diff --git a/src/Terminal.ts b/src/Terminal.ts
index 652e04cad6..cb2b322065 100644
--- a/src/Terminal.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal.ts
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
     this._colorManager.setTheme(this._theme);
     this._setupRenderer();
 
-    this._renderCoordinator = new RenderCoordinator(this.renderer, this.rows);
+    this._renderCoordinator = new RenderCoordinator(this.renderer, this.rows, this.screenElement);
     this._renderCoordinator.onRender(e => this._onRender.fire(e));
     this.onResize(e => this._renderCoordinator.resize(e.cols, e.rows));
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/RenderCoordinator.ts b/src/renderer/RenderCoordinator.ts
index d8895bc423..a843c19dcf 100644
--- a/src/renderer/RenderCoordinator.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/RenderCoordinator.ts
@@ -14,17 +14,20 @@ export class RenderCoordinator extends Disposable {
   private _renderDebouncer: RenderDebouncer;
   private _screenDprMonitor: ScreenDprMonitor;
 
+  private _isPaused: boolean = false;
+  private _needsFullRefresh: boolean = false;
+  private _canvasWidth: number = 0;
+  private _canvasHeight: number = 0;
+
   private _onCanvasResize = new EventEmitter2<{ width: number, height: number }>();
   public get onCanvasResize(): IEvent<{ width: number, height: number }> { return this._onCanvasResize.event; }
   private _onRender = new EventEmitter2<{ start: number, end: number }>();
   public get onRender(): IEvent<{ start: number, end: number }> { return this._onRender.event; }
 
-  private _canvasWidth: number = 0;
-  private _canvasHeight: number = 0;
-
   constructor(
     private _renderer: IRenderer,
-    private _rowCount: number
+    private _rowCount: number,
+    screenElement: HTMLElement
   ) {
     super();
     this._renderDebouncer = new RenderDebouncer((start, end) => this._renderRows(start, end));
@@ -37,9 +40,29 @@ export class RenderCoordinator extends Disposable {
     // dprchange should handle this case, we need this as well for browsers that don't support the
     // matchMedia query.
     this.register(addDisposableDomListener(window, 'resize', () => this._renderer.onDevicePixelRatioChange()));
+
+    // Detect whether IntersectionObserver is detected and enable renderer pause
+    // and resume based on terminal visibility if so
+    if ('IntersectionObserver' in window) {
+      const observer = new IntersectionObserver(e => this._onIntersectionChange(e[e.length - 1]), { threshold: 0 });
+      observer.observe(screenElement);
+      this.register({ dispose: () => observer.disconnect() });
+    }
+  }
+
+  private _onIntersectionChange(entry: IntersectionObserverEntry): void {
+    this._isPaused = entry.intersectionRatio === 0;
+    if (!this._isPaused && this._needsFullRefresh) {
+      this.refreshRows(0, this._rowCount - 1);
+      this._needsFullRefresh = false;
+    }
   }
 
   public refreshRows(start: number, end: number): void {
+    if (this._isPaused) {
+      this._needsFullRefresh = true;
+      return;
+    }
     this._renderDebouncer.refresh(start, end, this._rowCount);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
index 50b41c46fe..08586b16c0 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ import { IColorSet } from '../ui/Types';
 export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
   private _renderLayers: IRenderLayer[];
   private _devicePixelRatio: number;
-  private _isPaused: boolean = false;
-  private _needsFullRefresh: boolean = false;
   private _characterJoinerRegistry: ICharacterJoinerRegistry;
 
   public dimensions: IRenderDimensions;
@@ -53,14 +51,6 @@ export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
     this._devicePixelRatio = window.devicePixelRatio;
     this._updateDimensions();
     this.onOptionsChanged();
-
-    // Detect whether IntersectionObserver is detected and enable renderer pause
-    // and resume based on terminal visibility if so
-    if ('IntersectionObserver' in window) {
-      const observer = new IntersectionObserver(e => this.onIntersectionChange(e[e.length - 1]), { threshold: 0 });
-      observer.observe(this._terminal.element);
-      this.register({ dispose: () => observer.disconnect() });
-    }
   }
 
   public dispose(): void {
@@ -68,14 +58,6 @@ export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
     this._renderLayers.forEach(l => l.dispose());
   }
 
-  public onIntersectionChange(entry: IntersectionObserverEntry): void {
-    this._isPaused = entry.intersectionRatio === 0;
-    if (!this._isPaused && this._needsFullRefresh) {
-      this._terminal.refresh(0, this._terminal.rows - 1);
-      this._needsFullRefresh = false;
-    }
-  }
-
   public onDevicePixelRatioChange(): void {
     // If the device pixel ratio changed, the char atlas needs to be regenerated
     // and the terminal needs to refreshed
@@ -94,11 +76,7 @@ export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
       l.reset(this._terminal);
     });
 
-    if (this._isPaused) {
-      this._needsFullRefresh = true;
-    } else {
-      this._terminal.refresh(0, this._terminal.rows - 1);
-    }
+    this._terminal.refresh(0, this._terminal.rows - 1);
   }
 
   public onResize(cols: number, rows: number): void {
@@ -109,11 +87,7 @@ export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
     this._renderLayers.forEach(l => l.resize(this._terminal, this.dimensions));
 
     // Force a refresh
-    if (this._isPaused) {
-      this._needsFullRefresh = true;
-    } else {
-      this._terminal.refresh(0, this._terminal.rows - 1);
-    }
+    this._terminal.refresh(0, this._terminal.rows - 1);
 
     // Resize the screen
     this._terminal.screenElement.style.width = `${this.dimensions.canvasWidth}px`;
@@ -149,11 +123,7 @@ export class Renderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
   }
 
   private _runOperation(operation: (layer: IRenderLayer) => void): void {
-    if (this._isPaused) {
-      this._needsFullRefresh = true;
-    } else {
-      this._renderLayers.forEach(l => operation(l));
-    }
+    this._renderLayers.forEach(l => operation(l));
   }
 
   /**