diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
index ee8e903f38..d83d364f48 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
@@ -889,3 +889,10 @@ _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface)
   GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData *data = cairo_surface_get_user_data (surface, &gdk_wayland_cairo_key);
   return data->busy;
 }
+
+void
+_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_clear (cairo_surface_t *surface)
+{
+  GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData *data = cairo_surface_get_user_data (surface, &gdk_wayland_cairo_key);
+  memset (data->buf, 0, data->buf_length);
+}
diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h b/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
index d6d2375429..a3146ead96 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
@@ -185,5 +185,6 @@ cairo_surface_t * _gdk_wayland_display_create_shm_surface (GdkWaylandDisplay *di
 struct wl_buffer *_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_wl_buffer (cairo_surface_t *surface);
 void _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_set_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface);
 gboolean _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface);
+void _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_clear (cairo_surface_t *surface);
 
 #endif /* __GDK_PRIVATE_WAYLAND_H__ */
diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
index 745deb9f67..461d1ce9d7 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
@@ -568,7 +568,23 @@ gdk_window_impl_wayland_begin_paint_region (GdkWindow            *window,
 {
   GdkWindowImplWayland *impl = GDK_WINDOW_IMPL_WAYLAND (window->impl);
   gdk_wayland_window_ensure_cairo_surface (window);
-  return _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (impl->cairo_surface);
+
+  if (_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (impl->cairo_surface))
+    {
+      /* The surface is busy, so create a temporary surface which we paint
+       * to and hope that by the time we're done painting the surface isn't
+       * busy any more. */
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      /* Returning FALSE from begin_paint_region says to use the native
+       * backing surface, which is our SHM surface. We need to make sure
+       * to clear it before the code tries to paint to it to prevent
+       * artifacts from the last paint. */
+      _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_clear (impl->cairo_surface);
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 }
 
 static void