diff --git a/apps/shared/list_controller.cpp b/apps/shared/list_controller.cpp
index d4f8129f3..90dcee1d4 100644
--- a/apps/shared/list_controller.cpp
+++ b/apps/shared/list_controller.cpp
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ void ListController::willDisplayCellAtLocation(HighlightCell * cell, int i, int
   EvenOddCell * myCell = (EvenOddCell *)cell;
   myCell->setEven(j%2 == 0);
   myCell->setHighlighted(i == selectedColumn() && j == selectedRow());
+  myCell->reloadCell();
 }
 
 int ListController::numberOfButtons(ButtonRowController::Position position) const {
diff --git a/apps/shared/new_function_cell.cpp b/apps/shared/new_function_cell.cpp
index fe2bdac10..18387df61 100644
--- a/apps/shared/new_function_cell.cpp
+++ b/apps/shared/new_function_cell.cpp
@@ -9,8 +9,13 @@ NewFunctionCell::NewFunctionCell(I18n::Message text) :
 {
 }
 
-void NewFunctionCell::reloadCell() {
-  EvenOddCell::reloadCell();
+void NewFunctionCell::setEven(bool even) {
+  EvenOddCell::setEven(even);
+  m_messageTextView.setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor());
+}
+
+void NewFunctionCell::setHighlighted(bool highlight) {
+  EvenOddCell::setHighlighted(highlight);
   m_messageTextView.setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor());
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/shared/new_function_cell.h b/apps/shared/new_function_cell.h
index 06dbd6a46..7a8418b6c 100644
--- a/apps/shared/new_function_cell.h
+++ b/apps/shared/new_function_cell.h
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ namespace Shared {
 class NewFunctionCell : public EvenOddCell {
 public:
   NewFunctionCell(I18n::Message text);
-  void reloadCell() override;
+  void setEven(bool even) override;
+  void setHighlighted(bool highlight) override;
   int numberOfSubviews() const override;
   View * subviewAtIndex(int index) override;
   void layoutSubviews() override;
diff --git a/escher/src/even_odd_cell.cpp b/escher/src/even_odd_cell.cpp
index c8d90e582..3b6671f8a 100644
--- a/escher/src/even_odd_cell.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/even_odd_cell.cpp
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ EvenOddCell::EvenOddCell() :
 }
 
 void EvenOddCell::setEven(bool even) {
+  if (even != m_even) {
   m_even = even;
   reloadCell();
+  }
 }
 
 KDColor EvenOddCell::backgroundColor() const {
diff --git a/escher/src/expression_view.cpp b/escher/src/expression_view.cpp
index 17a44d3f7..cc5c27a3a 100644
--- a/escher/src/expression_view.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/expression_view.cpp
@@ -21,13 +21,17 @@ void ExpressionView::setExpression(ExpressionLayout * expressionLayout) {
 }
 
 void ExpressionView::setBackgroundColor(KDColor backgroundColor) {
-  m_backgroundColor = backgroundColor;
-  markRectAsDirty(bounds());
+  if (m_backgroundColor != backgroundColor) {
+    m_backgroundColor = backgroundColor;
+    markRectAsDirty(bounds());
+  }
 }
 
 void ExpressionView::setTextColor(KDColor textColor) {
-  m_textColor = textColor;
-  markRectAsDirty(bounds());
+  if (textColor != m_textColor) {
+    m_textColor = textColor;
+    markRectAsDirty(bounds());
+  }
 }
 
 void ExpressionView::setAlignment(float horizontalAlignment, float verticalAlignment) {
diff --git a/escher/src/highlight_cell.cpp b/escher/src/highlight_cell.cpp
index a897e6741..c308c25c3 100644
--- a/escher/src/highlight_cell.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/highlight_cell.cpp
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ HighlightCell::HighlightCell() :
 }
 
 void HighlightCell::setHighlighted(bool highlight) {
-  m_highlighted = highlight;
-  reloadCell();
+  if (m_highlighted != highlight) {
+    m_highlighted = highlight;
+    reloadCell();
+  }
 }
 
 bool HighlightCell::isHighlighted() const {