diff --git a/src/display/display.ts b/src/display/display.ts
index 39b29434..bd6a91a7 100644
--- a/src/display/display.ts
+++ b/src/display/display.ts
@@ -365,8 +365,11 @@ export interface Display<TLayout extends LayoutType = LayoutType, TChar = Layout
 }
 
 type LayoutFor<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = TOptions extends {layout: infer L} ? NonNullable<L> : typeof DisplayImpl["DEFAULT_LAYOUT"];
-type BackendFor<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = LayoutBackend<LayoutFor<TOptions>>;
-type TCharFromOptions<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = BackendChars<BackendFor<TOptions>>;
+type BackendFor<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = LayoutBackend<LayoutFor<TOptions>, TOptions>;
+type TCharFromOptions<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> =
+	TOptions extends {tileMap: Record<infer TKey, any>} ? TKey[]
+	: TOptions extends {tileMap: readonly any[]} ? number[]
+	: BackendChars<BackendFor<TOptions>>;
 type TFGColorFromOptions<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = BackendFGColor<BackendFor<TOptions>>;
 type TBGColorFromOptions<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = BackendBGColor<BackendFor<TOptions>>;
 
@@ -384,6 +387,6 @@ export interface DisplayConstructor {
 }
 
 export const Display = class Display<TLayout extends LayoutType, TChar, TFGColor, TBGColor> extends DisplayImpl<TLayout, TChar, TFGColor, TBGColor> {
-} as any;
+} as unknown as DisplayConstructor;
 
 export default Display;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/display/hex.ts b/src/display/hex.ts
index d553ddfe..5e773f06 100644
--- a/src/display/hex.ts
+++ b/src/display/hex.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { TextDisplayOptions, DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
 import { mod } from "../util.js";
 
 declare module "./types.js" {
-	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
+	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
 		hex: Hex;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/display/rect.ts b/src/display/rect.ts
index 97cb2f36..e83e6aac 100644
--- a/src/display/rect.ts
+++ b/src/display/rect.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import Canvas, { CanvasDisplayData } from "./canvas.js";
 import { DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions, TextDisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
 
 declare module "./types.js" {
-	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
+	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
 		rect: Rect;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/display/term.ts b/src/display/term.ts
index e8fbbe84..bea31704 100644
--- a/src/display/term.ts
+++ b/src/display/term.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { BaseDisplayOptions, DisplayData, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
 import * as Color from "../color.js";
 
 declare module "./types.js" {
-	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
+	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
 		term: Term;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/display/tile-gl.ts b/src/display/tile-gl.ts
index 862b081b..58d73292 100644
--- a/src/display/tile-gl.ts
+++ b/src/display/tile-gl.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,24 @@
 import Backend from "./backend.js";
-import { TileDisplayOptions, DisplayData, DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
+import { TileDisplayOptions, DisplayData, TileMapKey, DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
 import * as Color from "../color.js";
 
 declare module "./types.js" {
-	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
-		"tile-gl": TileGL;
+	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
+		"tile-gl": TileGL<TOptions extends {tileMap: Record<infer TKey, any>} ? TKey : string>;
 	}
 }
 
-export interface TileGLOptions extends TileDisplayOptions {
+export interface TileGLOptions<TChar extends TileMapKey = string> extends TileDisplayOptions<TChar> {
 	layout: "tile-gl";
 }
-export interface TileGLData extends DisplayData<string[], string[], string[]> {
+export interface TileGLData<TChar extends TileMapKey> extends DisplayData<TChar[], string[], string[]> {
 }
 
 /**
  * @class Tile backend
  * @private
  */
-export default class TileGL extends Backend<TileGLOptions, string[], string[], string[], TileGLData> {
+export default class TileGL<TChar extends TileMapKey = string> extends Backend<TileGLOptions<TChar>, TChar[], string[], string[], TileGLData<TChar>> {
 	_gl!: WebGLRenderingContext;
 	_program!: WebGLProgram;
 	_uniforms: {[key:string]: WebGLUniformLocation | null};
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export default class TileGL extends Backend<TileGLOptions, string[], string[], s
 			tileWidth: 32,
 			tileHeight: 32,
 			tileColorize: false,
-		} satisfies DefaultsFor<TileGLOptions>;
+		} satisfies DefaultsFor<TileGLOptions<never>>;
 	}
 	static isSupported() {
 		return !!document.createElement("canvas").getContext("webgl2", {preserveDrawingBuffer:true});
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ export default class TileGL extends Backend<TileGLOptions, string[], string[], s
 	schedule(cb: () => void) { requestAnimationFrame(cb); }
 	getContainer() { return this._gl.canvas as HTMLCanvasElement; }
 
-	checkOptions(options: DisplayOptions): options is TileGLOptions {
+	checkOptions(options: DisplayOptions): options is TileGLOptions<TChar> {
 		return options.layout === "tile-gl";
 	}
 
-	setOptions(opts: TileGLOptions) {
+	setOptions(opts: TileGLOptions<TChar>) {
 		let needsRepaint = super.setOptions(opts);
 
 		this._updateSize();
@@ -71,14 +71,14 @@ export default class TileGL extends Backend<TileGLOptions, string[], string[], s
 		return needsRepaint;
 	}
 
-	protected defaultedOptions(options: TileGLOptions): Required<TileGLOptions> {
+	protected defaultedOptions(options: TileGLOptions<TChar>): Required<TileGLOptions<TChar>> {
 		return {
 			...this.DEFAULTS,
 			...options,
 		}
 	}
 
-	draw(data: TileGLData, clearBefore: boolean) {
+	draw(data: TileGLData<TChar>, clearBefore: boolean) {
 		const gl = this._gl;
 		const opts = this._options;
 		const {x, y, chars, fgs, bgs} = data;
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export default class TileGL extends Backend<TileGLOptions, string[], string[], s
 
 		for (let i=0;i<chars.length;i++) {
 			let tile = this._options.tileMap[chars[i]];
-			if (!tile) { throw new Error(`Char "${chars[i]}" not found in tileMap`); }
+			if (!tile) { throw new Error(`Char "${String(chars[i])}" not found in tileMap`); }
 
 			gl.uniform1f(this._uniforms["colorize"], opts.tileColorize ? 1 : 0);
 			gl.uniform2fv(this._uniforms["tilesetPosAbs"], tile);
diff --git a/src/display/tile.ts b/src/display/tile.ts
index e5fda15a..97e98fc0 100644
--- a/src/display/tile.ts
+++ b/src/display/tile.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 import { BaseCanvas } from "./canvas.js";
-import { TileDisplayOptions, DisplayData, UnknownBackend, DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
+import { TileDisplayOptions, DisplayData, UnknownBackend, TileMapKey, DefaultsFor, DisplayOptions } from "./types.js";
 
 declare module "./types.js" {
-	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
-		"tile": Tile;
+	interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
+		"tile": Tile<TOptions extends {tileMap: Record<infer TKey, any>} ? TKey : string>;
 	}
 }
 
-export interface TileOptions extends TileDisplayOptions {
+export interface TileOptions<TChar extends TileMapKey = string> extends TileDisplayOptions<TChar> {
 	layout: "tile";
 }
-export interface TileData extends DisplayData<string[], string[], string[]> {
+export interface TileData<TChar extends TileMapKey> extends DisplayData<TChar[], string[], string[]> {
 }
 
 /**
  * @class Tile backend
  * @private
  */
-export default class Tile extends BaseCanvas<TileOptions, TileData, string[], string[], string[]> {
+export default class Tile<TChar extends TileMapKey = string> extends BaseCanvas<TileOptions<TChar>, TileData<TChar>, TChar[], string[], string[]> {
 	_colorCanvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
 
 	protected get DEFAULTS() {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export default class Tile extends BaseCanvas<TileOptions, TileData, string[], st
 			tileWidth: 32,
 			tileHeight: 32,
 			tileColorize: false,
-		} satisfies DefaultsFor<TileOptions>;
+		} satisfies DefaultsFor<TileOptions<never>>;
 	}
 
 	constructor(oldBackend?: UnknownBackend) {
@@ -34,18 +34,18 @@ export default class Tile extends BaseCanvas<TileOptions, TileData, string[], st
 		this._colorCanvas = oldBackend instanceof Tile ? oldBackend._colorCanvas : document.createElement("canvas");
 	}
 
-	checkOptions(options: DisplayOptions): options is TileOptions {
+	checkOptions(options: DisplayOptions): options is TileOptions<TChar> {
 		return options.layout === "tile";
 	}
 
-	protected defaultedOptions(options: TileOptions): Required<TileOptions> {
+	protected defaultedOptions(options: TileOptions<TChar>): Required<TileOptions<TChar>> {
 		return {
 			...this.DEFAULTS,
 			...options,
 		}
 	}
 
-	draw(data: TileData, clearBefore: boolean) {
+	draw(data: TileData<TChar>, clearBefore: boolean) {
 		const {x, y, chars, fgs, bgs} = data;
 
 		let tileWidth = this._options.tileWidth;
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export default class Tile extends BaseCanvas<TileOptions, TileData, string[], st
 
 		for (let i=0;i<chars.length;i++) {
 			let tile = this._options.tileMap[chars[i]];
-			if (!tile) { throw new Error(`Char "${chars[i]}" not found in tileMap`); }
+			if (!tile) { throw new Error(`Char "${String(chars[i])}" not found in tileMap`); }
 			
 			if (this._options.tileColorize) { // apply colorization
 				let canvas = this._colorCanvas;
diff --git a/src/display/types.ts b/src/display/types.ts
index 35b14477..cbb391b2 100644
--- a/src/display/types.ts
+++ b/src/display/types.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-export interface LayoutTypeBackendMap {
+export interface LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions extends DisplayOptions> {
 	// Entries in this map are added via declaration merging, see the top of e.g. rect.ts
 }
 
-export type LayoutType = {[TLayout in keyof LayoutTypeBackendMap]: TLayout}[keyof LayoutTypeBackendMap];
+export type LayoutType = {[TLayout in keyof LayoutTypeBackendMap<any>]: TLayout}[keyof LayoutTypeBackendMap<any>];
 export type AnyBackend = IDisplayBackend<any, any>;
 export type UnknownBackend = IDisplayBackend<BaseDisplayOptions, DisplayData>;
 
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ export type BackendChars<TBackend extends AnyBackend> = TBackend extends IDispla
 export type BackendFGColor<TBackend extends AnyBackend> = TBackend extends IDisplayBackend<any, infer TData> ? TData["fg"] : never;
 export type BackendBGColor<TBackend extends AnyBackend> = TBackend extends IDisplayBackend<any, infer TData> ? TData["bg"] : never;
 
-export type LayoutBackend<TLayout extends LayoutType> = LayoutTypeBackendMap[TLayout];
-export type LayoutOptions<TLayout extends LayoutType> = BackendOptions<LayoutBackend<TLayout>>
-export type LayoutChars<TLayout extends LayoutType> = BackendChars<LayoutBackend<TLayout>>
-export type LayoutFGColor<TLayout extends LayoutType> = BackendFGColor<LayoutBackend<TLayout>>
-export type LayoutBGColor<TLayout extends LayoutType> = BackendBGColor<LayoutBackend<TLayout>>
+export type LayoutBackend<TLayout extends LayoutType, TOptions extends DisplayOptions> = LayoutTypeBackendMap<TOptions>[TLayout];
+export type LayoutOptions<TLayout extends LayoutType> = BackendOptions<LayoutBackend<TLayout, any>>
+export type LayoutChars<TLayout extends LayoutType, TOptions extends DisplayOptions = {}> = BackendChars<LayoutBackend<TLayout, TOptions>>
+export type LayoutFGColor<TLayout extends LayoutType, TOptions extends DisplayOptions = {}> = BackendFGColor<LayoutBackend<TLayout, TOptions>>
+export type LayoutBGColor<TLayout extends LayoutType, TOptions extends DisplayOptions = {}> = BackendBGColor<LayoutBackend<TLayout, TOptions>>
 
 export interface BaseDisplayOptions {
 	width?: number;
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ export interface TextDisplayOptions extends BaseDisplayOptions {
 	fontStyle?: string;
 }
 
-export interface TileDisplayOptions extends BaseDisplayOptions {
+export type TileMapKey = string | number | symbol;
+export interface TileDisplayOptions<TChar extends TileMapKey = string> extends BaseDisplayOptions {
 	tileWidth?: number;
 	tileHeight?: number;
-	tileMap: { [key: string]: [number, number] };
+	tileMap: { [K in TChar]: [number, number] };
 	tileSet: null | HTMLCanvasElement | HTMLImageElement | HTMLVideoElement | ImageBitmap;
 	tileColorize?: boolean;
 }