diff --git a/src/build/GhosttyDist.zig b/src/build/GhosttyDist.zig
index d889f2350..f8c221350 100644
--- a/src/build/GhosttyDist.zig
+++ b/src/build/GhosttyDist.zig
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const GhosttyDist = @This();
 const std = @import("std");
 const Config = @import("Config.zig");
 const SharedDeps = @import("SharedDeps.zig");
+const GhosttyFrameData = @import("GhosttyFrameData.zig");
 
 /// The final source tarball.
 archive: std.Build.LazyPath,
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ pub fn init(b: *std.Build, cfg: *const Config) !GhosttyDist {
         try resources.append(alloc, gtk.resources_c);
         try resources.append(alloc, gtk.resources_h);
     }
+    {
+        const framedata = GhosttyFrameData.distResources(b);
+        try resources.append(alloc, framedata.framedata);
+    }
 
     // git archive to create the final tarball. "git archive" is the
     // easiest way I can find to create a tarball that ignores stuff
diff --git a/src/build/GhosttyFrameData.zig b/src/build/GhosttyFrameData.zig
index 1644388bc..52c84a66c 100644
--- a/src/build/GhosttyFrameData.zig
+++ b/src/build/GhosttyFrameData.zig
@@ -5,35 +5,25 @@ const GhosttyFrameData = @This();
 const std = @import("std");
 const Config = @import("Config.zig");
 const SharedDeps = @import("SharedDeps.zig");
-
-/// The exe.
-exe: *std.Build.Step.Compile,
+const DistResource = @import("GhosttyDist.zig").Resource;
 
 /// The output path for the compressed framedata zig file
 output: std.Build.LazyPath,
 
 pub fn init(b: *std.Build) !GhosttyFrameData {
-    const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
-        .name = "framegen",
-        .root_module = b.createModule(.{
-            .root_source_file = b.path("src/build/framegen/main.zig"),
-            .target = b.graph.host,
-            .strip = false,
-            .omit_frame_pointer = false,
-            .unwind_tables = .sync,
-        }),
-    });
+    const dist = distResources(b);
 
-    const run = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
-    // Both the compressed framedata and the Zig source file
-    // have to be put in the same directory, since the compressed file
-    // has to be within the source file's include path.
-    const dir = run.addOutputDirectoryArg("framedata");
+    // Generate the Zig source file that embeds the compressed data
+    const wf = b.addWriteFiles();
+    _ = wf.addCopyFile(dist.framedata.path(b), "framedata.compressed");
+    const zig_file = wf.add("framedata.zig",
+        \\//! This file is auto-generated. Do not edit.
+        \\
+        \\pub const compressed = @embedFile("framedata.compressed");
+        \\
+    );
 
-    return .{
-        .exe = exe,
-        .output = dir.path(b, "framedata.zig"),
-    };
+    return .{ .output = zig_file };
 }
 
 /// Add the "framedata" import.
@@ -43,3 +33,43 @@ pub fn addImport(self: *const GhosttyFrameData, step: *std.Build.Step.Compile) v
         .root_source_file = self.output,
     });
 }
+
+/// Creates the framedata resources that can be prebuilt for our dist build.
+pub fn distResources(b: *std.Build) struct {
+    framedata: DistResource,
+} {
+    const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "framegen",
+        .target = b.graph.host,
+    });
+    exe.addCSourceFile(.{
+        .file = b.path("src/build/framegen/main.c"),
+        .flags = &.{},
+    });
+    exe.linkLibC();
+
+    if (b.systemIntegrationOption("zlib", .{})) {
+        exe.linkSystemLibrary2("zlib", .{
+            .preferred_link_mode = .dynamic,
+            .search_strategy = .mode_first,
+        });
+    } else {
+        if (b.lazyDependency("zlib", .{
+            .target = b.graph.host,
+            .optimize = .ReleaseFast,
+        })) |zlib_dep| {
+            exe.linkLibrary(zlib_dep.artifact("z"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    const run = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
+    run.addDirectoryArg(b.path("src/build/framegen/frames"));
+    const compressed_file = run.addOutputFileArg("framedata.compressed");
+
+    return .{
+        .framedata = .{
+            .dist = "src/build/framegen/framedata.compressed",
+            .generated = compressed_file,
+        },
+    };
+}
diff --git a/src/build/framegen/main.c b/src/build/framegen/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..647768006
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/build/framegen/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <zlib.h>
+
+#define SEPARATOR '\x01'
+#define CHUNK_SIZE 16384
+
+static int filter_frames(const struct dirent *entry) {
+    const char *name = entry->d_name;
+    size_t len = strlen(name);
+    return len > 4 && strcmp(name + len - 4, ".txt") == 0;
+}
+
+static int compare_frames(const struct dirent **a, const struct dirent **b) {
+    return strcmp((*a)->d_name, (*b)->d_name);
+}
+
+static char *read_file(const char *path, size_t *out_size) {
+    FILE *f = fopen(path, "rb");
+    if (!f) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to open %s: %s\n", path, strerror(errno));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
+    long size = ftell(f);
+    fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
+
+    char *buf = malloc(size);
+    if (!buf) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (fread(buf, 1, size, f) != (size_t)size) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read %s\n", path);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    fclose(f);
+    *out_size = size;
+    return buf;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+    if (argc != 3) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s <frames_dir> <output_file>\n", argv[0]);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    const char *frames_dir = argv[1];
+    const char *output_file = argv[2];
+
+    struct dirent **namelist;
+    int n = scandir(frames_dir, &namelist, filter_frames, compare_frames);
+    if (n < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to scan directory %s: %s\n", frames_dir, strerror(errno));
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (n == 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "No frame files found in %s\n", frames_dir);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    size_t total_size = 0;
+    char **frame_contents = calloc(n, sizeof(char*));
+    size_t *frame_sizes = calloc(n, sizeof(size_t));
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        char path[4096];
+        snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", frames_dir, namelist[i]->d_name);
+        
+        frame_contents[i] = read_file(path, &frame_sizes[i]);
+        if (!frame_contents[i]) {
+            return 1;
+        }
+        
+        total_size += frame_sizes[i];
+        if (i < n - 1) total_size++;
+    }
+
+    char *joined = malloc(total_size);
+    if (!joined) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate joined buffer\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    size_t offset = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        memcpy(joined + offset, frame_contents[i], frame_sizes[i]);
+        offset += frame_sizes[i];
+        if (i < n - 1) {
+            joined[offset++] = SEPARATOR;
+        }
+    }
+
+    uLongf compressed_size = compressBound(total_size);
+    unsigned char *compressed = malloc(compressed_size);
+    if (!compressed) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate compression buffer\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    z_stream stream = {0};
+    stream.next_in = (unsigned char*)joined;
+    stream.avail_in = total_size;
+    stream.next_out = compressed;
+    stream.avail_out = compressed_size;
+
+    // Use -MAX_WBITS for raw DEFLATE (no zlib wrapper)
+    int ret = deflateInit2(&stream, Z_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION, Z_DEFLATED, -MAX_WBITS, 8, Z_DEFAULT_STRATEGY);
+    if (ret != Z_OK) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "deflateInit2 failed: %d\n", ret);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    ret = deflate(&stream, Z_FINISH);
+    if (ret != Z_STREAM_END) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "deflate failed: %d\n", ret);
+        deflateEnd(&stream);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    compressed_size = stream.total_out;
+    deflateEnd(&stream);
+    
+    FILE *out = fopen(output_file, "wb");
+    if (!out) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create %s: %s\n", output_file, strerror(errno));
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    if (fwrite(compressed, 1, compressed_size, out) != compressed_size) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to write compressed data\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    fclose(out);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/build/framegen/main.zig b/src/build/framegen/main.zig
deleted file mode 100644
index f4a7d9443..000000000
--- a/src/build/framegen/main.zig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,273 +0,0 @@
-const std = @import("std");
-const fs = std.fs;
-
-/// Generates a compressed file of all the ghostty frames
-pub fn main() !void {
-    var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
-
-    var arg_iter = try std.process.argsWithAllocator(gpa.allocator());
-    // Skip the exe name
-    _ = arg_iter.skip();
-
-    const out_dir_path = arg_iter.next() orelse return error.MissingOutputPath;
-    const compressed_out = "framedata.compressed";
-    const zig_out = "framedata.zig";
-
-    const out_dir = try fs.cwd().openDir(out_dir_path, .{});
-    const compressed_file = try out_dir.createFile(compressed_out, .{});
-
-    // Join the frames with a null byte. We'll split on this later
-    const all_frames = try std.mem.join(gpa.allocator(), "\x01", &frames);
-    var fbs = std.io.fixedBufferStream(all_frames);
-
-    const reader = fbs.reader();
-    try std.compress.flate.compress(reader, compressed_file.writer(), .{});
-
-    const compressed_path = try std.fs.path.join(gpa.allocator(), &.{ out_dir_path, compressed_out });
-
-    const zig_file = try out_dir.createFile(zig_out, .{});
-
-    try zig_file.writer().print(
-        \\//! This file is auto-generated. Do not edit.
-        \\
-        \\pub const compressed = @embedFile("{s}");
-    , .{compressed_path});
-}
-
-const frames = [_][]const u8{
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_001.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_002.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_003.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_004.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_005.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_006.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_007.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_008.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_009.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_010.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_011.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_012.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_013.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_014.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_015.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_016.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_017.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_018.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_019.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_020.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_021.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_022.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_023.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_024.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_025.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_026.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_027.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_028.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_029.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_030.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_031.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_032.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_033.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_034.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_035.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_036.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_037.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_038.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_039.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_040.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_041.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_042.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_043.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_044.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_045.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_046.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_047.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_048.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_049.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_050.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_051.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_052.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_053.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_054.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_055.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_056.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_057.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_058.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_059.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_060.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_061.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_062.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_063.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_064.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_065.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_066.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_067.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_068.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_069.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_070.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_071.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_072.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_073.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_074.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_075.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_076.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_077.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_078.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_079.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_080.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_081.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_082.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_083.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_084.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_085.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_086.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_087.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_088.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_089.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_090.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_091.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_092.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_093.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_094.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_095.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_096.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_097.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_098.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_099.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_100.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_101.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_102.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_103.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_104.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_105.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_106.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_107.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_108.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_109.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_110.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_111.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_112.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_113.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_114.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_115.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_116.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_117.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_118.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_119.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_120.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_121.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_122.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_123.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_124.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_125.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_126.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_127.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_128.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_129.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_130.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_131.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_132.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_133.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_134.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_135.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_136.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_137.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_138.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_139.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_140.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_141.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_142.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_143.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_144.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_145.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_146.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_147.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_148.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_149.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_150.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_151.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_152.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_153.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_154.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_155.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_156.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_157.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_158.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_159.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_160.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_161.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_162.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_163.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_164.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_165.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_166.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_167.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_168.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_169.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_170.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_171.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_172.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_173.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_174.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_175.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_176.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_177.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_178.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_179.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_180.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_181.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_182.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_183.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_184.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_185.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_186.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_187.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_188.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_189.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_190.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_191.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_192.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_193.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_194.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_195.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_196.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_197.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_198.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_199.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_200.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_201.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_202.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_203.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_204.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_205.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_206.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_207.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_208.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_209.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_210.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_211.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_212.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_213.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_214.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_215.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_216.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_217.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_218.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_219.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_220.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_221.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_222.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_223.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_224.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_225.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_226.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_227.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_228.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_229.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_230.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_231.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_232.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_233.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_234.txt"),
-    @embedFile("frames/frame_235.txt"),
-};