=== modified file 'src/widgets/ruler.cpp'
--- src/widgets/ruler.cpp	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
+++ src/widgets/ruler.cpp	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 #define DEFAULT_RULER_FONT_SCALE  PANGO_SCALE_X_SMALL
 #define MINIMUM_INCR              5

+#define DRAW_POS_PRIORITY         G_PRIORITY_HIGH_IDLE
+
 using Inkscape::Util::unit_table;

 enum {
@@ -78,6 +80,8 @@
   gint             ysrc;

   GList           *track_widgets;
+
+  guint           idle_id;
 } SPRulerPrivate;

 #define SP_RULER_GET_PRIVATE(ruler) \
@@ -146,6 +150,8 @@
 static void          sp_ruler_draw_ticks           (SPRuler        *ruler);
 static void          sp_ruler_draw_pos             (SPRuler        *ruler,
                                                     cairo_t        *cr);
+static gint          sp_ruler_draw_pos_idle_handler(gpointer        data);
+static void          sp_ruler_add_idle_draw_pos    (SPRuler        *ruler);
 static void          sp_ruler_make_pixmap          (SPRuler        *ruler);

 static PangoLayout * sp_ruler_get_layout           (GtkWidget      *widget,
@@ -885,6 +891,27 @@
     }
 }

+static gint
+sp_ruler_draw_pos_idle_handler (gpointer data)
+{
+    SPRuler *ruler = SP_RULER (data);
+    sp_ruler_draw_pos (ruler, NULL);
+
+    SPRulerPrivate *priv = SP_RULER_GET_PRIVATE (ruler);
+    priv->idle_id = 0;
+
+    return FALSE;
+}
+
+static void
+sp_ruler_add_idle_draw_pos (SPRuler *ruler)
+{
+	SPRulerPrivate *priv = SP_RULER_GET_PRIVATE (ruler);
+    if (priv->idle_id == 0) {
+    	priv->idle_id = gdk_threads_add_idle_full(DRAW_POS_PRIORITY, sp_ruler_draw_pos_idle_handler, ruler, NULL);
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * sp_ruler_new:
  * @orientation: the ruler's orientation
@@ -1134,7 +1161,7 @@
         priv->position = position;
         g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (ruler), "position");

-        sp_ruler_draw_pos (ruler, NULL);
+        sp_ruler_add_idle_draw_pos (ruler);
     }
 }