diff --git a/packages/ludic.minimap/README.md b/packages/ludic.minimap/README.md
index 5439cf5a..2dae73b3 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.minimap/README.md
+++ b/packages/ludic.minimap/README.md
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export port MinimapWorld {       # every member has a default
 | `minimap_pin_count()`, `minimap_pin_max()`, `minimap_pin_full()`, `minimap_pin(i) -> MinimapPin` | the marks |
 | `minimap_pin_set_label/icon/colour(i, v)`, `minimap_pin_last_icon()` | editing one |
 | `minimap_pin_open()`, `minimap_pin_select(i)`, `minimap_pin_followed()`, `minimap_pin_follow(i)`, `minimap_pin_follow_toggle()` | the open one and the followed one |
-| `minimap_pins_near(x, z, n, within) -> []int` | the nearest marks, not the followed one (for a compass) |
+| `minimap_pins_near(x, z, n, within) -> []int` | the nearest marks, not the followed one (for a compass), in a list the state keeps and refills: read it, do not keep it |
 | `minimap_config_view(span, zoom_min, zoom_max, focus)`, `minimap_window(x0, y0, size)` | the view's range, and where the window is this frame |
 | `minimap_px(x)`, `minimap_py(z)`, `minimap_wx(rx)`, `minimap_wz(ry)`, `minimap_span()`, `minimap_scale()`, `minimap_scale_metres()` | projection, and a scale bar's round distance |
 | `minimap_zoom()`, `minimap_zoom_set(z)`, `minimap_zoom_step(dir)`, `minimap_zoom_about(rx, ry, factor)` | zoom |
diff --git a/packages/ludic.minimap/grid.ludic b/packages/ludic.minimap/grid.ludic
index fb0689a0..0299249b 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.minimap/grid.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.minimap/grid.ludic
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # grid.ludic - the explored grid: square cells round the origin, and the part of it "explored" is
 # measured over (a core, so a bigger grid does not change what a share of it means)
 export state MinimapState {
+  mm_near: []int = new []int    # minimap_pins_near's answer, cleared and refilled: a compass asks every frame
   mm_land_n: int = 0            # land cells in the core, counted once per origin
   mm_land_ox: float = 0.0
   mm_land_oz: float = 0.0
diff --git a/packages/ludic.minimap/pins.ludic b/packages/ludic.minimap/pins.ludic
index c6994dea..7df34b15 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.minimap/pins.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.minimap/pins.ludic
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ export function minimap_pin(minimap_st: MinimapState, i: int) -> MinimapPin {
 }
 
 # the nearest n marks within `within` of (x, z), nearest first, leaving out the followed one
-export function minimap_pins_near(minimap_st: MinimapState, x: float, z: float, n: int, within: float) -> []int {
-  let out = new []int
+export function minimap_pins_near(minimap_st: mut MinimapState, x: float, z: float, n: int, within: float) -> []int {
+  let out = minimap_st.mm_near
+  List.clear(out)
   for k in 0 .. n {
     var best = -1
     var bd = within * within
diff --git a/packages/ludic.minimap/tests/minimap_test.ludic b/packages/ludic.minimap/tests/minimap_test.ludic
index f270b55a..645b1f77 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.minimap/tests/minimap_test.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.minimap/tests/minimap_test.ludic
@@ -111,6 +111,20 @@ program MinimapTest {
     expect_eq(near[1], 1)
   }
 
+  test "asking for the nearest marks every frame allocates nothing" (minimap_st: mut MinimapState, minimap_test_st: mut MinimapTestState) {
+    fresh(minimap_st, minimap_test_st)
+    minimap_config_pins(minimap_st, 8, 8, 5)
+    minimap_pin_add(minimap_st, 110.0, 100.0, 0, "near")
+    minimap_pin_add(minimap_st, 130.0, 100.0, 0, "next")
+    minimap_pins_near(minimap_st, 100.0, 100.0, 2, 400.0)
+    let before = Os.heap_bytes()
+    for k in 0 .. 1000 { minimap_pins_near(minimap_st, 100.0 + float(k % 7), 100.0, 2, 400.0) }
+    let grew = Os.heap_bytes() - before
+    print(`minimap: 1000 asks, heap {grew} bytes`)
+    expect(grew == long(0))
+    expect_eq(len(minimap_pins_near(minimap_st, 100.0, 100.0, 2, 400.0)), 2)
+  }
+
   test "the view: the world on the window and back, zoom about a point, a pan, focus and the clamp" (minimap_st: mut MinimapState, minimap_test_st: mut MinimapTestState) {
     fresh(minimap_st, minimap_test_st)
     minimap_centre(minimap_st, 100.0, 100.0)