diff --git a/app/paint/gimpairbrush.c b/app/paint/gimpairbrush.c
index 8ba5e9737e..042cb2b33b 100644
--- a/app/paint/gimpairbrush.c
+++ b/app/paint/gimpairbrush.c
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@
 #include "gimp-intl.h"
 
 
+enum
+{
+  TIMEOUT,
+  LAST_SIGNAL
+};
+
+
 static void       gimp_airbrush_finalize (GObject          *object);
 
 static void       gimp_airbrush_paint    (GimpPaintCore    *paint_core,
@@ -56,6 +63,8 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE (GimpAirbrush, gimp_airbrush, GIMP_TYPE_PAINTBRUSH)
 
 #define parent_class gimp_airbrush_parent_class
 
+static guint airbrush_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
+
 
 void
 gimp_airbrush_register (Gimp                      *gimp,
@@ -78,6 +87,15 @@ gimp_airbrush_class_init (GimpAirbrushClass *klass)
   object_class->finalize  = gimp_airbrush_finalize;
 
   paint_core_class->paint = gimp_airbrush_paint;
+
+  airbrush_signals[TIMEOUT] =
+    g_signal_new ("timeout",
+                  G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass),
+                  G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
+                  G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GimpAirbrushClass, timeout),
+                  NULL, NULL,
+                  g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID,
+                  G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -96,8 +114,6 @@ gimp_airbrush_finalize (GObject *object)
       airbrush->timeout_id = 0;
     }
 
-  g_clear_object (&airbrush->sym);
-
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
@@ -142,13 +158,6 @@ gimp_airbrush_paint (GimpPaintCore    *paint_core,
           fade_point = gimp_paint_options_get_fade (paint_options, image,
                                                     paint_core->pixel_dist);
 
-          airbrush->drawable      = drawable;
-          airbrush->paint_options = paint_options;
-
-          if (airbrush->sym)
-            g_object_unref (airbrush->sym);
-          airbrush->sym = g_object_ref (sym);
-
           /* Base our timeout on the original stroke. */
           coords = gimp_symmetry_get_origin (sym);
 
@@ -171,8 +180,6 @@ gimp_airbrush_paint (GimpPaintCore    *paint_core,
                                                    paint_options,
                                                    sym,
                                                    paint_state, time);
-
-      g_clear_object (&airbrush->sym);
       break;
     }
 }
@@ -212,13 +219,9 @@ gimp_airbrush_timeout (gpointer data)
 {
   GimpAirbrush *airbrush = GIMP_AIRBRUSH (data);
 
-  gimp_airbrush_paint (GIMP_PAINT_CORE (airbrush),
-                       airbrush->drawable,
-                       airbrush->paint_options,
-                       airbrush->sym,
-                       GIMP_PAINT_STATE_MOTION, 0);
+  airbrush->timeout_id = 0;
 
-  gimp_image_flush (gimp_item_get_image (GIMP_ITEM (airbrush->drawable)));
+  g_signal_emit (airbrush, airbrush_signals[TIMEOUT], 0);
 
   return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
 }
diff --git a/app/paint/gimpairbrush.h b/app/paint/gimpairbrush.h
index a3f9a8a03c..7aa802cc53 100644
--- a/app/paint/gimpairbrush.h
+++ b/app/paint/gimpairbrush.h
@@ -34,18 +34,17 @@ typedef struct _GimpAirbrushClass GimpAirbrushClass;
 
 struct _GimpAirbrush
 {
-  GimpPaintbrush    parent_instance;
+  GimpPaintbrush  parent_instance;
 
-  guint             timeout_id;
-
-  GimpSymmetry     *sym;
-  GimpDrawable     *drawable;
-  GimpPaintOptions *paint_options;
+  guint           timeout_id;
 };
 
 struct _GimpAirbrushClass
 {
   GimpPaintbrushClass  parent_class;
+
+  /*  signals  */
+  void (* timeout) (GimpAirbrush *airbrush);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/app/tools/gimpairbrushtool.c b/app/tools/gimpairbrushtool.c
index 62796a77f9..2374a372c5 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimpairbrushtool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimpairbrushtool.c
@@ -31,16 +31,24 @@
 
 #include "gimpairbrushtool.h"
 #include "gimppaintoptions-gui.h"
+#include "gimppainttool-paint.h"
 #include "gimptoolcontrol.h"
 
 #include "gimp-intl.h"
 
 
-static GtkWidget * gimp_airbrush_options_gui (GimpToolOptions *tool_options);
+static void        gimp_airbrush_tool_constructed      (GObject          *object);
+
+static void        gimp_airbrush_tool_airbrush_timeout (GimpAirbrush     *airbrush,
+                                                        GimpAirbrushTool *airbrush_tool);
+
+static GtkWidget * gimp_airbrush_options_gui           (GimpToolOptions  *tool_options);
 
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GimpAirbrushTool, gimp_airbrush_tool, GIMP_TYPE_PAINTBRUSH_TOOL)
 
+#define parent_class gimp_airbrush_tool_parent_class
+
 
 void
 gimp_airbrush_tool_register (GimpToolRegisterCallback  callback,
@@ -63,6 +71,9 @@ gimp_airbrush_tool_register (GimpToolRegisterCallback  callback,
 static void
 gimp_airbrush_tool_class_init (GimpAirbrushToolClass *klass)
 {
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
+
+  object_class->constructed = gimp_airbrush_tool_constructed;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -73,6 +84,26 @@ gimp_airbrush_tool_init (GimpAirbrushTool *airbrush)
   gimp_tool_control_set_tool_cursor (tool->control, GIMP_TOOL_CURSOR_AIRBRUSH);
 }
 
+static void
+gimp_airbrush_tool_constructed (GObject *object)
+{
+  GimpPaintTool *paint_tool = GIMP_PAINT_TOOL (object);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->constructed (object);
+
+  g_signal_connect_object (paint_tool->core, "timeout",
+                           G_CALLBACK (gimp_airbrush_tool_airbrush_timeout),
+                           object, 0);
+}
+
+static void
+gimp_airbrush_tool_airbrush_timeout (GimpAirbrush     *airbrush,
+                                     GimpAirbrushTool *airbrush_tool)
+{
+  gimp_paint_tool_paint_core_paint (GIMP_PAINT_TOOL (airbrush_tool),
+                                    GIMP_PAINT_STATE_MOTION, 0);
+}
+
 
 /*  tool options stuff  */