diff --git a/src/st/st-adjustment.c b/src/st/st-adjustment.c
index 5235cb235..28ab78e41 100644
--- a/src/st/st-adjustment.c
+++ b/src/st/st-adjustment.c
@@ -202,6 +202,26 @@ actor_destroyed (gpointer  user_data,
   g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (adj), props[PROP_ACTOR]);
 }
 
+static void
+st_adjustment_set_actor (StAdjustment *adj,
+                         ClutterActor *actor)
+{
+  StAdjustmentPrivate *priv;
+
+  priv = st_adjustment_get_instance_private (adj);
+
+  if (priv->actor == actor)
+    return;
+
+  if (priv->actor)
+    g_object_weak_unref (G_OBJECT (priv->actor), actor_destroyed, adj);
+  priv->actor = actor;
+  if (priv->actor)
+    g_object_weak_ref (G_OBJECT (priv->actor), actor_destroyed, adj);
+
+  g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (adj), props[PROP_ACTOR]);
+}
+
 static void
 st_adjustment_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
                             guint         prop_id,
@@ -209,18 +229,11 @@ st_adjustment_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
                             GParamSpec   *pspec)
 {
   StAdjustment *adj = ST_ADJUSTMENT (gobject);
-  StAdjustmentPrivate *priv;
-
-  priv = st_adjustment_get_instance_private (ST_ADJUSTMENT (gobject));
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
     case PROP_ACTOR:
-      if (priv->actor)
-        g_object_weak_unref (G_OBJECT (priv->actor), actor_destroyed, adj);
-      priv->actor = g_value_get_object (value);
-      if (priv->actor)
-        g_object_weak_ref (G_OBJECT (priv->actor), actor_destroyed, adj);
+      st_adjustment_set_actor (adj, g_value_get_object (value));
       break;
 
     case PROP_LOWER:
diff --git a/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c b/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
index 479751130..19fe26b5d 100644
--- a/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
+++ b/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
@@ -103,6 +103,27 @@ handle_button_press_event_cb (ClutterActor       *actor,
 
 static void stop_scrolling (StScrollBar *bar);
 
+static void
+st_scroll_bar_set_vertical (StScrollBar *bar,
+                            gboolean     vertical)
+{
+  StScrollBarPrivate *priv = ST_SCROLL_BAR_PRIVATE (bar);
+
+  if (priv->vertical == vertical)
+    return;
+
+  priv->vertical = vertical;
+
+  if (priv->vertical)
+    clutter_actor_set_name (CLUTTER_ACTOR (priv->handle),
+                        "vhandle");
+  else
+    clutter_actor_set_name (CLUTTER_ACTOR (priv->handle),
+                        "hhandle");
+  clutter_actor_queue_relayout (CLUTTER_ACTOR (bar));
+  g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (bar), props[PROP_VERTICAL]);
+}
+
 static void
 st_scroll_bar_get_property (GObject    *gobject,
                             guint       prop_id,
@@ -134,7 +155,6 @@ st_scroll_bar_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
                             GParamSpec   *pspec)
 {
   StScrollBar *bar = ST_SCROLL_BAR (gobject);
-  StScrollBarPrivate *priv = st_scroll_bar_get_instance_private (bar);
 
   switch (prop_id)
     {
@@ -143,14 +163,7 @@ st_scroll_bar_set_property (GObject      *gobject,
       break;
 
     case PROP_VERTICAL:
-      priv->vertical = g_value_get_boolean (value);
-      if (priv->vertical)
-        clutter_actor_set_name (CLUTTER_ACTOR (priv->handle),
-                                "vhandle");
-      else
-        clutter_actor_set_name (CLUTTER_ACTOR (priv->handle),
-                                "hhandle");
-      clutter_actor_queue_relayout ((ClutterActor*) gobject);
+      st_scroll_bar_set_vertical (bar, g_value_get_boolean (value));
       break;
 
     default:
diff --git a/src/st/st-scroll-view.c b/src/st/st-scroll-view.c
index 132abd5a4..453542449 100644
--- a/src/st/st-scroll-view.c
+++ b/src/st/st-scroll-view.c
@@ -210,6 +210,23 @@ st_scroll_view_update_fade_effect (StScrollView  *scroll,
   clutter_actor_queue_redraw (CLUTTER_ACTOR (scroll));
 }
 
+static void
+st_scroll_view_set_content_padding (StScrollView  *scroll,
+                                    ClutterMargin *content_padding)
+{
+  StScrollViewPrivate *priv = ST_SCROLL_VIEW (scroll)->priv;
+
+  if (priv->content_padding.left == content_padding->left &&
+      priv->content_padding.right == content_padding->right &&
+      priv->content_padding.top == content_padding->top &&
+      priv->content_padding.bottom == content_padding->bottom)
+    return;
+
+  priv->content_padding = *content_padding;
+
+  g_object_notify_by_pspec (G_OBJECT (scroll), props[PROP_CONTENT_PADDING]);
+}
+
 static void
 st_scroll_view_set_property (GObject      *object,
                              guint         property_id,
@@ -240,7 +257,8 @@ st_scroll_view_set_property (GObject      *object,
                                  g_value_get_enum (value));
       break;
     case PROP_CONTENT_PADDING:
-      priv->content_padding = * (ClutterMargin *) g_value_get_boxed (value);
+      st_scroll_view_set_content_padding (self,
+                                          (ClutterMargin *)g_value_get_boxed (value));
       break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, property_id, pspec);
diff --git a/src/st/st-theme-context.c b/src/st/st-theme-context.c
index b363b8136..17acd1a10 100644
--- a/src/st/st-theme-context.c
+++ b/src/st/st-theme-context.c
@@ -77,6 +77,19 @@ static void st_theme_context_get_property (GObject      *object,
                                            GValue       *value,
                                            GParamSpec   *pspec);
 
+static void
+st_theme_context_set_scale_factor (StThemeContext *context,
+                                   int             scale_factor)
+{
+  if (scale_factor == context->scale_factor)
+    return;
+
+  context->scale_factor = scale_factor;
+  g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (context), "scale-factor");
+  st_theme_context_changed (context);
+}
+
+
 static void
 st_theme_context_finalize (GObject *object)
 {
@@ -179,16 +192,8 @@ st_theme_context_set_property (GObject      *object,
   switch (prop_id)
     {
     case PROP_SCALE_FACTOR:
-      {
-        int scale_factor = g_value_get_int (value);
-        if (scale_factor != context->scale_factor)
-          {
-            context->scale_factor = scale_factor;
-            st_theme_context_changed (context);
-          }
-
-        break;
-      }
+      st_theme_context_set_scale_factor (context, g_value_get_int (value));
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
       break;