 screenCoords);
+glm::vec3 bufferCoordsToWorldRay(int xPos, int yPos);
 glm::vec3 screenCoordsToWorldPosition(glm::vec2 screenCoords); // queries the depth buffer to get full position
 
 // Flight-related
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ void setCameraFromJson(std::string jsonData, bool flyTo);
 // Other helpers
 std::string to_string(ProjectionMode mode);
 std::string to_string(NavigateStyle style);
+std::tuple<int, int> screenCoordsToBufferInds(glm::vec2 screenCoords);
 
 // Internal helpers. Should probably not be called in user code.
 void buildViewGui();
diff --git a/src/pick.cpp b/src/pick.cpp
index e8800fcd..2e45eed7 100644
--- a/src/pick.cpp
+++ b/src/pick.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,13 @@ size_t localIndexToGlobal(std::pair<Structure*, size_t> localPick) {
   return rangeStart + localPick.second;
 }
 
+std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickAtScreenCoords(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
+  int xInd, yInd;
+  std::tie(xInd, yInd) = view::screenCoordsToBufferInds(screenCoords);
+  return pickAtBufferCoords(xInd, yInd);
+}
+
+std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickAtBufferCoords(int xPos, int yPos) { return evaluatePickQuery(xPos, yPos); }
 
 std::pair<Structure*, size_t> evaluatePickQuery(int xPos, int yPos) {
 
diff --git a/src/polyscope.cpp b/src/polyscope.cpp
index f4ccf927..6cf2ead7 100644
--- a/src/polyscope.cpp
+++ b/src/polyscope.cpp
@@ -376,8 +376,7 @@ void processInputEvents() {
         // Don't pick at the end of a long drag
         if (dragDistSinceLastRelease < dragIgnoreThreshold) {
           ImVec2 p = ImGui::GetMousePos();
-          std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickResult =
-              pick::evaluatePickQuery(io.DisplayFramebufferScale.x * p.x, io.DisplayFramebufferScale.y * p.y);
+          std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickResult = pick::pickAtScreenCoords(glm::vec2{p.x, p.y});
           pick::setSelection(pickResult);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/surface_mesh.cpp b/src/surface_mesh.cpp
index 08b7d23f..577465f0 100644
--- a/src/surface_mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/surface_mesh.cpp
@@ -1392,8 +1392,7 @@ long long int SurfaceMesh::selectVertex() {
       // API is a giant mess..
       size_t pickInd;
       ImVec2 p = ImGui::GetMousePos();
-      std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickVal =
-          pick::evaluatePickQuery(io.DisplayFramebufferScale.x * p.x, io.DisplayFramebufferScale.y * p.y);
+      std::pair<Structure*, size_t> pickVal = pick::pickAtScreenCoords(glm::vec2{p.x, p.y});
 
       if (pickVal.first == this) {
 
diff --git a/src/view.cpp b/src/view.cpp
index f313594b..2ced6796 100644
--- a/src/view.cpp
+++ b/src/view.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@ std::string to_string(NavigateStyle style) {
   return ""; // unreachable
 }
 
+
+std::tuple<int, int> screenCoordsToBufferInds(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
+
+  int xPos = (screenCoords.x * view::bufferWidth) / view::windowWidth;
+  int yPos = (screenCoords.y * view::bufferHeight) / view::windowHeight;
+
+  // clamp to lie in [0,width),[0,height)
+  xPos = std::max(std::min(xPos, view::bufferWidth - 1), 0);
+  yPos = std::max(std::min(yPos, view::bufferHeight - 1), 0);
+
+  return std::tuple<int, int>(xPos, yPos);
+}
+
 void processRotate(glm::vec2 startP, glm::vec2 endP) {
 
   if (startP == endP) {
@@ -489,13 +502,13 @@ glm::vec3 screenCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
   return worldRayDir;
 }
 
-glm::vec3 bufferCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
+glm::vec3 bufferCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 bufferCoords) {
 
   glm::mat4 view = getCameraViewMatrix();
   glm::mat4 proj = getCameraPerspectiveMatrix();
   glm::vec4 viewport = {0., 0., view::bufferWidth, view::bufferHeight};
 
-  glm::vec3 screenPos3{screenCoords.x, view::bufferHeight - screenCoords.y, 0.};
+  glm::vec3 screenPos3{bufferCoords.x, view::bufferHeight - bufferCoords.y, 0.};
   glm::vec3 worldPos = glm::unProject(screenPos3, view, proj, viewport);
   glm::vec3 worldRayDir = glm::normalize(glm::vec3(worldPos) - getCameraWorldPosition());
 
@@ -505,9 +518,8 @@ glm::vec3 bufferCoordsToWorldRay(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
 
 glm::vec3 screenCoordsToWorldPosition(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
 
-  glm::vec2 bufferCoords{screenCoords.x * static_cast<float>(view::bufferWidth) / static_cast<float>(view::windowWidth),
-                         screenCoords.y * static_cast<float>(view::bufferHeight) /
-                             static_cast<float>(view::windowHeight)};
+  int xInd, yInd;
+  std::tie(xInd, yInd) = screenCoordsToBufferInds(screenCoords);
 
   glm::mat4 view = getCameraViewMatrix();
   glm::mat4 viewInv = glm::inverse(view);
@@ -517,7 +529,7 @@ glm::vec3 screenCoordsToWorldPosition(glm::vec2 screenCoords) {
 
   // query the depth buffer to get depth
   render::FrameBuffer* sceneFramebuffer = render::engine->sceneBuffer.get();
-  float depth = sceneFramebuffer->readDepth(bufferCoords.x, view::bufferHeight - bufferCoords.y);
+  float depth = sceneFramebuffer->readDepth(xInd, view::bufferHeight - yInd);
   if (depth == 1.) {
     // if we didn't hit anything in the depth buffer, just return infinity
     float inf = std::numeric_limits<float>::infinity();