diff --git a/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c b/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
index 0cfb493e6..ea3440555 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-master-clock.c
@@ -68,11 +68,6 @@ struct _ClutterMasterClock
    * after the last timeline has been completed
    */
   guint last_advance : 1;
-
-  /* a guard, so that we dispatch the redraws only if
-   * any timeline did advance
-   */
-  guint has_advanced : 1;
 };
 
 struct _ClutterMasterClockClass
@@ -213,17 +208,6 @@ clutter_clock_dispatch (GSource     *source,
 
   CLUTTER_NOTE (SCHEDULER, "Master clock [tick]");
 
-  /* do not force a redraw if no timeline has advanced; this might
-   * happen if we only have timelines with intervals smaller than
-   * the vblank interval
-   */
-  if (master_clock->has_advanced)
-    {
-      master_clock->has_advanced = FALSE;
-
-      return TRUE;
-    }
-
   stages = clutter_stage_manager_peek_stages (stage_manager);
 
   /* queue a redraw for each stage; this will advance each timeline
@@ -454,7 +438,6 @@ void
 _clutter_master_clock_advance (ClutterMasterClock *master_clock)
 {
   GTimeVal cur_tick = { 0, };
-  gboolean has_advanced;
   gulong msecs;
   GSList *l;
 
@@ -478,13 +461,12 @@ _clutter_master_clock_advance (ClutterMasterClock *master_clock)
                 g_slist_length (master_clock->timelines),
                 msecs);
 
-  has_advanced = FALSE;
   for (l = master_clock->timelines; l != NULL; l = l->next)
     {
       ClutterTimeline *timeline = l->data;
 
       if (clutter_timeline_is_playing (timeline))
-        has_advanced = clutter_timeline_advance_delta (timeline, msecs);
+        clutter_timeline_advance_delta (timeline, msecs);
     }
 
   /* store the previous state so that we can use
@@ -492,5 +474,4 @@ _clutter_master_clock_advance (ClutterMasterClock *master_clock)
    */
   master_clock->msecs_delta = msecs;
   master_clock->prev_tick = cur_tick;
-  master_clock->has_advanced = has_advanced;
 }
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-timeline.c b/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
index 44cdb5152..761c5e1c5 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-timeline.c
@@ -1381,23 +1381,21 @@ clutter_timeline_get_delta (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
  * elapsed since the last redraw operation. The @timeline will use this
  * interval to emit the #ClutterTimeline::new-frame signal and eventually
  * skip frames.
- *
- * Return value: %TRUE if the timeline advanced
  */
-gboolean
+void
 clutter_timeline_advance_delta (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
                                 guint            msecs)
 {
   ClutterTimelinePrivate *priv;
 
-  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_TIMELINE (timeline), FALSE);
+  g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_TIMELINE (timeline));
 
   priv = timeline->priv;
 
   priv->msecs_delta += msecs;
 
   if (priv->msecs_delta < priv->frame_interval)
-    return FALSE;
+    return;
   else
     {
       clutter_timeline_advance_internal (timeline);
@@ -1405,8 +1403,6 @@ clutter_timeline_advance_delta (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
       /* Keep the remainder of the frame time so that it will be
          counted towards the next time if the delta is short */
       priv->msecs_delta %= priv->frame_interval;
-
-      return TRUE;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-timeline.h b/clutter/clutter-timeline.h
index 7bd0e1bd7..7d829ebaa 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-timeline.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-timeline.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ void             clutter_timeline_advance_to_marker     (ClutterTimeline *timeli
                                                          const gchar     *marker_name);
 
 /*< private >*/
-gboolean         clutter_timeline_advance_delta         (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
+void             clutter_timeline_advance_delta         (ClutterTimeline *timeline,
                                                          guint            msecs);
 
 G_END_DECLS