diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 7189c9ba..8cefc833 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -1606,7 +1606,10 @@ frame_callback(void *data, struct wl_callback *wl_callback, uint32_t callback_da
 
     if (term->render.pending.grid) {
         term->render.pending.grid = false;
-        grid_render(term);
+
+        /* TODO: need to check if this breaks GNOME/weston */
+        if (!term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed)
+            grid_render(term);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index b39bb8d9..bac6e232 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #define min(x, y) ((x) < (y) ? (x) : (y))
 #define max(x, y) ((x) > (y) ? (x) : (y))
 
+#define PTMX_TIMING 0
+
 static const char *const XCURSOR_LEFT_PTR = "left_ptr";
 static const char *const XCURSOR_TEXT = "text";
 static const char *const XCURSOR_HAND2 = "hand2";
@@ -125,8 +127,6 @@ fdm_ptmx_out(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
     return true;
 }
 
-#define PTMX_TIMING 0
-
 #if PTMX_TIMING
 static struct timespec last = {0};
 #endif
@@ -197,9 +197,10 @@ fdm_ptmx(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
          * compositor anyway. The delay we introduce here only
          * has any effect when the renderer is idle.
          */
-        if (term->window->frame_callback == NULL) {
-            /* First timeout - reset each time we receive input. */
+        uint64_t lower_ns = term->conf->tweak.delayed_render_lower_ns;
+        uint64_t upper_ns = term->conf->tweak.delayed_render_upper_ns;
 
+        if (lower_ns > 0 && upper_ns > 0) {
 #if PTMX_TIMING
             struct timespec now;
 
@@ -215,8 +216,6 @@ fdm_ptmx(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
             last = now;
 #endif
 
-            uint64_t lower_ns = term->conf->tweak.delayed_render_lower_ns;
-            uint64_t upper_ns = term->conf->tweak.delayed_render_upper_ns;
             assert(lower_ns < 1000000000);
             assert(upper_ns < 1000000000);
             assert(upper_ns > lower_ns);
@@ -236,7 +235,7 @@ fdm_ptmx(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
                 term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed = true;
             }
         } else
-            term->render.pending.grid = true;
+            render_refresh(term);
     }
 
     if (hup) {
@@ -396,8 +395,6 @@ fdm_delayed_render(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
         return false;
 
     struct terminal *term = data;
-    if (!term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed)
-        return true;
 
     uint64_t unused;
     ssize_t ret1 = 0;
@@ -412,6 +409,9 @@ fdm_delayed_render(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
         if (errno == EAGAIN)
             return true;
 
+        if (!term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed)
+            return true;
+
         LOG_ERRNO("failed to read timeout timer");
         return false;
     }
@@ -425,13 +425,15 @@ fdm_delayed_render(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
     last = (struct timespec){0};
 #endif
 
-    render_refresh(term);
-
     /* Reset timers */
     struct itimerspec reset = {{0}};
     timerfd_settime(term->delayed_render_timer.lower_fd, 0, &reset, NULL);
     timerfd_settime(term->delayed_render_timer.upper_fd, 0, &reset, NULL);
-    term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed = false;
+
+    if (term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed) {
+        term->delayed_render_timer.is_armed = false;
+        render_refresh(term);
+    }
 
     return true;
 }