diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index d0b6b0420..afd9bd363 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ _clutter_do_pick (ClutterStage   *stage,
 {
   ClutterMainContext *context;
   guchar              pixel[4] = { 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff };
-  CoglColor           white;
+  CoglColor           stage_pick_id;
   guint32             id;
   GLboolean           dither_was_on;
 
@@ -491,9 +491,9 @@ _clutter_do_pick (ClutterStage   *stage,
   if (G_LIKELY (!(clutter_debug_flags & CLUTTER_DEBUG_DUMP_PICK_BUFFERS)))
     cogl_clip_push_window_rectangle (x, y, 1, 1);
 
-  cogl_color_set_from_4ub (&white, 255, 255, 255, 255);
   cogl_disable_fog ();
-  cogl_clear (&white,
+  cogl_color_set_from_4ub (&stage_pick_id, 0, 0, 0, 255);
+  cogl_clear (&stage_pick_id,
 	      COGL_BUFFER_BIT_COLOR |
 	      COGL_BUFFER_BIT_DEPTH);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index 305733878..760bec193 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 #include "clutter-stage-window.h"
 #include "clutter-version.h" 	/* For flavour */
 #include "clutter-id-pool.h"
+#include "clutter-container.h"
 
 #include "cogl/cogl.h"
 
@@ -282,12 +283,13 @@ static void
 clutter_stage_pick (ClutterActor       *self,
 		    const ClutterColor *color)
 {
-  /* Paint nothing, cogl_paint_init() effectively paints the stage
-   * silhouette for us - see _clutter_do_pick().
-   * Chain up to the groups paint howerer so our children get picked
-   * - clutter_group_pick
+  /* Note: we don't chain up to our parent as we don't want any geometry
+   * emitted for the stage itself. The stage's pick id is effectively handled
+   * by the call to cogl_clear done in clutter-main.c:_clutter_do_pick_async()
    */
-  CLUTTER_ACTOR_CLASS (clutter_stage_parent_class)->pick (self, color);
+
+  clutter_container_foreach (CLUTTER_CONTAINER (self),
+                             CLUTTER_CALLBACK (clutter_actor_paint), NULL);
 }
 
 static void