diff --git a/CHANGES.markdown b/CHANGES.markdown
--- a/CHANGES.markdown
+++ b/CHANGES.markdown
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+1.0.1: 8 March 2014
+-------------------
+
+* Use double buffering. Thanks to Jonas Haag for the patch.
+
 1.0: 25 November 2013
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/diagrams-gtk.cabal b/diagrams-gtk.cabal
--- a/diagrams-gtk.cabal
+++ b/diagrams-gtk.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                diagrams-gtk
-version:             1.0
+version:             1.0.1
 synopsis:            Backend for rendering diagrams directly to GTK windows
 description:         An optional add-on to the diagrams-cairo package
                      which allows rendering diagrams directly to GTK windows.
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 category:            Graphics
 build-type:          Simple
 cabal-version:       >=1.10
-tested-with:         GHC == 7.2.1, GHC == 7.4.2
+tested-with:         GHC == 7.4.2, GHC == 7.6.3, GHC == 7.8.1
 extra-source-files:  CHANGES.markdown, README.markdown
 
 source-repository head
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@
 library
   exposed-modules:     Diagrams.Backend.Gtk
   build-depends:       base >= 4.2 && < 4.8,
-                       diagrams-lib >= 1.0 && < 1.1,
-                       diagrams-cairo >= 1.0 && < 1.1,
-                       gtk >= 0.12.0 && < 0.13
+                       diagrams-lib >= 1.0 && < 1.2,
+                       diagrams-cairo >= 1.0 && < 1.2,
+                       gtk >= 0.12.0 && < 0.13,
+                       cairo >= 0.12.4 && < 0.13
   hs-source-dirs:      src
   default-language:    Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/Diagrams/Backend/Gtk.hs b/src/Diagrams/Backend/Gtk.hs
--- a/src/Diagrams/Backend/Gtk.hs
+++ b/src/Diagrams/Backend/Gtk.hs
@@ -17,17 +17,17 @@
        , renderToGtk
        ) where
 
-import Diagrams.Prelude hiding (width, height)
-import Diagrams.Backend.Cairo as Cairo
+import           Diagrams.Backend.Cairo          as Cairo
+import           Diagrams.Prelude                hiding (height, width)
 
 -- Below hack is needed because GHC 7.0.x has a bug regarding export
 -- of data family constructors; see comments in Diagrams.Backend.Cairo
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 702 || __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 704
-import Diagrams.Backend.Cairo.Internal
+import           Diagrams.Backend.Cairo.Internal
 #endif
 
-import Graphics.UI.Gtk
-import qualified Graphics.UI.Gtk.Cairo as CG
+import qualified Graphics.Rendering.Cairo        as CG
+import           Graphics.UI.Gtk
 
 -- | Convert a Diagram to the backend coordinates.
 --
@@ -48,24 +48,22 @@
             (CairoOptions "" Absolute RenderOnly False)
             d
 
--- | Render a diagram to a DrawingArea, rescaling to fit the full area.
+-- | Render a diagram to a DrawingArea with double buffering,
+--   rescaling to fit the full area.
 defaultRender :: Monoid' m => DrawingArea -> QDiagram Cairo R2 m -> IO ()
-defaultRender da d = do
-  (w,h) <- widgetGetSize da
-  dw <- widgetGetDrawWindow da
-  let r = snd $ renderDia Cairo
-                  (CairoOptions
-                     { _cairoFileName     = ""
-                     , _cairoSizeSpec     = Dims (fromIntegral w) (fromIntegral h)
-                     , _cairoOutputType   = RenderOnly
-                     , _cairoBypassAdjust = False
-                     }
-                  )
-                  d
-  CG.renderWithDrawable dw r
+defaultRender drawingarea diagram = do
+  drawWindow <- (widgetGetDrawWindow drawingarea)
+  renderDoubleBuffered drawWindow opts diagram
+    where opts w h = (CairoOptions
+              { _cairoFileName     = ""
+              , _cairoSizeSpec     = Dims (fromIntegral w) (fromIntegral h)
+              , _cairoOutputType   = RenderOnly
+              , _cairoBypassAdjust = False
+              }
+           )
 
--- | Render a diagram to a 'DrawableClass'.  No rescaling or
---   transformations will be performed.
+-- | Render a diagram to a 'DrawableClass' with double buffering.  No
+--   rescaling or transformations will be performed.
 --
 --   Typically the diagram will already have been transformed by
 --   'toGtkCoords'.
@@ -74,14 +72,46 @@
   => dc                     -- ^ widget to render onto
   -> QDiagram Cairo R2 m  -- ^ Diagram
   -> IO ()
-renderToGtk dc d = do
-  let r = snd $ renderDia Cairo
-                  (CairoOptions
-                     { _cairoFileName     = ""
-                     , _cairoSizeSpec     = Absolute
-                     , _cairoOutputType   = RenderOnly
-                     , _cairoBypassAdjust = True
-                     }
-                  )
-                  d
-  CG.renderWithDrawable dc r
+renderToGtk drawable = do renderDoubleBuffered drawable opts
+  where opts _ _ = (CairoOptions
+                    { _cairoFileName     = ""
+                    , _cairoSizeSpec     = Absolute
+                    , _cairoOutputType   = RenderOnly
+                    , _cairoBypassAdjust = True
+                    }
+                   )
+
+
+-- | Render a diagram onto a 'DrawableClass' using the given CairoOptions.
+--
+--   This uses cairo double-buffering.
+renderDoubleBuffered ::
+  (Monoid' m, DrawableClass dc) =>
+  dc -- ^ drawable to render onto
+  -> (Int -> Int -> Options Cairo R2) -- ^ options, depending on drawable width and height
+  -> QDiagram Cairo R2 m -- ^ Diagram
+  -> IO ()
+renderDoubleBuffered drawable renderOpts diagram = do
+  (w,h) <- drawableGetSize drawable
+  let opts = renderOpts w h
+      renderAction = delete w h >> snd (renderDia Cairo opts diagram)
+  renderWithDrawable drawable (doubleBuffer renderAction)
+
+
+-- | White rectangle of size (w,h).
+--
+--   Used to clear canvas when using double buffering.
+delete :: Int -> Int -> CG.Render ()
+delete w h = do
+  CG.setSourceRGB 1 1 1
+  CG.rectangle 0 0 (fromIntegral w) (fromIntegral h)
+  CG.fill
+
+
+-- | Wrap the given render action in double buffering.
+doubleBuffer :: CG.Render () -> CG.Render ()
+doubleBuffer renderAction = do
+  CG.pushGroup
+  renderAction
+  CG.popGroupToSource
+  CG.paint