diff --git a/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c b/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
index 661a4987a..2d3c87f73 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ struct _ClutterMasterClock
    * a redraw on the stage and drive the animations
    */
   GSource *source;
+
+  guint updated_stages : 1;
 };
 
 struct _ClutterMasterClockClass
@@ -144,7 +146,8 @@ master_clock_next_frame_delay (ClutterMasterClock *master_clock)
   if (!master_clock_is_running (master_clock))
     return -1;
 
-  if (clutter_feature_available (CLUTTER_FEATURE_SYNC_TO_VBLANK))
+  if (clutter_feature_available (CLUTTER_FEATURE_SYNC_TO_VBLANK) &&
+      master_clock->updated_stages)
     {
       /* When we have sync-to-vblank, we count on that to throttle
        * our frame rate, and otherwise draw frames as fast as possible.
@@ -250,6 +253,8 @@ clutter_clock_dispatch (GSource     *source,
   stages = clutter_stage_manager_list_stages (stage_manager);
   g_slist_foreach (stages, (GFunc)g_object_ref, NULL);
 
+  master_clock->updated_stages = FALSE;
+
   /* Process queued events
    */
   for (l = stages; l != NULL; l = l->next)
@@ -262,7 +267,7 @@ clutter_clock_dispatch (GSource     *source,
    * is advanced.
    */
   for (l = stages; l != NULL; l = l->next)
-    _clutter_stage_do_update (l->data);
+    master_clock->updated_stages |= _clutter_stage_do_update (l->data);
 
   g_slist_foreach (stages, (GFunc)g_object_unref, NULL);
   g_slist_free (stages);
@@ -298,6 +303,8 @@ clutter_master_clock_init (ClutterMasterClock *self)
   source = clutter_clock_source_new (self);
   self->source = source;
 
+  self->updated_stages = TRUE;
+
   g_source_set_priority (source, CLUTTER_PRIORITY_REDRAW);
   g_source_set_can_recurse (source, FALSE);
   g_source_attach (source, NULL);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-private.h b/clutter/clutter-private.h
index 340cc75c6..0b96018b0 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-private.h
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ ClutterStageWindow *_clutter_stage_get_default_window   (void);
 void                _clutter_stage_maybe_setup_viewport (ClutterStage       *stage);
 void                _clutter_stage_maybe_relayout       (ClutterActor       *stage);
 gboolean            _clutter_stage_needs_update         (ClutterStage       *stage);
-void                _clutter_stage_do_update            (ClutterStage       *stage);
+gboolean            _clutter_stage_do_update            (ClutterStage       *stage);
 
 void     _clutter_stage_queue_event           (ClutterStage *stage,
 					       ClutterEvent *event);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index 7fdb98164..746d49468 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ _clutter_stage_process_queued_events (ClutterStage *stage)
  *
  * Determines if _clutter_stage_do_update() needs to be called.
  *
- * Return value: %TRUE if the stages need layout or painting
+ * Return value: %TRUE if the stage need layout or painting
  */
 gboolean
 _clutter_stage_needs_update (ClutterStage *stage)
@@ -505,18 +505,20 @@ _clutter_stage_needs_update (ClutterStage *stage)
  * @stage: A #ClutterStage
  *
  * Handles per-frame layout and repaint for the stage.
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if the stage was updated
  */
-void
+gboolean
 _clutter_stage_do_update (ClutterStage *stage)
 {
   ClutterStagePrivate *priv;
 
-  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_STAGE (stage));
+  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_STAGE (stage), FALSE);
 
   priv = stage->priv;
 
   if (!priv->redraw_pending)
-    return;
+    return FALSE;
 
   /* clutter_do_redraw() will also call maybe_relayout(), but since a relayout
    * can queue a redraw, we want to do the relayout before we clear the
@@ -539,6 +541,8 @@ _clutter_stage_do_update (ClutterStage *stage)
 
       CLUTTER_CONTEXT ()->redraw_count = 0;
     }
+
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 static void