diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
index b24c71ca6..6977454d2 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/AbstractMediaManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: AbstractMediaManager.java,v 1.9 2003/04/30 00:43:54 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: AbstractMediaManager.java,v 1.10 2003/04/30 20:48:38 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media;
 
@@ -36,6 +36,33 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         return _remgr;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Must be called every frame so that the media can be properly
+     * updated.
+     */
+    public void tick (long tickStamp)
+    {
+        _tickStamp = tickStamp;
+        tickAllMedia(tickStamp);
+        dispatchNotifications();
+        // we clear our tick stamp when we're about to be painted, this
+        // lets us handle situations when yet more media is slipped in
+        // between our being ticked and our being painted
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This will always be called prior to the {@link #paint} calls for a
+     * particular tick. Because it is possible that there will be no dirty
+     * regions and thus no calls to {@link #paint} this method exists so
+     * that the media manager can guarantee that it will be notified when
+     * all ticking is complete and the painting phase has begun.
+     */
+    public void willPaint ()
+    {
+        // now that we're done ticking, we can safely clear this
+        _tickStamp = 0;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Renders all registered media in the given layer that intersect
      * the supplied clipping rectangle to the given graphics context.
@@ -45,11 +72,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
      * with a positive render order; the back layer contains all
      * animations with a negative render order; all, both.
      */
-    public void renderMedia (Graphics2D gfx, int layer, Shape clip)
+    public void paint (Graphics2D gfx, int layer, Shape clip)
     {
-        // now that we're rendering, we can safely clear this; see tick()
-        _tickStamp = 0;
-
         for (int ii = 0, nn = _media.size(); ii < nn; ii++) {
             AbstractMedia media = (AbstractMedia)_media.get(ii);
             int order = media.getRenderOrder();
@@ -69,20 +93,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractMediaManager
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Must be called every frame so that the media can be properly
-     * updated.
-     */
-    public void tick (long tickStamp)
-    {
-        _tickStamp = tickStamp;
-        tickAllMedia(tickStamp);
-        dispatchNotifications();
-        // we clear our tick stamp when we've been painted, this lets us
-        // handle situations when yet more media is slipped in between our
-        // being ticked and our being painted
-    }
-
     /**
      * If the manager is paused for some length of time, it should
      * be fast forwarded by the appropriate number of milliseconds.  This
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/MediaPanel.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/MediaPanel.java
index 8a49f40d0..93a27ae26 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/MediaPanel.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/MediaPanel.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: MediaPanel.java,v 1.34 2003/04/30 06:34:55 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: MediaPanel.java,v 1.35 2003/04/30 20:48:38 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media;
 
@@ -300,6 +300,14 @@ public class MediaPanel extends JComponent
     {
         Graphics2D gfx = (Graphics2D)g;
 
+        // regardless of whether or not we paint, we need to let our
+        // abstract media managers know that we've gotten to the point of
+        // painting because they need to remain prepared to deal with
+        // media changes that happen any time between the tick() and the
+        // paint() and thus need to know when paint() happens
+        _animmgr.willPaint();
+        _spritemgr.willPaint();
+
         // no use in painting if we're not showing or if we've not yet
         // been validated
         if (!isValid() || !isShowing()) {
@@ -474,8 +482,8 @@ public class MediaPanel extends JComponent
      */
     protected void paintBits (Graphics2D gfx, int layer, Rectangle dirty)
     {
-        _animmgr.renderMedia(gfx, layer, dirty);
-        _spritemgr.renderMedia(gfx, layer, dirty);
+        _animmgr.paint(gfx, layer, dirty);
+        _spritemgr.paint(gfx, layer, dirty);
     }
 
     /** The frame manager with whom we register. */