diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 541e0b01a..76d250310 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Mon Aug  9 05:38:33 2004  Soeren Sandmann  <sandmann@daimi.au.dk>
+
+	* src/effects.c (graphics_sync): New function. 
+	* src/effects.c (effects_draw_box_animation_timeout): Use it here
+	to synchronize with the hardware between each frame.
+
 2004-08-08  Rob Adams  <readams@readams.net>
 
 	* src/window.c (meta_window_move_resize_internal): Add #ifdef
diff --git a/src/effects.c b/src/effects.c
index dee152961..e361c091e 100644
--- a/src/effects.c
+++ b/src/effects.c
@@ -125,6 +125,22 @@ update_wireframe_window (MetaDisplay         *display,
 #endif
 }
 
+static void
+graphics_sync (BoxAnimationContext *context)
+{
+  XImage *image;
+  
+  /* A hack to force the X server to synchronize with the
+   * graphics hardware
+   */
+  image = XGetImage (context->screen->display->xdisplay,
+		     context->screen->xroot,
+		     0, 0, 1, 1,
+		     AllPlanes, ZPixmap);
+
+  XDestroyImage (image);
+}
+
 static gboolean
 effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)
 {
@@ -182,6 +198,8 @@ effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)
           XDestroyWindow (context->screen->display->xdisplay,
                           context->wireframe_xwindow);
         }
+
+      graphics_sync (context);
       
       g_free (context);
       return FALSE;
@@ -267,7 +285,7 @@ effects_draw_box_animation_timeout (BoxAnimationContext *context)
     }
 
   /* kick changes onto the server */
-  XFlush (context->screen->display->xdisplay);
+  graphics_sync (context);
   
   return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/src/effects.h b/src/effects.h
index 82dc0c518..38cec4bfc 100644
--- a/src/effects.h
+++ b/src/effects.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 
-#define META_MINIMIZE_ANIMATION_LENGTH 0.35
+#define META_MINIMIZE_ANIMATION_LENGTH 0.25
 #define META_SHADE_ANIMATION_LENGTH 0.2
 
 typedef enum