diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 9bcd11ba..43b6ee6f 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -2048,6 +2048,11 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
         term->is_searching != term->render.was_searching ||
         term->render.margins)
     {
+        if (buf->age > 0) {
+            LOG_DBG("compositor double buffers (age=%d): last=%p, cur=%p",
+                    buf->age, (void*)term->render.last_buf, (void*)buf);
+        }
+
         if (term->render.last_buf != NULL &&
             term->render.last_buf->width == buf->width &&
             term->render.last_buf->height == buf->height &&
@@ -2080,6 +2085,7 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
         term->render.was_searching = term->is_searching;
     }
 
+    buf->age = 0;
     tll_foreach(term->grid->scroll_damage, it) {
         switch (it->item.type) {
         case DAMAGE_SCROLL:
diff --git a/shm.c b/shm.c
index 2ec581c4..a39c7c34 100644
--- a/shm.c
+++ b/shm.c
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 
 #define TIME_SCROLL 0
 
+#define FORCED_DOUBLE_BUFFERING 0
+
 /*
  * Maximum memfd size allowed.
  *
@@ -222,6 +224,8 @@ shm_get_buffer(struct wl_shm *shm, int width, int height, unsigned long cookie,
         tll_remove(buffers, it);
     }
 
+    struct buffer *cached = NULL;
+
     tll_foreach(buffers, it) {
         if (it->item.width != width)
             continue;
@@ -230,16 +234,27 @@ shm_get_buffer(struct wl_shm *shm, int width, int height, unsigned long cookie,
         if (it->item.cookie != cookie)
             continue;
 
-        if (!it->item.busy) {
-            LOG_DBG("cookie=%lx: re-using buffer from cache (buf=%p)",
-                    cookie, (void *)&it->item);
-            it->item.busy = true;
-            it->item.purge = false;
-            xassert(it->item.pix_instances == pix_instances);
-            return &it->item;
-        }
+        if (it->item.busy)
+            it->item.age++;
+        else
+#if FORCED_DOUBLE_BUFFERING
+            if (it->item.age == 0)
+                it->item.age++;
+            else
+#endif
+            {
+                LOG_DBG("cookie=%lx: re-using buffer from cache (buf=%p)",
+                        cookie, (void *)&it->item);
+                it->item.busy = true;
+                it->item.purge = false;
+                xassert(it->item.pix_instances == pix_instances);
+                cached = &it->item;
+            }
     }
 
+    if (cached != NULL)
+        return cached;
+
     /* Purge old buffers associated with this cookie */
     tll_foreach(buffers, it) {
         if (it->item.cookie != cookie)
@@ -376,9 +391,9 @@ shm_get_buffer(struct wl_shm *shm, int width, int height, unsigned long cookie,
             .scrollable = scrollable,
             .real_mmapped = real_mmapped,
             .mmap_size = memfd_size,
-            .offset = 0}
-            )
-        );
+            .offset = 0,
+            .age = 0,
+        }));
 
     struct buffer *ret = &tll_back(buffers);
     if (!instantiate_offset(shm, ret, initial_offset))
diff --git a/shm.h b/shm.h
index 2e819369..d0d79435 100644
--- a/shm.h
+++ b/shm.h
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ struct buffer {
 
     bool scrollable;
     bool purge;            /* True if this buffer should be destroyed */
+
+    int age;
 };
 
 struct buffer *shm_get_buffer(