diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/MisoScenePanel.java b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/MisoScenePanel.java
index 5e1144c9..fe3f2743 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/MisoScenePanel.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/MisoScenePanel.java
@@ -1321,11 +1321,12 @@ public class MisoScenePanel extends VirtualMediaPanel
     {
         // make sure the indicators are ready
         if (!_indicatorsLaidOut) {
-            List<Rectangle> boundaries = Lists.newArrayList();
             for (Map.Entry<SceneObject, SceneObjectIndicator> entry : _indicators.entrySet()) {
-                entry.getValue().layout(gfx, entry.getKey(), _vbounds, boundaries);
-                dirtyIndicator(entry.getValue());
-                boundaries.add(entry.getValue().getBounds());
+                SceneObjectIndicator indic = entry.getValue();
+                if (!indic.isLaidOut()) {
+                    indic.layout(gfx, entry.getKey(), _vbounds);
+                    dirtyIndicator(indic);
+                }
             }
             _indicatorsLaidOut = true;
         }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectIndicator.java b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectIndicator.java
index 314a990c..d79e19fd 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectIndicator.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectIndicator.java
@@ -41,8 +41,12 @@ public interface SceneObjectIndicator
     /**
      * Positions the indicator in the scene in relation to <code>key</code>
      */
-    public void layout (Graphics2D gfx, SceneObject key, Rectangle viewBounds,
-        Collection<Rectangle> otherIndicators);
+    public void layout (Graphics2D gfx, SceneObject key, Rectangle viewBounds);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether the indicator has already been laid out (and thus doesn't need to be again)
+     */
+    public boolean isLaidOut ();
 
     /**
      * Called when the indicator is removed from the scene.
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectTip.java b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectTip.java
index 7e93a406..7166f018 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectTip.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/miso/client/SceneObjectTip.java
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 
 package com.threerings.miso.client;
 
-import java.util.Collection;
-
 import java.awt.AlphaComposite;
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.Composite;
@@ -77,6 +75,11 @@ public class SceneObjectTip extends LabelSausage
         super(new Label(text, _foreground, _font), icon);
     }
 
+    public boolean isLaidOut ()
+    {
+        return _label.isLaidOut();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Called to initialize the tip so that it can be painted.
      *
@@ -84,8 +87,7 @@ public class SceneObjectTip extends LabelSausage
      * @param boundary the boundary of all displayable space.
      * @param othertips other tip boundaries that we should avoid.
      */
-    public void layout (Graphics2D gfx, SceneObject tipFor, Rectangle boundary,
-                        Collection<Rectangle> othertips)
+    public void layout (Graphics2D gfx, SceneObject tipFor, Rectangle boundary)
     {
         layout(gfx, ICON_PAD, EXTRA_PAD);
         bounds = new Rectangle(_size);