diff --git a/src/BufferView.cpp b/src/BufferView.cpp
index d2215627cf..00de06080a 100644
--- a/src/BufferView.cpp
+++ b/src/BufferView.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 #include "frontends/Application.h"
 #include "frontends/Delegates.h"
 #include "frontends/FontMetrics.h"
+#include "frontends/NullPainter.h"
 #include "frontends/Painter.h"
 #include "frontends/Selection.h"
 
@@ -2745,6 +2746,9 @@ void BufferView::updateMetrics()
 
 	d->update_strategy_ = FullScreenUpdate;
 
+	// Now update the positions of insets in the cache.
+	updatePosCache();
+
 	if (lyxerr.debugging(Debug::WORKAREA)) {
 		LYXERR(Debug::WORKAREA, "BufferView::updateMetrics");
 		d->coord_cache_.dump();
@@ -2752,6 +2756,15 @@ void BufferView::updateMetrics()
 }
 
 
+void BufferView::updatePosCache()
+{
+	// this is the "nodraw" drawing stage: only set the positions of the
+	// insets in metrics cache.
+	frontend::NullPainter np;
+	draw(np);
+}
+
+
 void BufferView::insertLyXFile(FileName const & fname)
 {
 	LASSERT(d->cursor_.inTexted(), return);
@@ -2997,12 +3010,11 @@ void BufferView::checkCursorScrollOffset(PainterInfo & pi)
 		 * at this point.
 		 */
 		// Force the recomputation of inset positions
-		bool const drawing = pi.pain.isDrawingEnabled();
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(false);
+		frontend::NullPainter np;
+		PainterInfo(this, np);
 		// No need to care about vertical position.
 		RowPainter rp(pi, buffer().text(), row, -d->horiz_scroll_offset_, 0);
 		rp.paintText();
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(drawing);
 	}
 
 	// Current x position of the cursor in pixels
@@ -3066,12 +3078,13 @@ void BufferView::draw(frontend::Painter & pain)
 	switch (d->update_strategy_) {
 
 	case NoScreenUpdate:
-		// If no screen painting is actually needed, only some the different
-		// coordinates of insets and paragraphs needs to be updated.
+		// no screen painting is actually needed. In nodraw stage
+		// however, the different coordinates of insets and paragraphs
+		// needs to be updated.
 		LYXERR(Debug::PAINTING, "Strategy: NoScreenUpdate");
 		pi.full_repaint = true;
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(false);
-		tm.draw(pi, 0, y);
+		if (pain.isNull())
+			tm.draw(pi, 0, y);
 		break;
 
 	case SingleParUpdate:
diff --git a/src/BufferView.h b/src/BufferView.h
index 92e8987350..83b4d39e37 100644
--- a/src/BufferView.h
+++ b/src/BufferView.h
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ public:
 	/// update the internal \c ViewMetricsInfo.
 	void updateMetrics();
 
+	// this is the "nodraw" drawing stage: only set the positions of the
+	// insets in metrics cache.
+	void updatePosCache();
+
 	///
 	TextMetrics const & textMetrics(Text const * t) const;
 	TextMetrics & textMetrics(Text const * t);
@@ -303,7 +307,6 @@ public:
 	/// get the position and height of the cursor
 	void cursorPosAndHeight(Point & p, int & h) const;
 
-
 	///
 	void draw(frontend::Painter & pain);
 
diff --git a/src/RowPainter.cpp b/src/RowPainter.cpp
index 2d7e12c445..2dc76664a9 100644
--- a/src/RowPainter.cpp
+++ b/src/RowPainter.cpp
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ void RowPainter::paintText()
 			paintStringAndSel(e);
 
 			// Paint the spelling marks if enabled.
-			if (lyxrc.spellcheck_continuously && pi_.do_spellcheck && pi_.pain.isDrawingEnabled())
+			if (lyxrc.spellcheck_continuously && pi_.do_spellcheck && !pi_.pain.isNull())
 				paintMisspelledMark(e);
 			break;
 
diff --git a/src/TextMetrics.cpp b/src/TextMetrics.cpp
index f94accae67..c5784070d2 100644
--- a/src/TextMetrics.cpp
+++ b/src/TextMetrics.cpp
@@ -1802,8 +1802,8 @@ void TextMetrics::drawParagraph(PainterInfo & pi, pit_type const pit, int const
 		return;
 	size_t const nrows = pm.rows().size();
 
-	// Use fast lane when drawing is disabled.
-	if (!pi.pain.isDrawingEnabled()) {
+	// Use fast lane in nodraw stage.
+	if (pi.pain.isNull()) {
 		for (size_t i = 0; i != nrows; ++i) {
 
 			Row const & row = pm.rows()[i];
@@ -1855,17 +1855,11 @@ void TextMetrics::drawParagraph(PainterInfo & pi, pit_type const pit, int const
 		if (i)
 			y += row.ascent();
 
-		RowPainter rp(pi, *text_, row, row_x, y);
-
 		// It is not needed to draw on screen if we are not inside.
 		bool const inside = (y + row.descent() >= 0
 			&& y - row.ascent() < ww);
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(inside);
 		if (!inside) {
-			// Paint only the insets to set inset cache correctly
-			// FIXME: remove paintOnlyInsets when we know that positions
-			// have already been set.
-			rp.paintOnlyInsets();
+			// Inset positions have already been set in nodraw stage.
 			y += row.descent();
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -1894,6 +1888,8 @@ void TextMetrics::drawParagraph(PainterInfo & pi, pit_type const pit, int const
 			text_->getPar(pit).spellCheck();
 		}
 
+		RowPainter rp(pi, *text_, row, row_x, y);
+
 		// Don't paint the row if a full repaint has not been requested
 		// and if it has not changed.
 		if (!pi.full_repaint && !row_has_changed) {
@@ -1924,7 +1920,7 @@ void TextMetrics::drawParagraph(PainterInfo & pi, pit_type const pit, int const
 				<< " row_selection="	<< row.selection()
 				<< " full_repaint="	<< pi.full_repaint
 				<< " row_has_changed="	<< row_has_changed
-				<< " drawingEnabled=" << pi.pain.isDrawingEnabled());
+				<< " null painter=" << pi.pain.isNull());
 		}
 
 		// Backup full_repaint status and force full repaint
@@ -1952,8 +1948,6 @@ void TextMetrics::drawParagraph(PainterInfo & pi, pit_type const pit, int const
 		// Restore full_repaint status.
 		pi.full_repaint = tmp;
 	}
-	// Re-enable screen drawing for future use of the painter.
-	pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(true);
 
 	//LYXERR(Debug::PAINTING, ".");
 }
diff --git a/src/frontends/Makefile.am b/src/frontends/Makefile.am
index 862613a67f..22b7508a7a 100644
--- a/src/frontends/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/frontends/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ liblyxfrontends_a_SOURCES = \
 	Delegates.h \
 	KeyModifier.h \
 	KeySymbol.h \
+	NullPainter.h \
 	Painter.h \
 	Clipboard.h \
 	Selection.h \
diff --git a/src/frontends/NullPainter.h b/src/frontends/NullPainter.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..19ac8b66a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontends/NullPainter.h
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+// -*- C++ -*-
+/**
+ * \file NullPainter.h
+ * This file is part of LyX, the document processor.
+ * Licence details can be found in the file COPYING.
+ *
+ * \author unknown
+ * \author John Levon
+ * \author Jean-Marc Lasgouttes
+ *
+ * Full author contact details are available in file CREDITS.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NULLPAINTER_H
+#define NULLPAINTER_H
+
+#include "Painter.h"
+
+namespace lyx {
+
+namespace frontend {
+
+/**
+ * NullPainter - A painter instance that does nothing
+ */
+class NullPainter : public Painter {
+public:
+	NullPainter() : Painter(1) {}
+
+	~NullPainter() {}
+
+	/// draw a line from point to point
+	void line(int, int, int, int, Color,
+		line_style = line_solid, int = thin_line) {}
+
+	///
+	void lines(int const *, int const *, int, Color,
+		fill_style = fill_none, line_style = line_solid,
+		int = thin_line) {}
+
+	///
+	void path(int const *, int const *, int const *, int const *,
+		int const *, int const *, int, Color,
+		fill_style = fill_none, line_style = line_solid, int = thin_line) {}
+
+	/// draw a rectangle
+	void rectangle(int, int, int, int, Color,
+		line_style = line_solid, int = thin_line) {}
+
+	/// draw a filled rectangle
+	void fillRectangle(int, int, int, int, Color) {}
+
+	/// draw an arc
+	void arc(int, int, unsigned int, unsigned int, int, int, Color) {}
+
+	/// draw a pixel
+	void point(int, int, Color) {}
+
+	/// draw an image from the image cache
+	void image(int, int, int, int, graphics::Image const &) {}
+
+	/// draw a string
+	void text(int, int, docstring const &, FontInfo const &) {}
+
+	/// draw a char
+	void text(int, int, char_type, FontInfo const &) {}
+
+	/// draw a string
+	void text(int, int, docstring const &, Font const &, double, double) {}
+
+	///
+	void text(int, int, docstring const &, Font const &,
+	          Color, size_type, size_type, double, double) {}
+
+	/// This painter does not paint
+	bool isNull() const { return true; }
+
+ 	/// draw the underbar, strikeout, xout, uuline and uwave font attributes
+	void textDecoration(FontInfo const &, int, int, int) {}
+
+	/**
+	 * Draw a string and enclose it inside a rectangle. If
+	 * back color is specified, the background is cleared with
+	 * the given color. If frame is specified, a thin frame is drawn
+	 * around the text with the given color.
+	 */
+	void rectText(int, int, docstring const &,
+	              FontInfo const &, Color, Color) {}
+
+	/// draw a string and enclose it inside a button frame
+	void buttonText(int, int, docstring const &,
+	                FontInfo const &, Color, Color, int) {}
+
+	/// draw a character of a preedit string for cjk support.
+	int preeditText(int, int, char_type, FontInfo const &,
+	                preedit_style) { return 0; }
+
+	/// start monochrome painting mode, i.e. map every color into [min,max]
+	void enterMonochromeMode(Color const &, Color const &) {}
+	/// leave monochrome painting mode
+	void leaveMonochromeMode() {}
+	/// draws a wavy line that can be used for underlining.
+	void wavyHorizontalLine(int, int, int, ColorCode) {}
+};
+
+} // namespace frontend
+} // namespace lyx
+
+#endif // NULLPAINTER_H
diff --git a/src/frontends/Painter.h b/src/frontends/Painter.h
index d03ebf40e8..79c907d23f 100644
--- a/src/frontends/Painter.h
+++ b/src/frontends/Painter.h
@@ -147,11 +147,8 @@ public:
 	                  Color other, size_type from, size_type to,
                       double wordspacing, double textwidth) = 0;
 
-	void setDrawingEnabled(bool drawing_enabled)
-	{ drawing_enabled_ = drawing_enabled; }
-
-	/// Indicate wether real screen drawing shall be done or not.
-	bool isDrawingEnabled() const { return drawing_enabled_; }
+	// Returns true if the painter does not actually paint.
+	virtual bool isNull() const = 0;
 
 	double pixelRatio() const { return pixel_ratio_; }
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.cpp
index a3cb089e78..56e9cc4aec 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.cpp
@@ -171,9 +171,6 @@ void GuiPainter::leaveMonochromeMode()
 
 void GuiPainter::point(int x, int y, Color col)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	setQPainterPen(computeColor(col));
 	drawPoint(x, y);
 }
@@ -184,9 +181,6 @@ void GuiPainter::line(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2,
 	line_style ls,
 	int lw)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	setQPainterPen(computeColor(col), ls, lw);
 	bool const do_antialiasing = renderHints() & TextAntialiasing
 		&& x1 != x2 && y1 != y2 && ls != line_solid_aliased;
@@ -202,9 +196,6 @@ void GuiPainter::lines(int const * xp, int const * yp, int np,
 	line_style ls,
 	int lw)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	// double the size if needed
 	// FIXME THREAD
 	static QVector<QPoint> points(32);
@@ -247,9 +238,6 @@ void GuiPainter::path(int const * xp, int const * yp,
 	line_style ls,
 	int lw)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	QPainterPath bpath;
 	// This is the starting point, so its control points are meaningless
 	bpath.moveTo(xp[0], yp[0]);
@@ -278,9 +266,6 @@ void GuiPainter::rectangle(int x, int y, int w, int h,
 	line_style ls,
 	int lw)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	setQPainterPen(computeColor(col), ls, lw);
 	drawRect(x, y, w, h);
 }
@@ -288,9 +273,6 @@ void GuiPainter::rectangle(int x, int y, int w, int h,
 
 void GuiPainter::fillRectangle(int x, int y, int w, int h, Color col)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	fillRect(x, y, w, h, guiApp->colorCache().get(col));
 }
 
@@ -298,9 +280,6 @@ void GuiPainter::fillRectangle(int x, int y, int w, int h, Color col)
 void GuiPainter::arc(int x, int y, unsigned int w, unsigned int h,
 	int a1, int a2, Color col)
 {
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	// LyX usings 1/64ths degree, Qt usings 1/16th
 	setQPainterPen(computeColor(col));
 	bool const do_antialiasing = renderHints() & TextAntialiasing;
@@ -317,9 +296,6 @@ void GuiPainter::image(int x, int y, int w, int h, graphics::Image const & i)
 
 	fillRectangle(x, y, w, h, Color_graphicsbg);
 
-	if (!isDrawingEnabled())
-		return;
-
 	QImage const image = qlimage.image();
 	QRectF const drect = QRectF(x, y, w, h);
 	QRectF const srect = QRectF(0, 0, image.width(), image.height());
@@ -391,7 +367,7 @@ void GuiPainter::text(int x, int y, docstring const & s,
                       double const wordspacing, double const tw)
 {
 	//LYXERR0("text: x=" << x << ", s=" << s);
-	if (s.empty() || !isDrawingEnabled())
+	if (s.empty())
 		return;
 
 	/* Caution: The following ucs4 to QString conversions work for symbol fonts
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.h
index 9657ed9770..7513965ea6 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiPainter.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ public:
 	GuiPainter(QPaintDevice *, double pixel_ratio);
 	virtual ~GuiPainter();
 
+	/// This painter paints
+	virtual bool isNull() const { return false; }
+
 	/// draw a line from point to point
 	virtual void line(
 		int x1, int y1,
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index fe7082da64..1218061741 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 
 #include "ColorCache.h"
 #include "FontLoader.h"
+#include "GuiApplication.h"
+#include "GuiCompleter.h"
+#include "GuiKeySymbol.h"
+#include "GuiPainter.h"
+#include "GuiView.h"
 #include "Menus.h"
 
 #include "Buffer.h"
@@ -26,11 +31,6 @@
 #include "Cursor.h"
 #include "Font.h"
 #include "FuncRequest.h"
-#include "GuiApplication.h"
-#include "GuiCompleter.h"
-#include "GuiKeySymbol.h"
-#include "GuiPainter.h"
-#include "GuiView.h"
 #include "KeySymbol.h"
 #include "Language.h"
 #include "LyX.h"
@@ -1271,9 +1271,8 @@ void GuiWorkArea::inputMethodEvent(QInputMethodEvent * e)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	GuiPainter pain(d->screen_, pixelRatio());
 	d->buffer_view_->updateMetrics();
-	d->buffer_view_->draw(pain);
+	d->updateScreen();
 	// FIXME: shall we use real_current_font here? (see #10478)
 	FontInfo font = d->buffer_view_->cursor().getFont().fontInfo();
 	FontMetrics const & fm = theFontMetrics(font);
@@ -1365,6 +1364,7 @@ void GuiWorkArea::inputMethodEvent(QInputMethodEvent * e)
 			ps = Painter::preedit_cursor;
 
 		// draw one character and update cur_x.
+		GuiPainter pain(d->screen_, pixelRatio());
 		cur_x += pain.preeditText(cur_x, cur_y, typed_char, font, ps);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathMacroTemplate.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathMacroTemplate.cpp
index 17fc2d04a2..a2fc064c00 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathMacroTemplate.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathMacroTemplate.cpp
@@ -231,25 +231,17 @@ void InsetDisplayLabelBox::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 {
 	InsetLabelBox::metrics(mi, dim);
 	if (!parent_.editing(mi.base.bv)
-	    && parent_.cell(parent_.displayIdx()).empty()) {
-		dim.wid = 0;
-		dim.asc = 0;
-		dim.des = 0;
-	}
+	    && parent_.cell(parent_.displayIdx()).empty())
+		dim.clear();
 }
 
 
 void InsetDisplayLabelBox::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 {
 	if (parent_.editing(pi.base.bv)
-	    || !parent_.cell(parent_.displayIdx()).empty()) {
-		InsetLabelBox::draw(pi, x, y);
-	} else {
-		bool enabled = pi.pain.isDrawingEnabled();
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(false);
-		InsetLabelBox::draw(pi, x, y);
-		pi.pain.setDrawingEnabled(enabled);
-	}
+	    || !parent_.cell(parent_.displayIdx()).empty()
+		|| pi.pain.isNull())
+	    InsetLabelBox::draw(pi, x, y);
 }