diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 62e39981..02e88cc6 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 - add bandand()/or()/eor() to cplusplus binding [clcaalu]
 - implement shrink-on-load for tiff pyramids [jcupitt]
 - added vips_image_set_blob_copy() [jcupitt]
-- don't stop composite on first non-transparent image [felixbuenemann]
+- don't stop composite on first non-transparent image [felixbuenemann, GDmac]
 - add vips_rect_overlapsrect()
+- composite is much faster at positioning subimages
 
 21/11/18 started 8.7.3
 - fix infinite loop for autofit with non-scaleable font 
diff --git a/libvips/conversion/composite.cpp b/libvips/conversion/composite.cpp
index aee62693..5c0f4f0f 100644
--- a/libvips/conversion/composite.cpp
+++ b/libvips/conversion/composite.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
  * 11/8/18 [medakk]
  * 	- x/y params let you position images
  * 27/11/18
- * 	- don't stop on first non-transparent image [felixbuenemann]
+ * 	- don't stop on first non-transparent image [felixbuenemann, GDmac]
  * 6/12/18
  *	- do our own subimage positioning
  */
@@ -1356,8 +1356,11 @@ vips_composite_base_build( VipsObject *object )
 		return( -1 );
 	in = format;
 
+	/* We want locality, so that we only prepare a few subimages each
+	 * time.
+	 */
 	if( vips_image_pipeline_array( conversion->out,
-		VIPS_DEMAND_STYLE_THINSTRIP, in ) )
+		VIPS_DEMAND_STYLE_SMALLTILE, in ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	/* The output image is always the size of the base image.