diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 8d2ef6030..b2a402e74 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -2478,6 +2478,38 @@ _clutter_actor_draw_paint_volume (ClutterActor *self)
     clutter_paint_volume_free (&fake_pv);
 }
 
+/* Returns TRUE if the actor can be ignored */
+static gboolean
+cull_actor (ClutterActor *self)
+{
+  ClutterActorPrivate *priv = self->priv;
+  ClutterActor *stage;
+  const ClutterGeometry *stage_clip;
+  ClutterActorBox *box;
+  ClutterGeometry paint_geom;
+
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (clutter_paint_debug_flags & CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING))
+    return FALSE;
+
+  stage = _clutter_actor_get_stage_internal (self);
+  stage_clip = _clutter_stage_get_clip (CLUTTER_STAGE (stage));
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!stage_clip))
+    return FALSE;
+
+  /* XXX: It might be better if _get_paint_box returned a
+   * ClutterGeometry instead. */
+  box = &priv->last_paint_box;
+  paint_geom.x = box->x1;
+  paint_geom.y = box->y1;
+  paint_geom.width = box->x2 - box->x1;
+  paint_geom.height = box->y2 - box->y1;
+
+  if (!clutter_geometry_intersects (stage_clip, &paint_geom))
+    return TRUE;
+  else
+    return FALSE;
+}
+
 /**
  * clutter_actor_paint:
  * @self: A #ClutterActor
@@ -2621,9 +2653,27 @@ clutter_actor_paint (ClutterActor *self)
            * XXX: We are starting to do a lot of vertex transforms on
            * the CPU in a typical paint, so at some point we should
            * audit these and consider caching some things.
+           *
+           * XXX: We should consider doing all our culling in the
+           * stage's model space using PaintVolumes so we don't have
+           * to project actor paint volumes all the way into window
+           * coordinates!
+           *   XXX: To do this we also need a way to store an
+           *   "absolute paint volume" in some way. Currently the
+           *   paint volumes are defined relative to a referenced
+           *   actor's coordinates, but we'd need to be able to cache
+           *   the last paint volume used with the actor's *current*
+           *   modelview and either with a specific projection matrix
+           *   or we'd need to be able to invalidate paint-volumes on
+           *   projection changes.
            */
           if (clutter_actor_get_paint_box (self, &priv->last_paint_box))
-            priv->last_paint_box_valid = TRUE;
+            {
+              priv->last_paint_box_valid = TRUE;
+
+              if (cull_actor (self))
+                goto done;
+            }
           else
             priv->last_paint_box_valid = FALSE;
         }
@@ -2659,6 +2709,7 @@ clutter_actor_paint (ClutterActor *self)
       g_signal_emit (self, actor_signals[PICK], 0, &col);
     }
 
+done:
   if (clip_set)
     cogl_clip_pop();
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-debug.h b/clutter/clutter-debug.h
index 3a10c4685..920000515 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-debug.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-debug.h
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ typedef enum {
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_SWAP_EVENTS     = 1 << 0,
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CLIPPED_REDRAWS = 1 << 1,
   CLUTTER_DEBUG_REDRAWS                 = 1 << 2,
-  CLUTTER_DEBUG_PAINT_VOLUMES           = 1 << 3
+  CLUTTER_DEBUG_PAINT_VOLUMES           = 1 << 3,
+  CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CULLING         = 1 << 4
 } ClutterDrawDebugFlag;
 
 #ifdef CLUTTER_ENABLE_DEBUG
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter-main.c
index 32e209b3a..10535c260 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ static const GDebugKey clutter_paint_debug_keys[] = {
   { "disable-clipped-redraws", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CLIPPED_REDRAWS },
   { "redraws", CLUTTER_DEBUG_REDRAWS },
   { "paint-volumes", CLUTTER_DEBUG_PAINT_VOLUMES },
+  { "disable-culling", CLUTTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_CLIPPED_REDRAWS }
 };
 
 #ifdef CLUTTER_ENABLE_PROFILE
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ _clutter_do_pick (ClutterStage   *stage,
   */
   CLUTTER_TIMER_START (_clutter_uprof_context, pick_paint);
   context->pick_mode = mode;
-  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage);
+  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage, NULL);
   context->pick_mode = CLUTTER_PICK_NONE;
   CLUTTER_TIMER_STOP (_clutter_uprof_context, pick_paint);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-private.h b/clutter/clutter-private.h
index d955bf931..340990b9f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-private.h
@@ -329,7 +329,8 @@ void _clutter_stage_manager_set_default_stage (ClutterStageManager *stage_manage
                                                ClutterStage        *stage);
 
 /* stage */
-void                _clutter_stage_do_paint             (ClutterStage *stage);
+void                _clutter_stage_do_paint             (ClutterStage *stage,
+                                                         const ClutterGeometry *clip);
 void                _clutter_stage_set_window           (ClutterStage       *stage,
                                                          ClutterStageWindow *stage_window);
 ClutterStageWindow *_clutter_stage_get_window           (ClutterStage       *stage);
@@ -377,6 +378,9 @@ guint    _clutter_stage_get_picks_per_frame_counter       (ClutterStage *stage);
 ClutterPaintVolume *_clutter_stage_paint_volume_stack_allocate (ClutterStage *stage);
 void                _clutter_stage_paint_volume_stack_free_all (ClutterStage *stage);
 
+const ClutterGeometry *_clutter_stage_get_clip (ClutterStage *stage);
+
+
 /* vfuncs implemented by backend */
 GType         _clutter_backend_impl_get_type  (void);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index 881944cbd..6ed7c3918 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ struct _ClutterStagePrivate
 
   GArray             *paint_volume_stack;
 
+  const ClutterGeometry *current_paint_clip;
+
   guint relayout_pending       : 1;
   guint redraw_pending         : 1;
   guint is_fullscreen          : 1;
@@ -314,12 +316,20 @@ clutter_stage_allocate (ClutterActor           *self,
 
 /* This provides a common point of entry for painting the scenegraph
  * for picking or painting...
+ *
+ * XXX: Instead of having a toplevel 2D clip region, it might be
+ * better to have a clip volume within the view frustum. This could
+ * allow us to avoid projecting actors into window coordinates to
+ * be able to cull them.
  */
 void
-_clutter_stage_do_paint (ClutterStage *stage)
+_clutter_stage_do_paint (ClutterStage *stage, const ClutterGeometry *clip)
 {
+  ClutterStagePrivate *priv = stage->priv;
+  priv->current_paint_clip = clip;
   _clutter_stage_paint_volume_stack_free_all (stage);
   clutter_actor_paint (CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage));
+  priv->current_paint_clip = NULL;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3100,3 +3110,11 @@ _clutter_stage_paint_volume_stack_free_all (ClutterStage *stage)
   g_array_set_size (paint_volume_stack, 0);
 }
 
+/* The is an out-of-band paramater available while painting that
+ * can be used to cull actors. */
+const ClutterGeometry *
+_clutter_stage_get_clip (ClutterStage *stage)
+{
+  return stage->priv->current_paint_clip;
+}
+
diff --git a/clutter/egl/clutter-stage-egl.c b/clutter/egl/clutter-stage-egl.c
index 7d95c71ce..ca5d3c283 100644
--- a/clutter/egl/clutter-stage-egl.c
+++ b/clutter/egl/clutter-stage-egl.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ _clutter_stage_egl_redraw (ClutterStageEGL *stage_egl,
   egl_surface = backend_egl->egl_surface;
 #endif
 
-  _clutter_stage_do_paint (CLUTTER_STAGE (wrapper));
+  _clutter_stage_do_paint (CLUTTER_STAGE (wrapper), NULL);
   cogl_flush ();
 
   eglSwapBuffers (backend_egl->edpy, egl_surface);
diff --git a/clutter/fruity/clutter-backend-fruity.c b/clutter/fruity/clutter-backend-fruity.c
index 68226548b..d9279d91d 100644
--- a/clutter/fruity/clutter-backend-fruity.c
+++ b/clutter/fruity/clutter-backend-fruity.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ clutter_backend_egl_redraw (ClutterBackend *backend,
   stage_egl = CLUTTER_STAGE_EGL (impl);
 
   eglWaitNative (EGL_CORE_NATIVE_ENGINE);
-  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage);
+  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage, NULL);
   cogl_flush ();
   eglWaitGL();
   eglSwapBuffers (backend_egl->edpy,  stage_egl->egl_surface);
diff --git a/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c b/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
index d144ced3e..5dbe45ea5 100644
--- a/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
+++ b/clutter/glx/clutter-stage-glx.c
@@ -544,11 +544,11 @@ _clutter_stage_glx_redraw (ClutterStageGLX *stage_glx,
                                        stage_glx->bounding_redraw_clip.y,
                                        stage_glx->bounding_redraw_clip.width,
                                        stage_glx->bounding_redraw_clip.height);
-      _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage);
+      _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage, &stage_glx->bounding_redraw_clip);
       cogl_clip_pop ();
     }
   else
-    _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage);
+    _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage, NULL);
 
   if (clutter_paint_debug_flags & CLUTTER_DEBUG_REDRAWS &&
       may_use_clipped_redraw)
diff --git a/clutter/osx/clutter-stage-osx.c b/clutter/osx/clutter-stage-osx.c
index 6b966a44d..12c20aeed 100644
--- a/clutter/osx/clutter-stage-osx.c
+++ b/clutter/osx/clutter-stage-osx.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ clutter_stage_osx_get_wrapper (ClutterStageWindow *stage_window);
 
 - (void) drawRect: (NSRect) bounds
 {
-  _clutter_stage_do_paint (CLUTTER_STAGE (self->stage_osx->wrapper));
+  _clutter_stage_do_paint (CLUTTER_STAGE (self->stage_osx->wrapper), NULL);
   cogl_flush ();
   [[self openGLContext] flushBuffer];
 }
diff --git a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
index cc5abe3c5..6613468ea 100644
--- a/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
+++ b/clutter/win32/clutter-backend-win32.c
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ clutter_backend_win32_redraw (ClutterBackend *backend,
   stage_win32 = CLUTTER_STAGE_WIN32 (impl);
 
   /* this will cause the stage implementation to be painted */
-  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage);
+  _clutter_stage_do_paint (stage, NULL);
   cogl_flush ();
 
   if (stage_win32->client_dc)