diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.c b/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.c
index e9bfa8126..8ffc2cd8a 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE_WITH_CODE (MetaSurfaceActor, meta_surface_actor, CLUTTER_
 enum
 {
   REPAINT_SCHEDULED,
+  UPDATE_SCHEDULED,
   SIZE_CHANGED,
 
   LAST_SIGNAL,
@@ -293,6 +294,14 @@ meta_surface_actor_class_init (MetaSurfaceActorClass *klass)
                                              NULL, NULL, NULL,
                                              G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
+  signals[UPDATE_SCHEDULED] = g_signal_new ("update-scheduled",
+                                            G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (object_class),
+                                            G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
+                                            0,
+                                            NULL, NULL, NULL,
+                                            G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
+
+
   signals[SIZE_CHANGED] = g_signal_new ("size-changed",
                                         G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (object_class),
                                         G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
@@ -393,6 +402,17 @@ meta_surface_actor_get_texture (MetaSurfaceActor *self)
   return priv->texture;
 }
 
+void
+meta_surface_actor_schedule_update (MetaSurfaceActor *self)
+{
+  ClutterStage *stage =
+    CLUTTER_STAGE (clutter_actor_get_stage (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self)));
+
+  clutter_stage_schedule_update (stage);
+
+  g_signal_emit (self, signals[UPDATE_SCHEDULED], 0);
+}
+
 void
 meta_surface_actor_update_area (MetaSurfaceActor *self,
                                 int               x,
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.h b/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.h
index 2823076b3..7c5b5b80b 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.h
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-surface-actor.h
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ void meta_surface_actor_set_opaque_region (MetaSurfaceActor *self,
                                            MtkRegion        *region);
 MtkRegion * meta_surface_actor_get_opaque_region (MetaSurfaceActor *self);
 
+void meta_surface_actor_schedule_update (MetaSurfaceActor *self);
+
 void meta_surface_actor_process_damage (MetaSurfaceActor *actor,
                                         int x, int y, int width, int height);