diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.C b/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.C
index 8c19e0766c..1e4dfeed13 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.C
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ int QLPainter::paperHeight() const
 QPainter & QLPainter::setQPainterPen(QPainter & qp, LColor_color c,
 	Painter::line_style ls, Painter::line_width lw)
 {
+	if (c == current_color_ && ls == current_ls_ && lw == current_lw_)
+		return qp;
+
+	current_color_ = c;
+	current_ls_ = ls;
+	current_lw_ = lw;
+
 	QPen pen = qp.pen();
 
 	pen.setColor(lcolorcache.get(c));
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.h b/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.h
index 707fb77468..a7462b6d1d 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/QLPainter.h
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ private:
 
 	/// the working area
 	QWorkArea * qwa_;
+
+	LColor::color current_color_;
+	Painter::line_style current_ls_;
+	Painter::line_width current_lw_;
 };
 
 #endif // QLPAINTER_H