diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 23ef03dc1..4279d3476 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -1264,6 +1264,10 @@ clutter_actor_set_mapped (ClutterActor *self,
   if (CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_MAPPED (self) == mapped)
     return;
 
+  g_return_if_fail (!CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_MAP_UNMAP (self));
+
+  CLUTTER_SET_PRIVATE_FLAGS (self, CLUTTER_IN_MAP_UNMAP);
+
   if (mapped)
     {
       CLUTTER_ACTOR_GET_CLASS (self)->map (self);
@@ -1274,6 +1278,8 @@ clutter_actor_set_mapped (ClutterActor *self,
       CLUTTER_ACTOR_GET_CLASS (self)->unmap (self);
       g_assert (!CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_MAPPED (self));
     }
+
+  CLUTTER_UNSET_PRIVATE_FLAGS (self, CLUTTER_IN_MAP_UNMAP);
 }
 
 /* this function updates the mapped and realized states according to
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
index 377b31879..117902a35 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-private.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ typedef struct _ClutterMainContext      ClutterMainContext;
 #define CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_PREF_WIDTH(a)          ((CLUTTER_PRIVATE_FLAGS (a) & CLUTTER_IN_PREF_WIDTH) != FALSE)
 #define CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_PREF_HEIGHT(a)         ((CLUTTER_PRIVATE_FLAGS (a) & CLUTTER_IN_PREF_HEIGHT) != FALSE)
 #define CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_PREF_SIZE(a)           ((CLUTTER_PRIVATE_FLAGS (a) & (CLUTTER_IN_PREF_HEIGHT|CLUTTER_IN_PREF_WIDTH)) != FALSE)
+#define CLUTTER_ACTOR_IN_MAP_UNMAP(a)           ((CLUTTER_PRIVATE_FLAGS (a) & CLUTTER_IN_MAP_UNMAP) != FALSE)
 
 #define CLUTTER_PARAM_READABLE  (G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS)
 #define CLUTTER_PARAM_WRITABLE  (G_PARAM_WRITABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS)
@@ -105,6 +106,8 @@ typedef enum
 
   /* Used to avoid recursion */
   CLUTTER_IN_RELAYOUT    = 1 << 7,
+
+  CLUTTER_IN_MAP_UNMAP   = 1 << 8,
 } ClutterPrivateFlags;
 
 /*