diff --git a/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h b/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
index e8c45e3b0d..a158beb44b 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
+++ b/libs/canvas/canvas/item.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ public:
 	 *  @param area Area to draw, in **window** coordinates
 	 */
 	virtual void prepare_for_render (Rect const & area) const { }
+	virtual bool needs_prepare_for_render () const { return false; }
 
 	/** Adds one or more items to the vector \p items based on their
 	 * covering \p point which is in window coordinates
diff --git a/libs/canvas/item.cc b/libs/canvas/item.cc
index 2c07cf848f..f53f52ecb3 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/item.cc
+++ b/libs/canvas/item.cc
@@ -975,27 +975,27 @@ Item::prepare_for_render_children (Rect const & area) const
 	ensure_lut ();
 	std::vector<Item*> items = _lut->get (area);
 
-	for (std::vector<Item*>::const_iterator i = items.begin(); i != items.end(); ++i) {
+	for (auto const & item : items) {
 
-		if (!(*i)->visible ()) {
+		if (!item->needs_prepare_for_render()) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		Rect item_bbox = (*i)->bounding_box ();
+		if (!item->visible ()) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		Rect item_bbox = item->bounding_box ();
 
 		if (!item_bbox) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		Rect item = (*i)->item_to_window (item_bbox, false);
-		Rect d = item.intersection (area);
-
-		if (d) {
-			Rect draw = d;
-			if (draw.width() && draw.height()) {
-				(*i)->prepare_for_render (area);
-			}
+		Rect item_rect = item->item_to_window (item_bbox, false);
+		Rect draw = item_rect.intersection (area);
 
+		if (draw.width() && draw.height()) {
+			item->prepare_for_render (area);
 		} else {
 			// Item does not intersect with visible canvas area
 		}