diff --git a/src/gtk/window.cpp b/src/gtk/window.cpp
index 1cda4f11ba..29ecd4b3fe 100644
--- a/src/gtk/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/window.cpp
@@ -3627,6 +3627,16 @@ void wxWindowGTK::Refresh( bool eraseBackground, const wxRect *rect )
 #ifndef __WXGTK20__
     if (g_isIdle)
         wxapp_install_idle_handler();
+    wxRect myRect (0, 0, m_wxwindow->allocation.width,
+		   m_wxwindow->allocation.height);
+    
+    if (rect){
+      myRect.Intersect(*rect);
+      if (!myRect.width || !myRect.height)
+	// nothing to do, rectangle is empty
+	return;
+      rect = &myRect;
+    }
 
     if (eraseBackground && m_wxwindow && m_wxwindow->window)
     {
diff --git a/src/gtk1/window.cpp b/src/gtk1/window.cpp
index 1cda4f11ba..29ecd4b3fe 100644
--- a/src/gtk1/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk1/window.cpp
@@ -3627,6 +3627,16 @@ void wxWindowGTK::Refresh( bool eraseBackground, const wxRect *rect )
 #ifndef __WXGTK20__
     if (g_isIdle)
         wxapp_install_idle_handler();
+    wxRect myRect (0, 0, m_wxwindow->allocation.width,
+		   m_wxwindow->allocation.height);
+    
+    if (rect){
+      myRect.Intersect(*rect);
+      if (!myRect.width || !myRect.height)
+	// nothing to do, rectangle is empty
+	return;
+      rect = &myRect;
+    }
 
     if (eraseBackground && m_wxwindow && m_wxwindow->window)
     {