diff --git a/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorarea.c b/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorarea.c
index dcb4e49d4e..215bd57bb0 100644
--- a/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorarea.c
+++ b/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorarea.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ struct _GimpColorArea
 
   GimpColorAreaType   type;
   GeglColor          *color;
+  GeglColor          *rendered;
   guint               draw_border  : 1;
   guint               needs_render : 1;
 
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ gimp_color_area_init (GimpColorArea *area)
   area->rowstride   = 0;
   area->draw_border = FALSE;
   area->color       = gegl_color_new ("black");
+  area->rendered    = NULL;
 
   gtk_drag_dest_set (GTK_WIDGET (area),
                      GTK_DEST_DEFAULT_HIGHLIGHT |
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@ gimp_color_area_finalize (GObject *object)
 
   g_clear_pointer (&area->buf, g_free);
   g_clear_object (&area->color);
+  g_clear_object (&area->rendered);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -528,7 +531,8 @@ gimp_color_area_set_color (GimpColorArea *area,
   g_return_if_fail (GIMP_IS_COLOR_AREA (area));
   g_return_if_fail (GEGL_IS_COLOR (color));
 
-  if (! gimp_color_is_perceptually_identical (area->color, color))
+  if (! area->rendered ||
+      ! gimp_color_is_perceptually_identical (area->rendered, color))
     {
       area->needs_render = TRUE;
       gtk_widget_queue_draw (GTK_WIDGET (area));
@@ -741,6 +745,9 @@ gimp_color_area_render_buf (GtkWidget         *widget,
   guchar        *p;
   gdouble        frac;
 
+  g_clear_object (&area->rendered);
+  area->rendered = gegl_color_duplicate (color);
+
   switch (type)
     {
     case GIMP_COLOR_AREA_FLAT:
diff --git a/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorselection.c b/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorselection.c
index de5b2c698d..42c2cb229c 100644
--- a/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorselection.c
+++ b/libgimpwidgets/gimpcolorselection.c
@@ -440,23 +440,14 @@ void
 gimp_color_selection_set_color (GimpColorSelection *selection,
                                 GeglColor          *color)
 {
-  GeglColor  *old_color;
-  UpdateType  update;
-
   g_return_if_fail (GIMP_IS_COLOR_SELECTION (selection));
   g_return_if_fail (GEGL_IS_COLOR (color));
 
-  old_color = selection->color;
+  g_object_unref (selection->color);
   selection->color = gegl_color_duplicate (color);
 
-  update = UPDATE_ALL;
-  if (gimp_color_is_perceptually_identical (color, old_color))
-    update &= ~UPDATE_COLOR;
-
-  gimp_color_selection_update (selection, update);
+  gimp_color_selection_update (selection, UPDATE_ALL);
   gimp_color_selection_color_changed (selection);
-
-  g_object_unref (old_color);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -676,20 +667,15 @@ gimp_color_selection_notebook_changed (GimpColorSelector  *selector,
                                        GeglColor          *color,
                                        GimpColorSelection *selection)
 {
-  GeglColor  *old_color;
-  UpdateType  update;
+  UpdateType update;
 
-  old_color = selection->color;
+  update = UPDATE_SCALES | UPDATE_ENTRY | UPDATE_COLOR;
+
+  g_object_unref (selection->color);
   selection->color = gegl_color_duplicate (color);
 
-  update = UPDATE_SCALES | UPDATE_ENTRY;
-  if (! gimp_color_is_perceptually_identical (color, old_color))
-    update |= UPDATE_COLOR;
-
   gimp_color_selection_update (selection, update);
   gimp_color_selection_color_changed (selection);
-
-  g_object_unref (old_color);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -697,21 +683,15 @@ gimp_color_selection_scales_changed (GimpColorSelector  *selector,
                                      GeglColor          *color,
                                      GimpColorSelection *selection)
 {
-  UpdateType  update;
-  GeglColor  *old_color;
+  UpdateType update;
 
-  old_color = selection->color;
+  update = UPDATE_ENTRY | UPDATE_NOTEBOOK | UPDATE_COLOR;
+
+  g_object_unref (selection->color);
   selection->color = gegl_color_duplicate (color);
 
-  update = UPDATE_ENTRY | UPDATE_NOTEBOOK;
-  if (! gimp_color_is_perceptually_identical (color, old_color))
-    update |= UPDATE_COLOR;
-
   gimp_color_selection_update (selection, update);
-
   gimp_color_selection_color_changed (selection);
-
-  g_object_unref (old_color);
 }
 
 static void