diff --git a/scene/main/canvas_item.cpp b/scene/main/canvas_item.cpp
index bb67b4a324a..dd6620420d1 100644
--- a/scene/main/canvas_item.cpp
+++ b/scene/main/canvas_item.cpp
@@ -136,9 +136,11 @@ void CanvasItem::_redraw_callback() {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	RID ci = get_canvas_item();
-	RenderingServer::get_singleton()->canvas_item_clear(ci);
-	//todo updating = true - only allow drawing here
+	if (draw_commands_dirty) {
+		RenderingServer::get_singleton()->canvas_item_clear(get_canvas_item());
+		draw_commands_dirty = false;
+	}
+
 	if (is_visible_in_tree()) {
 		drawing = true;
 		Ref<TextServer> ts = TextServerManager::get_singleton()->get_primary_interface();
@@ -154,9 +156,9 @@ void CanvasItem::_redraw_callback() {
 			ts->set_current_drawn_item_oversampling(0.0);
 		}
 		drawing = false;
+		draw_commands_dirty = true;
 	}
-	//todo updating = false
-	pending_update = false; // don't change to false until finished drawing (avoid recursive update)
+	pending_update = false; // Don't change to false until finished drawing (avoid recursive update).
 }
 
 Transform2D CanvasItem::get_global_transform_with_canvas() const {
diff --git a/scene/main/canvas_item.h b/scene/main/canvas_item.h
index 9e4558ee0f3..95b6f5de97e 100644
--- a/scene/main/canvas_item.h
+++ b/scene/main/canvas_item.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 class CanvasLayer;
 class MultiMesh;
 class StyleBox;
+class SubViewport;
 class Window;
 class World2D;
 
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ private:
 	bool visible = true;
 	bool parent_visible_in_tree = false;
 	bool pending_update = false;
+	bool draw_commands_dirty = false;
 	bool top_level = false;
 	bool drawing = false;
 	bool block_transform_notify = false;