diff --git a/src/Undo.cpp b/src/Undo.cpp
index 4510e25c4b..c0cf56925e 100644
--- a/src/Undo.cpp
+++ b/src/Undo.cpp
@@ -610,6 +610,12 @@ void Undo::endUndoGroup(CursorData const & cur_after)
 }
 
 
+bool Undo::activeUndoGroup() const
+{
+	return d->group_level_ > 0 && d->undostack_.top().group_id == d->group_id_;
+}
+
+
 void Undo::recordUndo(CursorData const & cur, UndoKind kind)
 {
 	d->recordUndo(kind, cur, cur.pit(), cur.pit(), cur);
diff --git a/src/Undo.h b/src/Undo.h
index b1908a25b3..6f6cca6e90 100644
--- a/src/Undo.h
+++ b/src/Undo.h
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ public:
 	void endUndoGroup();
 	/// end the current undo group and set UndoElement::cur_after if necessary.
 	void endUndoGroup(CursorData const & cur_after);
+	/// return true if an undo group is open and contains at least one element
+	bool activeUndoGroup() const;
 
 	/// The general case: record undo information for an arbitrary range.
 	/**
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiApplication.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiApplication.cpp
index 9104b2a993..25eff65ec2 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiApplication.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiApplication.cpp
@@ -1401,15 +1401,17 @@ DispatchResult const & GuiApplication::dispatch(FuncRequest const & cmd)
 		current_view_->currentBufferView()->cursor().saveBeforeDispatchPosXY();
 		buffer = &current_view_->currentBufferView()->buffer();
 	}
-	// This handles undo groups automagically
-	UndoGroupHelper ugh(buffer);
+
+	dr.screenUpdate(Update::FitCursor);
+	{
+		// This handles undo groups automagically
+		UndoGroupHelper ugh(buffer);
+		dispatch(cmd, dr);
+	}
 
 	// redraw the screen at the end (first of the two drawing steps).
 	// This is done unless explicitly requested otherwise
-	dr.screenUpdate(Update::FitCursor);
-	dispatch(cmd, dr);
 	updateCurrentView(cmd, dr);
-
 	d->dispatch_result_ = dr;
 	return d->dispatch_result_;
 }
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index a4c08649a7..43e7b576ec 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -1248,10 +1248,12 @@ void GuiWorkArea::Private::paintPreeditText(GuiPainter & pain)
 void GuiWorkArea::paintEvent(QPaintEvent * ev)
 {
 	// Do not trigger the painting machinery if we are not ready (see
-	// bug #10989). However, since macOS has turned the screen black at
-	// this point, our backing store has to be copied to screen.
-	if (view().busy()) {
-		// this is a no-op except on macOS.
+	// bug #10989). The second test triggers when in the middle of a
+	// dispatch operation.
+	if (view().busy() || d->buffer_view_->buffer().undo().activeUndoGroup()) {
+		// Since macOS has turned the screen black at this point, our
+		// backing store has to be copied to screen (this is a no-op
+		// except on macOS).
 		d->updateScreen(ev->rect());
 		ev->accept();
 		return;