diff --git a/clients/desktop-shell.c b/clients/desktop-shell.c
index 8cb85be4..ad1318df 100644
--- a/clients/desktop-shell.c
+++ b/clients/desktop-shell.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ background_draw(struct window *window, int width, int height, const char *path)
 	double sx, sy;
 
 	window_set_child_size(window, width, height);
-	window_draw(window);
+	window_create_surface(window);
 	surface = window_get_surface(window);
 
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
@@ -388,8 +388,6 @@ unlock_dialog_draw(struct unlock_dialog *dialog)
 	cairo_pattern_t *pat;
 	double cx, cy, r, f;
 
-	window_draw(dialog->window);
-
 	surface = window_get_surface(dialog->window);
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
 	window_get_child_allocation(dialog->window, &allocation);
@@ -428,7 +426,6 @@ unlock_dialog_draw(struct unlock_dialog *dialog)
 	cairo_paint(cr);
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
 
-	window_flush(dialog->window);
 	cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
 }
 
diff --git a/clients/dnd.c b/clients/dnd.c
index e1c057d4..cd03b1fa 100644
--- a/clients/dnd.c
+++ b/clients/dnd.c
@@ -167,8 +167,6 @@ dnd_draw(struct dnd *dnd)
 	cairo_surface_t *surface;
 	int i;
 
-	window_draw(dnd->window);
-
 	surface = window_get_surface(dnd->window);
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
 	window_get_child_allocation(dnd->window, &allocation);
@@ -191,7 +189,6 @@ dnd_draw(struct dnd *dnd)
 
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
 	cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
-	window_flush(dnd->window);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/clients/eventdemo.c b/clients/eventdemo.c
index 928cfdde..5ea6831b 100644
--- a/clients/eventdemo.c
+++ b/clients/eventdemo.c
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ eventdemo_draw(struct eventdemo *e) {
 	cairo_t *cr;
 	struct rectangle rect;
 
-	window_draw(e->window);
 	window_get_child_allocation(e->window, &rect);
 	surface = window_get_surface(e->window);
 
@@ -120,7 +119,6 @@ eventdemo_draw(struct eventdemo *e) {
 
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
 	cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
-	window_flush(e->window);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -329,7 +327,7 @@ eventdemo_create(struct display *d)
 	}
 
 	/* Initial drawing of the window */
-	eventdemo_draw(e);
+	window_schedule_redraw(e->window);
 
 	return e;
 }
diff --git a/clients/flower.c b/clients/flower.c
index cac470de..42028f05 100644
--- a/clients/flower.c
+++ b/clients/flower.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	window_set_title(flower.window, "flower");
 	window_set_decoration(flower.window, 0);
-	window_draw(flower.window);
+	window_create_surface(flower.window);
 	s = window_get_surface(flower.window);
 	if (s == NULL || cairo_surface_status (s) != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "failed to create cairo egl surface\n");
diff --git a/clients/gears.c b/clients/gears.c
index bc85f546..b5e7bd43 100644
--- a/clients/gears.c
+++ b/clients/gears.c
@@ -195,13 +195,30 @@ make_gear(const struct gear_template *t)
 }
 
 static void
-draw_gears(struct gears *gears)
+frame_callback(void *data, struct wl_callback *callback, uint32_t time)
+{
+	struct gears *gears = data;
+
+	gears->angle = (GLfloat) (time % 8192) * 360 / 8192.0;
+
+	window_schedule_redraw(gears->window);
+
+	if (callback)
+		wl_callback_destroy(callback);
+}
+
+static const struct wl_callback_listener listener = {
+	frame_callback
+};
+
+static void
+redraw_handler(struct window *window, void *data)
 {
 	GLfloat view_rotx = 20.0, view_roty = 30.0, view_rotz = 0.0;
 	struct rectangle window_allocation;
 	struct rectangle allocation;
-
-	window_draw(gears->window);
+	struct wl_callback *callback;
+	struct gears *gears = data;
 
 	window_get_child_allocation(gears->window, &allocation);
 	window_get_allocation(gears->window, &window_allocation);
@@ -254,7 +271,9 @@ draw_gears(struct gears *gears)
 	glFlush();
 
 	display_release_window_surface(gears->d, gears->window);
-	window_flush(gears->window);
+
+	callback = wl_surface_frame(window_get_wl_surface(gears->window));
+	wl_callback_add_listener(callback, &listener, gears);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -287,25 +306,6 @@ keyboard_focus_handler(struct window *window,
 	resize_handler(window, allocation.width, allocation.height, gears);
 }
 
-static void
-frame_callback(void *data, struct wl_callback *callback, uint32_t time)
-{
-	static const struct wl_callback_listener listener = {
-		frame_callback
-	};
-	struct gears *gears = data;
-
-	gears->angle = (GLfloat) (time % 8192) * 360 / 8192.0;
-
-	draw_gears(gears);
-
-	if (callback)
-		wl_callback_destroy(callback);
-
-	callback = wl_surface_frame(window_get_wl_surface(gears->window));
-	wl_callback_add_listener(callback, &listener, gears);
-}
-
 static struct gears *
 gears_create(struct display *display)
 {
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ gears_create(struct display *display)
 
 	window_set_user_data(gears->window, gears);
 	window_set_resize_handler(gears->window, resize_handler);
+	window_set_redraw_handler(gears->window, redraw_handler);
 	window_set_keyboard_focus_handler(gears->window, keyboard_focus_handler);
 
 	frame_callback(gears, NULL, 0);
diff --git a/clients/image.c b/clients/image.c
index 45990f92..0e34103e 100644
--- a/clients/image.c
+++ b/clients/image.c
@@ -140,8 +140,6 @@ image_draw(struct image *image)
 	cairo_t *cr;
 	cairo_surface_t *surface;
 
-	window_draw(image->window);
-
 	window_get_child_allocation(image->window, &allocation);
 
 	pb = gdk_pixbuf_new_from_file_at_size(image->filename,
@@ -175,7 +173,6 @@ image_draw(struct image *image)
 	cairo_paint(cr);
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
 
-	window_flush(image->window);
 	cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
 }
 
@@ -223,7 +220,7 @@ image_create(struct display *display, const char *filename)
 	window_set_keyboard_focus_handler(image->window,
 					  keyboard_focus_handler);
 
-	image_draw(image);
+	window_schedule_redraw(image->window);
 
 	return image;
 }
diff --git a/clients/resizor.c b/clients/resizor.c
index 8f70d537..395fdcdb 100644
--- a/clients/resizor.c
+++ b/clients/resizor.c
@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@ resizor_draw(struct resizor *resizor)
 	cairo_t *cr;
 	struct rectangle allocation;
 
-	window_draw(resizor->window);
-
 	window_get_child_allocation(resizor->window, &allocation);
 
 	surface = window_get_surface(resizor->window);
@@ -122,8 +120,6 @@ resizor_draw(struct resizor *resizor)
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
 
 	cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
-
-	window_flush(resizor->window);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -236,7 +232,7 @@ resizor_create(struct display *display)
 	window_set_child_size(resizor->window, resizor->width, height);
 	widget_set_button_handler(resizor->widget, button_handler);
 
-	resizor_draw(resizor);
+	window_schedule_redraw(resizor->window);
 
 	return resizor;
 }
diff --git a/clients/tablet-shell.c b/clients/tablet-shell.c
index cdb38b40..90cb766c 100644
--- a/clients/tablet-shell.c
+++ b/clients/tablet-shell.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ homescreen_draw(struct tablet_shell *shell)
 	const int rows = 4, columns = 5, icon_width = 128, icon_height = 128;
 	int x, y, i, width, height, vmargin, hmargin, vpadding, hpadding;
 
-	window_draw(shell->homescreen);
+	window_create_surface(shell->homescreen);
 	window_get_child_allocation(shell->homescreen, &allocation);
 	surface = window_get_surface(shell->homescreen);
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ lockscreen_draw(struct tablet_shell *shell)
 	cairo_t *cr;
 	int width, height;
 
-	window_draw(shell->lockscreen);
+	window_create_surface(shell->lockscreen);
 	window_get_child_allocation(shell->lockscreen, &allocation);
 	surface = window_get_surface(shell->lockscreen);
 	cr = cairo_create(surface);
diff --git a/clients/terminal.c b/clients/terminal.c
index b507ab60..9c3c56b4 100644
--- a/clients/terminal.c
+++ b/clients/terminal.c
@@ -1029,20 +1029,12 @@ resize_handler(struct window *window,
 	terminal_resize(terminal, width, height);
 }
 
-static void
-terminal_draw(struct terminal *terminal)
-{
-	window_draw(terminal->window);
-	terminal_draw_contents(terminal);
-	window_flush(terminal->window);
-}
-
 static void
 redraw_handler(struct window *window, void *data)
 {
 	struct terminal *terminal = data;
 
-	terminal_draw(terminal);
+	terminal_draw_contents(terminal);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2371,7 +2363,7 @@ terminal_run(struct terminal *terminal, const char *path)
 	if (!terminal->fullscreen)
 		terminal_resize(terminal, 80, 24);
 
-	terminal_draw(terminal);
+	window_schedule_redraw(terminal->window);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/clients/window.c b/clients/window.c
index 998afb67..5f807210 100644
--- a/clients/window.c
+++ b/clients/window.c
@@ -965,8 +965,6 @@ window_draw_decorations(struct window *window)
 	cairo_surface_t *frame;
 	int width, height, shadow_dx = 3, shadow_dy = 3;
 
-	window_create_surface(window);
-
 	width = window->allocation.width;
 	height = window->allocation.height;
 
@@ -1134,15 +1132,6 @@ widget_schedule_redraw(struct widget *widget)
 	window_schedule_redraw(widget->window);
 }
 
-void
-window_draw(struct window *window)
-{
-	if (!window->decoration)
-		window_create_surface(window);
-	else
-		window_draw_decorations(window);
-}
-
 cairo_surface_t *
 window_get_surface(struct window *window)
 {
@@ -1966,8 +1955,16 @@ idle_redraw(struct task *task, uint32_t events)
 	struct window *window =
 		container_of(task, struct window, redraw_task);
 
+	window_create_surface(window);
+	if (window->decoration)
+		window_draw_decorations(window);
+
 	window->redraw_handler(window, window->user_data);
+
+	window_flush(window);
+
 	window->redraw_scheduled = 0;
+
 }
 
 void
@@ -2256,8 +2253,6 @@ menu_redraw_handler(struct window *window, void *data)
 	struct menu *menu = data;
 	int32_t width, height, i;
 
-	window_create_surface(window);
-
 	cr = cairo_create(window->cairo_surface);
 	cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
 	cairo_set_source_rgba(cr, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
@@ -2287,7 +2282,6 @@ menu_redraw_handler(struct window *window, void *data)
 	}
 
 	cairo_destroy(cr);
-	window_flush(window);
 }
 
 struct window *
diff --git a/clients/wscreensaver.c b/clients/wscreensaver.c
index 7a0015ae..3ac73136 100644
--- a/clients/wscreensaver.c
+++ b/clients/wscreensaver.c
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ draw_instance(struct ModeInfo *mi)
 
 	mi->swap_buffers = 0;
 
-	window_draw(mi->window);
-
 	window_get_child_allocation(mi->window, &drawarea);
 	window_get_allocation(mi->window, &winarea);
 
@@ -103,7 +101,6 @@ draw_instance(struct ModeInfo *mi)
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: swapBuffers not called\n", progname);
 
 	display_release_window_surface(wscr->display, mi->window);
-	window_flush(mi->window);
 }
 
 static void