diff --git a/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c b/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
index 57c33c779..ad96099fb 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/gtkboard.c
@@ -812,55 +812,6 @@ configure_event( GtkWidget* widget, GdkEventConfigure* XP_UNUSED(event),
     return TRUE;
 } /* configure_event */
 
-/* Redraw the screen from the backing pixmap */
-static gint
-expose_event( GtkWidget* XP_UNUSED(widget),
-              GdkEventExpose* XP_UNUSED(event),
-              GtkGameGlobals* globals )
-{
-    /*
-    gdk_draw_rectangle( widget->window,//((GtkDrawCtx*)globals->draw)->pixmap,
-			widget->style->white_gc,
-			TRUE,
-			0, 0,
-			widget->allocation.width,
-			widget->allocation.height+widget->allocation.y );
-    */
-    /* I want to inval only the area that's exposed, but the rect is always
-       empty, even when clearly shouldn't be.  Need to investigate.  Until
-       fixed, use board_invalAll to ensure board is drawn.*/
-/*     board_invalRect( globals->cGlobals.game.board, (XP_Rect*)&event->area ); */
-
-    board_invalAll( globals->cGlobals.game.board );
-    board_draw( globals->cGlobals.game.board );
-    draw_gtk_status( globals->draw, globals->stateChar );
-    
-/*     gdk_draw_pixmap( widget->window, */
-/* 		     widget->style->fg_gc[GTK_WIDGET_STATE (widget)], */
-/* 		     ((GtkDrawCtx*)globals->draw)->pixmap, */
-/* 		     event->area.x, event->area.y, */
-/* 		     event->area.x, event->area.y, */
-/* 		     event->area.width, event->area.height ); */
-
-    return FALSE;
-} /* expose_event */
-
-#if 0
-static gint
-handle_client_event( GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventClient *event,
-		     GtkGameGlobals* globals )
-{
-    XP_LOGF( "handle_client_event called: event->type = " );
-    if ( event->type == GDK_CLIENT_EVENT ) {
-	XP_LOGF( "GDK_CLIENT_EVENT" );
-	return 1;
-    } else {
-	XP_LOGF( "%d", event->type );	
-	return 0;
-    }
-} /* handle_client_event */
-#endif
-
 void
 destroy_board_window( GtkWidget* XP_UNUSED(widget), GtkGameGlobals* globals )
 {
@@ -1260,8 +1211,6 @@ createAddItem( GtkWidget* parent, gchar* label,
 {
     GtkWidget* item = gtk_menu_item_new_with_label( label );
 
-/*      g_print( "createAddItem called with label %s\n", label ); */
-
     if ( handlerFunc != NULL ) {
         g_signal_connect( item, "activate", G_CALLBACK(handlerFunc),
                           globals );
@@ -2653,11 +2602,19 @@ initGlobalsNoDraw( GtkGameGlobals* globals, LaunchParams* params,
     setupGtkUtilCallbacks( globals, globals->cGlobals.util );
 }
 
+/* This gets called all the time, e.g. when the mouse moves across
+   drawing-area boundaries. So invalidating is crazy expensive. But this is a
+   test app....*/
+
 static gboolean
 on_draw_event( GtkWidget *widget, cairo_t* cr, gpointer user_data )
 {
-    LOG_FUNC();
-    XP_USE(user_data);
+    // XP_LOGF( "%s(widget=%p)", __func__, widget );
+    GtkGameGlobals* globals = (GtkGameGlobals*)user_data;
+    board_invalAll( globals->cGlobals.game.board );
+    board_draw( globals->cGlobals.game.board );
+    draw_gtk_status( globals->draw, globals->stateChar );
+
     XP_USE(widget);
     XP_USE(cr);
     return FALSE;
@@ -2748,8 +2705,6 @@ initGlobals( GtkGameGlobals* globals, LaunchParams* params, CurGameInfo* gi )
 
     gtk_box_pack_start( GTK_BOX(vbox), hbox/* drawing_area */, TRUE, TRUE, 0);
 
-    g_signal_connect( drawing_area, "expose_event",
-                      G_CALLBACK(expose_event), globals );
     g_signal_connect( drawing_area,"configure_event",
                       G_CALLBACK(configure_event), globals );
     g_signal_connect( drawing_area, "button_press_event",
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/gtkdraw.c b/xwords4/linux/gtkdraw.c
index f22de74f8..a4800fa77 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/gtkdraw.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/gtkdraw.c
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ gtkInsetRect( XP_Rect* r, short i )
 static void
 initCairo( GtkDrawCtx* dctx )
 {
-    XP_LOGF( "%s(dctx=%p)", __func__, dctx );
+    /* XP_LOGF( "%s(dctx=%p)", __func__, dctx ); */
     XP_ASSERT( !dctx->_cairo );
     dctx->_cairo = gdk_cairo_create( gtk_widget_get_window(dctx->drawing_area) );
-    XP_LOGF( "dctx->cairo=%p", dctx->_cairo );
+    /* XP_LOGF( "dctx->cairo=%p", dctx->_cairo ); */
     cairo_set_line_width( dctx->_cairo, 1.0 );
     cairo_set_line_cap( dctx->_cairo, CAIRO_LINE_CAP_SQUARE );
 }
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ initCairo( GtkDrawCtx* dctx )
 static void
 destroyCairo( GtkDrawCtx* dctx )
 {
-    XP_LOGF( "%s(dctx=%p)", __func__, dctx );
+    /* XP_LOGF( "%s(dctx=%p)", __func__, dctx ); */
     XP_ASSERT( !!dctx->_cairo );
     cairo_destroy(dctx->_cairo);
     dctx->_cairo = NULL;
@@ -468,9 +468,7 @@ gtk_draw_boardBegin( DrawCtx* p_dctx, const XP_Rect* rect,
     gdkrect = *(GdkRectangle*)rect;
     ++gdkrect.width;
     ++gdkrect.height;
-/*     gdk_gc_set_clip_rectangle( dctx->drawGC, &gdkrect ); */
 
-    LOG_RETURN_VOID();
     return XP_TRUE;
 } /* gtk_draw_boardBegin */
 
@@ -947,7 +945,6 @@ gtkDrawDrawRemText( DrawCtx* p_dctx, const XP_Rect* rect, XP_S16 nTilesLeft,
         }
         *widthP = width;
         *heightP = height;
-        XP_LOGF( "%s(): setting width: %d, height: %d", __func__, width, height );
     } else {
         const GdkRGBA* cursor = NULL;
         if ( focussed ) {
@@ -1485,6 +1482,8 @@ gtkDrawCtxtMake( GtkWidget* drawing_area, GtkGameGlobals* globals )
 void
 draw_gtk_status( GtkDrawCtx* dctx, char ch )
 {
+    initCairo( dctx );
+
     GtkGameGlobals* globals = dctx->globals;
 
     XP_Rect rect = {
@@ -1499,6 +1498,8 @@ draw_gtk_status( GtkDrawCtx* dctx, char ch )
     draw_string_at( dctx, NULL, str, GTKMIN_W_HT,
                     &rect, XP_GTK_JUST_CENTER,
                     &dctx->black, NULL );
+
+    destroyCairo( dctx );
 }
 
 void