diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
index 2e05d7b12..3c9293a82 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
@@ -3283,6 +3283,7 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         self: *Self,
     ) callconv(.c) void {
         self.updateMapped(true);
+        self.updateOcclusion(true);
     }
 
     fn glareaUnmap(
@@ -3290,6 +3291,7 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         self: *Self,
     ) callconv(.c) void {
         self.updateMapped(false);
+        self.updateOcclusion(false);
     }
 
     fn updateMapped(self: *Self, mapped: bool) void {
@@ -3298,6 +3300,13 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.mapped.impl.param_spec);
     }
 
+    fn updateOcclusion(self: *Self, visible: bool) void {
+        const surface = self.core() orelse return;
+        surface.occlusionCallback(visible) catch |err| {
+            log.warn("error in occlusion callback err={}", .{err});
+        };
+    }
+
     fn glareaRender(
         _: *gtk.GLArea,
         _: *gdk.GLContext,
diff --git a/src/renderer/Thread.zig b/src/renderer/Thread.zig
index 508721379..488642199 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Thread.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/Thread.zig
@@ -360,10 +360,16 @@ fn drainMailbox(self: *Thread) !void {
                 // Visibility affects our QoS class
                 self.setQosClass();
 
-                // If we became visible then we immediately trigger a draw.
-                // We don't need to update frame data because that should
-                // still be happening.
-                if (v) self.drawFrame(false);
+                // If we became visible then we immediately rebuild cells
+                // (renderCallback skips updateFrame while invisible) and draw.
+                if (v) {
+                    self.renderer.updateFrame(
+                        self.state,
+                        self.flags.cursor_blink_visible,
+                    ) catch |err|
+                        log.warn("error rendering on visibility regain err={}", .{err});
+                    self.drawFrame(false);
+                }
 
                 // Notify the renderer so it can update any state.
                 self.renderer.setVisible(v);
@@ -606,6 +612,10 @@ fn renderCallback(
         return .disarm;
     };
 
+    // If we're not visible there's no point spending CPU rebuilding cells —
+    // we'll catch up when the .visible mailbox message flips us back on.
+    if (!t.flags.visible) return .disarm;
+
     // Update our frame data
     t.renderer.updateFrame(
         t.state,