diff --git a/gtk/Makefile.am b/gtk/Makefile.am
index ad3f711020..87c920f981 100644
--- a/gtk/Makefile.am
+++ b/gtk/Makefile.am
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ gtk_private_h_sources =		\
 	gtkprintoperation-private.h \
 	gtkprintutils.h		\
 	gtkprivate.h		\
+	gtkpixelcacheprivate.h	\
 	gtkquery.h		\
 	gtkrbtree.h		\
 	gtkrecentchooserdefault.h \
@@ -796,6 +797,7 @@ gtk_base_c_sources = 		\
 	gtkprivate.c		\
 	gtkprivatetypebuiltins.c \
 	gtkprogressbar.c	\
+	gtkpixelcache.c		\
 	gtkradioaction.c	\
 	gtkradiobutton.c	\
 	gtkradiomenuitem.c	\
diff --git a/gtk/gtkpixelcache.c b/gtk/gtkpixelcache.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a8630819c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gtk/gtkpixelcache.c
@@ -0,0 +1,341 @@
+/* GTK - The GIMP Toolkit
+ * Copyright (C) 2013 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "gtkpixelcacheprivate.h"
+
+/* The extra size of the offscreen surface we allocate
+   to make scrolling more efficient */
+#define EXTRA_SIZE 64
+
+/* When resizing viewport to smaller we allow this extra
+   size to avoid constantly reallocating when resizing */
+#define ALLOW_LARGER_SIZE 32
+
+struct _GtkPixelCache {
+  cairo_surface_t *surface;
+
+  /* Valid if surface != NULL */
+  int surface_x;
+  int surface_y;
+  int surface_w;
+  int surface_h;
+
+  /* may be null if not dirty */
+  cairo_region_t *surface_dirty;
+};
+
+GtkPixelCache *
+_gtk_pixel_cache_new ()
+{
+  GtkPixelCache *cache;
+
+  cache = g_new0 (GtkPixelCache, 1);
+
+  return cache;
+}
+
+void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_free (GtkPixelCache *cache)
+{
+  if (cache == NULL)
+    return;
+
+  if (cache->surface != NULL)
+    cairo_surface_destroy (cache->surface);
+
+  if (cache->surface_dirty != NULL)
+    cairo_region_destroy (cache->surface_dirty);
+
+  g_free (cache);
+}
+
+/* Region is in canvas coordinates */
+void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_invalidate (GtkPixelCache *cache,
+			     cairo_region_t *region)
+{
+  cairo_rectangle_int_t r;
+  cairo_region_t *free_region = NULL;
+
+  if (cache->surface == NULL ||
+      (region != NULL && cairo_region_is_empty (region)))
+    return;
+
+  if (region == NULL)
+    {
+      r.x = cache->surface_x;
+      r.y = cache->surface_y;
+      r.width = cache->surface_w;
+      r.height = cache->surface_h;
+
+      free_region = region =
+	cairo_region_create_rectangle (&r);
+    }
+
+  if (cache->surface_dirty == NULL)
+    {
+      cache->surface_dirty = cairo_region_copy (region);
+      cairo_region_translate (cache->surface_dirty,
+			      -cache->surface_x,
+			      -cache->surface_y);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      cairo_region_translate (region,
+			      -cache->surface_x,
+			      -cache->surface_y);
+      cairo_region_union (cache->surface_dirty, region);
+      cairo_region_translate (region,
+			      cache->surface_x,
+			      cache->surface_y);
+    }
+
+  if (free_region)
+    cairo_region_destroy (free_region);
+
+  r.x = 0;
+  r.y = 0;
+  r.width = cache->surface_w;
+  r.height = cache->surface_h;
+
+  cairo_region_intersect_rectangle (cache->surface_dirty, &r);
+}
+
+static void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_create_surface_if_needed (GtkPixelCache         *cache,
+					   GdkWindow             *window,
+					   cairo_rectangle_int_t *view_rect,
+					   cairo_rectangle_int_t *canvas_rect)
+{
+  cairo_rectangle_int_t rect;
+  int surface_w, surface_h;
+  cairo_content_t content;
+  cairo_pattern_t *bg;
+  double red, green, blue, alpha;
+
+  content = CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA;
+  bg = gdk_window_get_background_pattern (window);
+  if (bg != NULL &&
+      cairo_pattern_get_type (bg) == CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_SOLID &&
+      cairo_pattern_get_rgba (bg, &red, &green, &blue, &alpha) == CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS &&
+      alpha == 1.0)
+    content = CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR;
+
+  surface_w = view_rect->width;
+  if (canvas_rect->width > surface_w)
+    surface_w = MIN (surface_w + EXTRA_SIZE, canvas_rect->width);
+
+  surface_h = view_rect->height;
+  if (canvas_rect->height > surface_h)
+    surface_h = MIN (surface_h + EXTRA_SIZE, canvas_rect->height);
+
+  /* If current surface can't fit view_rect or is too large, kill it */
+  if (cache->surface != NULL &&
+      (cairo_surface_get_content (cache->surface) != content ||
+       cache->surface_w < view_rect->width ||
+       cache->surface_w > surface_w + ALLOW_LARGER_SIZE ||
+       cache->surface_h < view_rect->height ||
+       cache->surface_h > surface_h + ALLOW_LARGER_SIZE))
+    {
+      cairo_surface_destroy (cache->surface);
+      cache->surface = NULL;
+      if (cache->surface_dirty)
+	cairo_region_destroy (cache->surface_dirty);
+      cache->surface_dirty = NULL;
+    }
+
+  /* Don't allocate a surface if view >= canvas, as we won't
+     be scrolling then anyway */
+  if (cache->surface == NULL &&
+      (view_rect->width < canvas_rect->width ||
+       view_rect->height < canvas_rect->height))
+    {
+      cache->surface_x = -canvas_rect->x;
+      cache->surface_y = -canvas_rect->y;
+      cache->surface_w = surface_w;
+      cache->surface_h = surface_h;
+
+      cache->surface =
+	gdk_window_create_similar_surface (window, content,
+					   surface_w, surface_h);
+      rect.x = 0;
+      rect.y = 0;
+      rect.width = surface_w;
+      rect.height = surface_h;
+      cache->surface_dirty =
+	cairo_region_create_rectangle (&rect);
+    }
+}
+
+void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_set_position (GtkPixelCache         *cache,
+			       cairo_rectangle_int_t *view_rect,
+			       cairo_rectangle_int_t *canvas_rect)
+{
+  cairo_rectangle_int_t r, view_pos;
+  cairo_region_t *copy_region;
+  int new_surf_x, new_surf_y;
+  cairo_t *backing_cr;
+
+  if (cache->surface == NULL)
+    return;
+
+  /* Position of view inside canvas */
+  view_pos.x = -canvas_rect->x;
+  view_pos.y = -canvas_rect->y;
+  view_pos.width = view_rect->width;
+  view_pos.height = view_rect->height;
+
+  /* Reposition so all is visible */
+  if (view_pos.x < cache->surface_x ||
+      view_pos.x + view_pos.width >
+      cache->surface_x + cache->surface_w ||
+      view_pos.y < cache->surface_y ||
+      view_pos.y + view_pos.height >
+      cache->surface_y + cache->surface_h)
+    {
+      new_surf_x = cache->surface_x;
+      if (view_pos.x < cache->surface_x)
+	new_surf_x = MAX (view_pos.x + view_pos.width - cache->surface_w, 0);
+      else if (view_pos.x + view_pos.width >
+	       cache->surface_x + cache->surface_w)
+	new_surf_x = MIN (view_pos.x, canvas_rect->width - cache->surface_w);
+
+      new_surf_y = cache->surface_y;
+      if (view_pos.y < cache->surface_y)
+	new_surf_y = MAX (view_pos.y + view_pos.height - cache->surface_h, 0);
+      else if (view_pos.y + view_pos.height >
+	       cache->surface_y + cache->surface_h)
+	new_surf_y = MIN (view_pos.y, canvas_rect->height - cache->surface_h);
+
+      r.x = 0;
+      r.y = 0;
+      r.width = cache->surface_w;
+      r.height = cache->surface_h;
+      copy_region = cairo_region_create_rectangle (&r);
+
+      if (cache->surface_dirty)
+	{
+	  cairo_region_subtract (copy_region, cache->surface_dirty);
+	  cairo_region_destroy (cache->surface_dirty);
+	  cache->surface_dirty = NULL;
+	}
+
+      cairo_region_translate (copy_region,
+			      cache->surface_x - new_surf_x,
+			      cache->surface_y - new_surf_y);
+      cairo_region_intersect_rectangle (copy_region, &r);
+
+      backing_cr = cairo_create (cache->surface);
+      gdk_cairo_region (backing_cr, copy_region);
+      cairo_set_operator (backing_cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
+      cairo_clip (backing_cr);
+      cairo_push_group (backing_cr);
+      cairo_set_source_surface (backing_cr, cache->surface,
+				cache->surface_x - new_surf_x,
+				cache->surface_y - new_surf_y);
+      cairo_paint (backing_cr);
+      cairo_pop_group_to_source (backing_cr);
+      cairo_paint (backing_cr);
+      cairo_destroy (backing_cr);
+
+      cache->surface_x = new_surf_x;
+      cache->surface_y = new_surf_y;
+
+      cairo_region_xor_rectangle (copy_region, &r);
+      cache->surface_dirty = copy_region;
+    }
+}
+
+void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_repaint (GtkPixelCache *cache,
+			  GtkPixelCacheDrawFunc draw,
+			  cairo_rectangle_int_t *view_rect,
+			  cairo_rectangle_int_t *canvas_rect,
+			  gpointer user_data)
+{
+  cairo_t *backing_cr;
+
+  if (cache->surface &&
+      cache->surface_dirty &&
+      !cairo_region_is_empty (cache->surface_dirty))
+    {
+      backing_cr = cairo_create (cache->surface);
+      gdk_cairo_region (backing_cr, cache->surface_dirty);
+      cairo_clip (backing_cr);
+      cairo_translate (backing_cr,
+		       -cache->surface_x - canvas_rect->x - view_rect->x,
+		       -cache->surface_y - canvas_rect->y - view_rect->y);
+      cairo_set_source_rgba (backing_cr,
+			     0.0, 0, 0, 0.0);
+      cairo_set_operator (backing_cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
+      cairo_paint (backing_cr);
+
+      cairo_set_operator (backing_cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER);
+
+      draw (backing_cr, user_data);
+
+      cairo_destroy (backing_cr);
+    }
+
+  if (cache->surface_dirty)
+    {
+      cairo_region_destroy (cache->surface_dirty);
+      cache->surface_dirty = NULL;
+    }
+}
+
+void
+_gtk_pixel_cache_draw (GtkPixelCache *cache,
+		       cairo_t *cr,
+		       GdkWindow *window,
+		       /* View position in widget coords */
+		       cairo_rectangle_int_t *view_rect,
+		       /* Size and position of canvas in view coords */
+		       cairo_rectangle_int_t *canvas_rect,
+		       GtkPixelCacheDrawFunc draw,
+		       gpointer user_data)
+{
+  _gtk_pixel_cache_create_surface_if_needed (cache, window,
+					     view_rect, canvas_rect);
+  _gtk_pixel_cache_set_position (cache, view_rect, canvas_rect);
+  _gtk_pixel_cache_repaint (cache, draw, view_rect, canvas_rect, user_data);
+
+  if (cache->surface &&
+      /* Don't use backing surface if rendering elsewhere */
+      cairo_surface_get_type (cache->surface) == cairo_surface_get_type (cairo_get_target (cr)))
+    {
+      cairo_save (cr);
+      cairo_set_source_surface (cr, cache->surface,
+				cache->surface_x + view_rect->x + canvas_rect->x,
+				cache->surface_y + view_rect->y + canvas_rect->y);
+      cairo_rectangle (cr, view_rect->x, view_rect->y,
+		       view_rect->width, view_rect->height);
+      cairo_fill (cr);
+      cairo_restore (cr);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      cairo_rectangle (cr,
+		       view_rect->x, view_rect->y,
+		       view_rect->width, view_rect->height);
+      cairo_clip (cr);
+      draw (cr, user_data);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/gtk/gtkpixelcacheprivate.h b/gtk/gtkpixelcacheprivate.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b916d0b9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gtk/gtkpixelcacheprivate.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2013 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Authors: Alexander Larsson <alexl@gnome.org>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __GTK_PIXEL_CACHE_PRIVATE_H__
+#define __GTK_PIXEL_CACHE_PRIVATE_H__
+
+#include <glib-object.h>
+#include <gtkwidget.h>
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+typedef struct _GtkPixelCache           GtkPixelCache;
+
+typedef void (*GtkPixelCacheDrawFunc) (cairo_t *cr,
+				       gpointer user_data);
+
+GtkPixelCache *_gtk_pixel_cache_new        (void);
+void           _gtk_pixel_cache_free       (GtkPixelCache         *cache);
+void           _gtk_pixel_cache_invalidate (GtkPixelCache         *cache,
+					    cairo_region_t        *region);
+void           _gtk_pixel_cache_draw       (GtkPixelCache         *cache,
+					    cairo_t               *cr,
+					    GdkWindow             *window,
+					    cairo_rectangle_int_t *view_rect,
+					    cairo_rectangle_int_t *canvas_rect,
+					    GtkPixelCacheDrawFunc  draw,
+					    gpointer               user_data);
+
+
+G_END_DECLS
+
+#endif /* __GTK_PIXEL_CACHE_PRIVATE_H__ */