diff --git a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucache.c b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucache.c
index 590b464192..724b9ecf57 100644
--- a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucache.c
+++ b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucache.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ struct _GskGpuCache
 
   GskGpuCachedAtlas *current_atlas;
 
+  /* atomic */ gsize dead_textures;
   /* atomic */ gsize dead_texture_pixels;
 };
 
@@ -372,6 +373,7 @@ struct _GskGpuCachedTexture
                                * weak ref.
                                */
 
+  gsize *dead_textures_counter;
   gsize *dead_pixels_counter;
 
   GdkTexture *texture;
@@ -470,7 +472,10 @@ gsk_gpu_cached_texture_destroy_cb (gpointer data)
   GskGpuCachedTexture *self = data;
 
   if (!gsk_gpu_cached_texture_is_invalid (self))
-    g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_pixels_counter, ((GskGpuCached *) self)->pixels);
+    {
+      g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_textures_counter, 1);
+      g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_pixels_counter, ((GskGpuCached *) self)->pixels);
+    }
 
   if (g_atomic_int_dec_and_test (&self->use_count))
     g_free (self);
@@ -508,6 +513,7 @@ gsk_gpu_cached_texture_new (GskGpuCache   *cache,
   self->image = g_object_ref (image);
   self->color_state = color_state;
   ((GskGpuCached *)self)->pixels = gsk_gpu_image_get_width (image) * gsk_gpu_image_get_height (image);
+  self->dead_textures_counter = &cache->dead_textures;
   self->dead_pixels_counter = &cache->dead_texture_pixels;
   self->use_count = 2;
 
@@ -537,6 +543,7 @@ struct _GskGpuCachedTile
                                * list) and by the texture (via weak ref)
                                */
 
+  gsize *dead_textures_counter;
   gsize *dead_pixels_counter;
 
   GskGpuImage *image;
@@ -609,7 +616,10 @@ gsk_gpu_cached_tile_destroy_cb (gpointer data)
   GskGpuCachedTile *self = data;
 
   if (!gsk_gpu_cached_tile_is_invalid (self))
-    g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_pixels_counter, ((GskGpuCached *) self)->pixels);
+    {
+      g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_textures_counter, 1);
+      g_atomic_pointer_add (self->dead_pixels_counter, ((GskGpuCached *) self)->pixels);
+    }
 
   if (g_atomic_int_dec_and_test (&self->use_count))
     g_free (self);
@@ -649,6 +659,7 @@ gsk_gpu_cached_tile_new (GskGpuCache   *cache,
   self->image = g_object_ref (image);
   self->color_state = gdk_color_state_ref (color_state);
   ((GskGpuCached *)self)->pixels = gsk_gpu_image_get_width (image) * gsk_gpu_image_get_height (image);
+  self->dead_textures_counter = &cache->dead_textures;
   self->dead_pixels_counter = &cache->dead_texture_pixels;
   self->use_count = 2;
 
@@ -894,6 +905,7 @@ gsk_gpu_cache_gc (GskGpuCache *self,
         is_empty &= cached->stale;
     }
 
+  g_atomic_pointer_set (&self->dead_textures, 0);
   g_atomic_pointer_set (&self->dead_texture_pixels, 0);
 
   if (GSK_DEBUG_CHECK (CACHE))
@@ -904,6 +916,12 @@ gsk_gpu_cache_gc (GskGpuCache *self,
   return is_empty;
 }
 
+gsize
+gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_textures (GskGpuCache *self)
+{
+  return GPOINTER_TO_SIZE (g_atomic_pointer_get (&self->dead_textures));
+}
+
 gsize
 gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_texture_pixels (GskGpuCache *self)
 {
diff --git a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucacheprivate.h b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucacheprivate.h
index aa7ce2764c..9164504c76 100644
--- a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucacheprivate.h
+++ b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucacheprivate.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ void                    gsk_gpu_cache_set_time                          (GskGpuC
 gboolean                gsk_gpu_cache_gc                                (GskGpuCache            *self,
                                                                          gint64                  cache_timeout,
                                                                          gint64                  timestamp);
+gsize                   gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_textures                 (GskGpuCache            *self);
 gsize                   gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_texture_pixels           (GskGpuCache            *self);
 GskGpuImage *           gsk_gpu_cache_get_atlas_image                   (GskGpuCache            *self);
 
diff --git a/gsk/gpu/gskgpudevice.c b/gsk/gpu/gskgpudevice.c
index fff4426893..64d8189716 100644
--- a/gsk/gpu/gskgpudevice.c
+++ b/gsk/gpu/gskgpudevice.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void
 gsk_gpu_device_maybe_gc (GskGpuDevice *self)
 {
   GskGpuDevicePrivate *priv = gsk_gpu_device_get_instance_private (self);
-  gsize dead_texture_pixels;
+  gsize dead_texture_pixels, dead_textures;
 
   if (priv->cache_timeout < 0)
     return;
@@ -88,11 +88,13 @@ gsk_gpu_device_maybe_gc (GskGpuDevice *self)
   if (priv->cache == NULL)
     return;
 
+  dead_textures = gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_textures (priv->cache);
   dead_texture_pixels = gsk_gpu_cache_get_dead_texture_pixels (priv->cache);
 
-  if (priv->cache_timeout == 0 || dead_texture_pixels > 1000000)
+  if (priv->cache_timeout == 0 || dead_textures > 50 || dead_texture_pixels > 1000 * 1000)
     {
-      GSK_DEBUG (CACHE, "Pre-frame GC (%" G_GSIZE_FORMAT " dead pixels)", dead_texture_pixels);
+      GSK_DEBUG (CACHE, "Pre-frame GC (%" G_GSIZE_FORMAT " dead textures, %" G_GSIZE_FORMAT " dead pixels)",
+                 dead_textures, dead_texture_pixels);
       gsk_gpu_device_gc (self, g_get_monotonic_time ());
     }
 }