diff --git a/src/primitives/mod.rs b/src/primitives/mod.rs
index 0e7ad65..35964e7 100644
--- a/src/primitives/mod.rs
+++ b/src/primitives/mod.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ mod image;
 mod layer;
 mod measure;
 mod pressable;
+mod retired;
 mod severity;
 mod tooltip;
 
@@ -31,5 +32,6 @@ pub(crate) use image::{checked_ratio, framed};
 pub use layer::{Raised, raise};
 pub use measure::{IntersectionObserver, Measure};
 pub use pressable::Pressable;
+pub use retired::Retired;
 pub use severity::Severity;
 pub use tooltip::{HelpTooltip, Tooltip, TooltipTrigger};
diff --git a/src/primitives/retired.rs b/src/primitives/retired.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e5badb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/primitives/retired.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+//! Images a view stopped drawing, freed from the window's atlas.
+
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use gpui::{RenderImage, Window};
+
+/// Images to free; GPUI keeps each painted image until told.
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct Retired(Vec<Arc<RenderImage>>);
+
+impl Retired {
+    /// An image no longer drawn; freed at the next paint.
+    pub fn push(&mut self, image: Arc<RenderImage>) {
+        self.0.push(image);
+    }
+
+    /// Frees every retired image; call while painting.
+    pub fn release(&mut self, window: &mut Window) {
+        for image in self.0.drain(..) {
+            if let Err(error) = window.drop_image(image) {
+                log::error!("images: a retired image stayed: {error}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Whether nothing waits to be freed.
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.0.is_empty()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/primitives/tests.rs b/src/primitives/tests.rs
index 5a79ad9..cfa70f9 100644
--- a/src/primitives/tests.rs
+++ b/src/primitives/tests.rs
@@ -217,8 +217,48 @@ fn f6_leaves_a_field_that_keeps_tab(cx: &mut TestAppContext) {
     let after = view.read_with(cx, |kept, _| kept.after.clone());
     cx.simulate_keystrokes("f6");
     assert_eq!(view.read_with(cx, |kept, _| kept.indents), 1, "Tab stayed in the field");
-    cx.update(|window, cx| assert!(after.is_focused(window), "F6 moved on"));
+    cx.update(|window, _| assert!(after.is_focused(window), "F6 moved on"));
     cx.simulate_keystrokes("shift-f6");
     let field = view.read_with(cx, |kept, _| kept.field.clone());
     cx.update(|window, _| assert!(field.is_focused(window), "Shift-F6 came back"));
 }
+
+/// A view that paints one image until told to retire it.
+struct Painted {
+    image: Option<std::sync::Arc<gpui::RenderImage>>,
+    retired: super::Retired,
+}
+
+impl Render for Painted {
+    fn render(&mut self, _: &mut Window, cx: &mut Context<Self>) -> impl IntoElement {
+        let view = cx.entity();
+        gpui::canvas(
+            |_, _, _| {},
+            move |bounds, _, window, cx| {
+                view.update(cx, |painted, _| {
+                    painted.retired.release(window);
+                    if let Some(image) = painted.image.clone() {
+                        window.paint_image(bounds, bounds, Default::default(), image, 0, false).expect("paints");
+                    }
+                })
+            },
+        )
+        .size(px(10.0))
+    }
+}
+
+#[gpui::test]
+fn a_retired_image_is_freed_at_the_next_paint(cx: &mut TestAppContext) {
+    cx.update(Theme::init);
+    let pixels = image::RgbaImage::from_pixel(2, 2, image::Rgba([1, 2, 3, 255]));
+    let image = std::sync::Arc::new(gpui::RenderImage::new([image::Frame::new(pixels)]));
+    let (view, cx) = cx.add_window_view(|_, _| Painted { image: Some(image), retired: super::Retired::default() });
+    cx.run_until_parked();
+    view.update(cx, |painted, cx| {
+        let old = painted.image.take().expect("painted");
+        painted.retired.push(old);
+        cx.notify();
+    });
+    cx.run_until_parked();
+    assert!(view.read_with(cx, |painted, _| painted.retired.is_empty()), "the old image was freed");
+}