diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html.c b/content/handlers/html/html.c
index bcbd4382a..ed48af20e 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html.c
@@ -1592,6 +1592,7 @@ static void html_reformat(struct content *c, int width, int height)
 	selection_reinit(&htmlc->sel, htmlc->layout);
 
 	htmlc->reflowing = false;
+	htmlc->had_initial_layout = true;
 
 	/* calculate next reflow time at three times what it took to reflow */
 	nsu_getmonotonic_ms(&ms_after);
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h b/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
index 2ba96f0f8..7a8d95612 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ typedef struct html_content {
 	/** Whether a layout (reflow) is in progress */
 	bool reflowing;
 
+	/** Whether an initial layout has been done */
+	bool had_initial_layout;
+
 	/** Whether scripts are enabled for this content */
 	bool enable_scripting;
 
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html_object.c b/content/handlers/html/html_object.c
index acd32565b..37bf29faf 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html_object.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html_object.c
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@ html_object_callback(hlcache_handle *object,
 				box->flags & REPLACE_DIM) {
 			union content_msg_data data;
 
+			if (c->had_initial_layout == false) {
+				break;
+			}
+
 			if (!box_visible(box))
 				break;
 
@@ -212,6 +216,10 @@ html_object_callback(hlcache_handle *object,
 		if (c->base.status != CONTENT_STATUS_LOADING) {
 			union content_msg_data data = event->data;
 
+			if (c->had_initial_layout == false) {
+				break;
+			}
+
 			if (!box_visible(box))
 				break;