diff --git a/src/LyXRC.cpp b/src/LyXRC.cpp
index 62673f4a69..13164373f6 100644
--- a/src/LyXRC.cpp
+++ b/src/LyXRC.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ LexerKeyword lyxrcTags[] = {
 	{ "\\dialogs_iconify_with_main", LyXRC::RC_DIALOGS_ICONIFY_WITH_MAIN },
 	{ "\\display_graphics", LyXRC::RC_DISPLAY_GRAPHICS },
 	{ "\\document_path", LyXRC::RC_DOCUMENTPATH },
+	{ "\\draw_strategy", LyXRC::RC_DRAW_STRATEGY },
 	{ "\\editor_alternatives", LyXRC::RC_EDITOR_ALTERNATIVES },
 	{ "\\escape_chars", LyXRC::RC_ESC_CHARS },
 	{ "\\example_path", LyXRC::RC_EXAMPLEPATH },
@@ -1134,6 +1135,19 @@ LyXRC::ReturnValues LyXRC::read(Lexer & lexrc, bool check_format)
 			}
 			break;
 
+		case RC_DRAW_STRATEGY:
+			if (lexrc.next()) {
+				string const tmp = lexrc.getString();
+				if (tmp == "partial")
+					draw_strategy = DS_PARTIAL;
+				else if (tmp == "backingstore")
+					draw_strategy = DS_BACKINGSTORE;
+				else {
+					draw_strategy = DS_PARTIAL;
+					LYXERR0("Unrecognized draw strategy " << tmp <<'"');
+				}
+			}
+			break;
 
 		case RC_LAST:
 			break; // this is just a dummy
@@ -2021,10 +2035,28 @@ void LyXRC::write(ostream & os, bool ignore_system_lyxrc, string const & name) c
 		}
 		if (tag != RC_LAST)
 			break;
+		// fall through
+	case RC_DRAW_STRATEGY:
+		if (ignore_system_lyxrc ||
+			draw_strategy != system_lyxrc.draw_strategy) {
+			string status;
+			switch (draw_strategy) {
+			case DS_PARTIAL:
+				status = "partial";
+				break;
+			case DS_BACKINGSTORE:
+				status = "backingstore";
+				break;
+			}
+			os << "\\draw_strategy " << status << '\n';
+		}
+		if (tag != RC_LAST)
+			break;
+		// fall through
 
 	os << "\n#\n"
-			<< "# COLOR SECTION ###################################\n"
-			<< "#\n\n";
+		<< "# COLOR SECTION ###################################\n"
+		<< "#\n\n";
 
 	// fall through
 	case RC_SET_COLOR:
@@ -2910,6 +2942,7 @@ void actOnUpdatedPrefs(LyXRC const & lyxrc_orig, LyXRC const & lyxrc_new)
 				package().document_dir() = FileName(lyxrc.document_path);
 		}
 		// fall through
+	case LyXRC::RC_DRAW_STRATEGY:
 	case LyXRC::RC_EDITOR_ALTERNATIVES:
 	case LyXRC::RC_ESC_CHARS:
 	case LyXRC::RC_EXAMPLEPATH:
diff --git a/src/LyXRC.h b/src/LyXRC.h
index 74c0e4cfe1..6e82a6def9 100644
--- a/src/LyXRC.h
+++ b/src/LyXRC.h
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ public:
 		RC_VIEWER_ALTERNATIVES,
 		RC_VISUAL_CURSOR,
 		RC_CLOSE_BUFFER_WITH_LAST_VIEW,
+		RC_DRAW_STRATEGY,
 		RC_LAST
 	};
 
@@ -573,6 +574,17 @@ public:
 
 	///
 	BookmarksVisibility bookmarks_visibility = BMK_NONE;
+
+	enum DrawStrategy {
+		// draw all (not implemented yet)
+		// FS_FULL,
+		// draw only what has changed
+		DS_PARTIAL,
+		// draw in backing store (only what has changed)
+		DS_BACKINGSTORE
+	};
+	///
+	DrawStrategy draw_strategy = DS_PARTIAL;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.cpp b/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.cpp
index 9e6f18a333..5cd8f290d4 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.cpp
@@ -2710,6 +2710,18 @@ Menus & GuiApplication::menus()
 }
 
 
+bool GuiApplication::needsBackingStore() const
+{
+	/* Qt on macOS and Wayland does not respect the
+	 * Qt::WA_OpaquePaintEvent attribute and resets the widget backing
+	 * store at each update. Therefore, we use our own backing store
+	 * in these two cases. It is also possible to force the use of the
+	 * backing store for cases like x11 with transparent WM themes.
+	 */
+	return platformName() == "cocoa" || platformName().contains("wayland");
+}
+
+
 QList<int> GuiApplication::viewIds() const
 {
 	return d->views_.keys();
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.h b/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.h
index 8afdd7f564..f0c3e1ea75 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt/GuiApplication.h
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ public:
 	///
 	Menus & menus();
 
+	/// \returns true if painting the workarea requires a backing store.
+	bool needsBackingStore() const;
+
 	/// \name Methods inherited from QApplication class
 	//@{
 	bool notify(QObject * receiver, QEvent * event) override;
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index 1d6cd07b8e..e70563bc5a 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -132,13 +132,10 @@ SyntheticMouseEvent::SyntheticMouseEvent()
 GuiWorkArea::Private::Private(GuiWorkArea * parent)
 	: p(parent), completer_(new GuiCompleter(p, p))
 {
-	/* Qt on macOS and Wayland does not respect the
-	 * Qt::WA_OpaquePaintEvent attribute and resets the widget backing
-	 * store at each update. Therefore, we use our own backing store
-	 * in these two cases.
-	 */
-	use_backingstore_ = guiApp->platformName() == "cocoa"
-		|| guiApp->platformName().contains("wayland");
+	use_backingstore_ = lyxrc.draw_strategy == LyXRC::DS_BACKINGSTORE
+		|| guiApp->needsBackingStore();
+	LYXERR(Debug::WORKAREA, "Drawing strategy is: "
+	                        << (use_backingstore_ ? "backingstore" : "partial"));
 
 	int const time = QApplication::cursorFlashTime() / 2;
 	if (time > 0) {