diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/private.h b/libvips/include/vips/private.h
index bde61ed9..75682b3f 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/private.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/private.h
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ typedef struct im__buffer_t {
 void im_buffer_done( im_buffer_t *buffer );
 void im_buffer_undone( im_buffer_t *buffer );
 void im_buffer_unref( im_buffer_t *buffer );
+im_buffer_t *im_buffer_new( struct _VipsImage *im, Rect *area );
 im_buffer_t *im_buffer_ref( struct _VipsImage *im, Rect *area );
 im_buffer_t *im_buffer_unref_ref( im_buffer_t *buffer, 
 	struct _VipsImage *im, Rect *area );
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/buffer.c b/libvips/iofuncs/buffer.c
index 8e98d372..bf450986 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/buffer.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/buffer.c
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ im_buffer_unref( im_buffer_t *buffer )
 
 /* Make a new buffer.
  */
-static im_buffer_t *
-buffer_new( IMAGE *im, Rect *area )
+im_buffer_t *
+im_buffer_new( IMAGE *im, Rect *area )
 {
 	im_buffer_t *buffer;
 
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ buffer_new( IMAGE *im, Rect *area )
 	}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "** buffer_new: left = %d, top = %d, "
+	printf( "** im_buffer_new: left = %d, top = %d, "
 		"width = %d, height = %d (%p)\n",
 		buffer->area.left, buffer->area.top, 
 		buffer->area.width, buffer->area.height, 
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ im_buffer_ref( IMAGE *im, Rect *area )
 	if( !(buffer = buffer_find( im, area )) ) 
 		/* No existing buffer ... make a new one.
 		 */
-		if( !(buffer = buffer_new( im, area )) ) 
+		if( !(buffer = im_buffer_new( im, area )) ) 
 			return( NULL );
 
 	return( buffer );
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ im_buffer_unref_ref( im_buffer_t *old_buffer, IMAGE *im, Rect *area )
 	/* Fallback ... unref the old one, make a new one.
 	 */
 	IM_FREEF( im_buffer_unref, old_buffer );
-	if( !(buffer = buffer_new( im, area )) ) 
+	if( !(buffer = im_buffer_new( im, area )) ) 
 		return( NULL );
 
 	return( buffer );
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/region.c b/libvips/iofuncs/region.c
index 76022923..2bc17633 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/region.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/region.c
@@ -452,18 +452,27 @@ im_region_buffer( REGION *reg, Rect *r )
 		return( -1 );
 	}
 
-	/* Don't call im_region_reset() ... we combine buffer unref and new
-	 * buffer ref in one call to reduce malloc/free cycling.
-	 */
-	IM_FREEF( im_window_unref, reg->window );
-	if( !(reg->buffer = im_buffer_unref_ref( reg->buffer, im, &clipped )) ) 
-		return( -1 );
 
-	/* If we've been asked to drop caches, flag this as undone.
+	/* Have we been asked to drop caches? We want to throw everything
+	 * away.
+	 *
+	 * If not, try to reuse the current buffer.
 	 */
 	if( reg->invalid ) {
+		im_region_reset( reg );
+		if( !(reg->buffer = im_buffer_ref( im, &clipped )) ) 
+			return( -1 );
 		im_buffer_undone( reg->buffer );
-		reg->invalid = FALSE;
+	}
+	else {
+		/* Don't call im_region_reset() ... we combine buffer unref 
+		 * and new buffer ref in one call to reduce malloc/free 
+		 * cycling.
+		 */
+		IM_FREEF( im_window_unref, reg->window );
+		if( !(reg->buffer = 
+			im_buffer_unref_ref( reg->buffer, im, &clipped )) ) 
+			return( -1 );
 	}
 
 	/* Init new stuff.