diff --git a/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ByteBoxRenderer.java b/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ByteBoxRenderer.java
index 845cf40f0..3c59fd010 100644
--- a/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ByteBoxRenderer.java
+++ b/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ByteBoxRenderer.java
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public ByteProcessor render(final long x,
             renderParameters.setMaxIntensity(maxIntensity);
         }
 
+        // render at full quality
+        renderParameters.setSkipInterpolation(false);
+        renderParameters.setBinaryMask(false);
+
         final ByteProcessor renderedProcessor;
         if (renderParameters.numberOfTileSpecs() > 0) {
             if (exportMaskOnly) {
diff --git a/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ShortBoxRenderer.java b/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ShortBoxRenderer.java
index 2f36dbdca..14e0b8b85 100644
--- a/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ShortBoxRenderer.java
+++ b/render-app/src/main/java/org/janelia/alignment/ShortBoxRenderer.java
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public ShortProcessor render(final long x,
             renderParameters.setMaxIntensity(maxIntensity);
         }
 
+        // render at full quality
+        renderParameters.setSkipInterpolation(false);
+        renderParameters.setBinaryMask(false);
+
         final ShortProcessor renderedProcessor;
         if (renderParameters.numberOfTileSpecs() > 0) {
             if (exportMaskOnly) {