diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
index 88fd42dd4..15407fdbc 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import com.samskivert.util.Queue;
 import com.samskivert.util.RunQueue;
 import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
 
+import org.lwjgl.opengl.Display;
+
 import com.jme.renderer.Camera;
 import com.jme.renderer.ColorRGBA;
 import com.jme.renderer.Renderer;
@@ -160,6 +162,10 @@ public class JmeApp
                 processEvents(frameStart);
                 _failures = 0;
 
+                // cap our frame rate at 60 if we're not visible and thus don't
+                // automatically cap due to being vsynced
+                Display.sync(60);
+
             } catch (Throwable t) {
                 Log.logStackTrace(t);
                 // stick a fork in things if we fail too many times in a row