diff --git a/app/core/gimpimagemap.c b/app/core/gimpimagemap.c
index 6c164c9c91..9d44974280 100644
--- a/app/core/gimpimagemap.c
+++ b/app/core/gimpimagemap.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 
 #include <gegl.h>
 
+#include "libgimpbase/gimpbase.h"
+
 #include "core-types.h"
 
 #include "gegl/gimpapplicator.h"
@@ -72,12 +74,13 @@ struct _GimpImageMap
 };
 
 
-static void       gimp_image_map_dispose         (GObject      *object);
-static void       gimp_image_map_finalize        (GObject      *object);
+static void       gimp_image_map_dispose         (GObject             *object);
+static void       gimp_image_map_finalize        (GObject             *object);
 
-static gboolean   gimp_image_map_add_filter      (GimpImageMap *image_map);
-static gboolean   gimp_image_map_remove_filter   (GimpImageMap *image_map);
-static void       gimp_image_map_update_drawable (GimpImageMap *image_map);
+static gboolean   gimp_image_map_add_filter      (GimpImageMap        *image_map);
+static gboolean   gimp_image_map_remove_filter   (GimpImageMap        *image_map);
+static void       gimp_image_map_update_drawable (GimpImageMap        *image_map,
+                                                  const GeglRectangle *area);
 
 
 
@@ -192,10 +195,12 @@ gimp_image_map_new (GimpDrawable *drawable,
 }
 
 void
-gimp_image_map_apply (GimpImageMap *image_map)
+gimp_image_map_apply (GimpImageMap        *image_map,
+                      const GeglRectangle *area)
 {
   GimpImage         *image;
   GimpChannel       *mask;
+  GeglRectangle      update_area;
   GimpComponentMask  active_mask;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GIMP_IS_IMAGE_MAP (image_map));
@@ -218,6 +223,29 @@ gimp_image_map_apply (GimpImageMap *image_map)
       return;
     }
 
+  /* Only update "area" because only that has changed */
+  if (area &&
+      ! gimp_rectangle_intersect (area->x,
+                                  area->y,
+                                  area->width,
+                                  area->height,
+                                  image_map->filter_area.x,
+                                  image_map->filter_area.y,
+                                  image_map->filter_area.width,
+                                  image_map->filter_area.height,
+                                  &update_area.x,
+                                  &update_area.y,
+                                  &update_area.width,
+                                  &update_area.height))
+    {
+      /* Bail out, but don't remove the filter */
+      return;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      update_area = image_map->filter_area;
+    }
+
   if (! image_map->filter)
     {
       GeglNode *filter_node;
@@ -339,7 +367,7 @@ gimp_image_map_apply (GimpImageMap *image_map)
     }
 
   gimp_image_map_add_filter (image_map);
-  gimp_image_map_update_drawable (image_map);
+  gimp_image_map_update_drawable (image_map, &update_area);
 }
 
 void
@@ -366,7 +394,7 @@ gimp_image_map_abort (GimpImageMap *image_map)
 
   if (gimp_image_map_remove_filter (image_map))
     {
-      gimp_image_map_update_drawable (image_map);
+      gimp_image_map_update_drawable (image_map, &image_map->filter_area);
     }
 }
 
@@ -409,13 +437,14 @@ gimp_image_map_remove_filter (GimpImageMap *image_map)
 }
 
 static void
-gimp_image_map_update_drawable (GimpImageMap *image_map)
+gimp_image_map_update_drawable (GimpImageMap        *image_map,
+                                const GeglRectangle *area)
 {
   gimp_drawable_update (image_map->drawable,
-                        image_map->filter_area.x,
-                        image_map->filter_area.y,
-                        image_map->filter_area.width,
-                        image_map->filter_area.height);
+                        area->x,
+                        area->y,
+                        area->width,
+                        area->height);
 
   g_signal_emit (image_map, image_map_signals[FLUSH], 0);
 }
diff --git a/app/core/gimpimagemap.h b/app/core/gimpimagemap.h
index f0c61dff0f..fe5901a1c6 100644
--- a/app/core/gimpimagemap.h
+++ b/app/core/gimpimagemap.h
@@ -49,16 +49,17 @@ struct _GimpImageMapClass
 
 GType          gimp_image_map_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-GimpImageMap * gimp_image_map_new      (GimpDrawable *drawable,
-                                        const gchar  *undo_desc,
-                                        GeglNode     *operation,
-                                        const gchar  *stock_id);
+GimpImageMap * gimp_image_map_new      (GimpDrawable        *drawable,
+                                        const gchar         *undo_desc,
+                                        GeglNode            *operation,
+                                        const gchar         *stock_id);
 
-void           gimp_image_map_apply    (GimpImageMap *image_map);
+void           gimp_image_map_apply    (GimpImageMap        *image_map,
+                                        const GeglRectangle *area);
 
-void           gimp_image_map_commit   (GimpImageMap *image_map,
-                                        GimpProgress *progress);
-void           gimp_image_map_abort    (GimpImageMap *image_map);
+void           gimp_image_map_commit   (GimpImageMap        *image_map,
+                                        GimpProgress        *progress);
+void           gimp_image_map_abort    (GimpImageMap        *image_map);
 
 
 #endif /* __GIMP_IMAGE_MAP_H__ */
diff --git a/app/tools/gimpcagetool.c b/app/tools/gimpcagetool.c
index 4e80f641d0..9c7f2aaeee 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimpcagetool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimpcagetool.c
@@ -1260,5 +1260,5 @@ gimp_cage_tool_image_map_flush (GimpImageMap *image_map,
 static void
 gimp_cage_tool_image_map_update (GimpCageTool *ct)
 {
-  gimp_image_map_apply (ct->image_map);
+  gimp_image_map_apply (ct->image_map, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/app/tools/gimpimagemaptool.c b/app/tools/gimpimagemaptool.c
index 3f41d68d94..7d5a55a9b0 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimpimagemaptool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimpimagemaptool.c
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ gimp_image_map_tool_map (GimpImageMapTool *tool)
   if (GIMP_IMAGE_MAP_TOOL_GET_CLASS (tool)->map)
     GIMP_IMAGE_MAP_TOOL_GET_CLASS (tool)->map (tool);
 
-  gimp_image_map_apply (tool->image_map);
+  gimp_image_map_apply (tool->image_map, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/app/tools/gimpseamlessclonetool.c b/app/tools/gimpseamlessclonetool.c
index ed73cb15b5..f7d389053a 100644
--- a/app/tools/gimpseamlessclonetool.c
+++ b/app/tools/gimpseamlessclonetool.c
@@ -776,5 +776,5 @@ gimp_seamless_clone_tool_image_map_update (GimpSeamlessCloneTool *sc)
   g_object_unref (op);
 
   /* Now update the image map and show this area */
-  gimp_image_map_apply (sc->image_map);
+  gimp_image_map_apply (sc->image_map, NULL);
 }