diff --git a/collects/mred/private/mrcanvas.rkt b/collects/mred/private/mrcanvas.rkt
index 1a3282ab63..b0259ff57b 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/mrcanvas.rkt
+++ b/collects/mred/private/mrcanvas.rkt
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-(module mrcanvas mzscheme
+(module mrcanvas racket/base
   (require mzlib/class
 	   mzlib/class100
 	   mzlib/list
-	   (prefix wx: "kernel.ss")
+	   (prefix-in wx: "kernel.ss")
 	   "lock.ss"
 	   "const.ss"
 	   "kw.ss"
@@ -103,7 +103,9 @@
       (private-field [paint-cb paint-callback]
 		     [has-x? (and (list? style) (memq 'hscroll style))]
 		     [has-y? (and (list? style) (memq 'vscroll style))])
-      (inherit get-client-size get-dc set-label)
+      (inherit get-client-size get-dc set-label 
+               suspend-flush resume-flush flush
+               get-canvas-background)
       (rename [super-on-paint on-paint])
       (sequence 
 	(let ([cwho '(constructor canvas)])
@@ -196,6 +198,29 @@
 		    (if (eq? paint-cb default-paint-cb)
 			(super-on-paint)
 			(paint-cb this (get-dc))))])
+      (private-field [no-clear? (memq 'no-autoclear style)])
+      (public
+        [refresh-now (lambda ([do-paint (lambda (dc) (on-paint))]
+                              #:flush? [flush? #t])
+                       (let ([dc (get-dc)])
+                         (dynamic-wind
+                             (lambda ()
+                               (suspend-flush))
+                             (lambda ()
+                               (unless no-clear?
+                                 (let ([bg (get-canvas-background)])
+                                   (if bg
+                                       (let ([old-bg (send dc get-background)])
+                                         (as-entry
+                                          (lambda ()
+                                            (send dc set-background bg)
+                                            (send dc clear)
+                                            (send dc set-background old-bg))))
+                                       (send dc erase))))
+                               (do-paint dc))
+                             (lambda ()
+                               (resume-flush)))
+                         (when flush? (flush))))])
       (private-field
        [wx #f])
       (sequence
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-class.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-class.scrbl
index 701d4e57d9..eaf7751367 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-class.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-class.scrbl
@@ -290,6 +290,22 @@ This method is called only when manual
 }
 
 
+@defmethod[(refresh-now [paint-proc ((is-a?/c dc<%>) . -> . any)
+                                    (lambda (dc) (send @#,this-obj[] on-paint))]
+                        [#:flush? flush? any/c #t])
+           void?]{
+
+Calls @racket[paint-proc] with the canvas's drawing context to immediately
+update the canvas (in contrast to @method[window<%> refresh], which merely
+queues an update request to be handled at the windowing system's discretion).
+
+Before @racket[paint-proc] is called, flushing is disabled for the
+canvas. Also, the canvas is erased, unless the canvas has the
+@racket['no-autoclear] style. After @racket[paint-proc] returns,
+flushing is enabled, and if @racket[flush?] is true, then
+@method[canvas<%> flush] is called immediately.}
+
+
 @defmethod[(scroll [h-value (or/c (real-in 0.0 1.0) false/c)]
                    [v-value (or/c (real-in 0.0 1.0) false/c)])
            void?]{
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-intf.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-intf.scrbl
index 2b480d3fb2..e6dbbda4a6 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-intf.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/gui/canvas-intf.scrbl
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ To draw onto a canvas, get its device context via @method[canvas<%>
 
        Calling an @method[canvas<%> on-paint] method directly is the
        same as drawing outside an @method[canvas<%> on-paint] callback
-       from the windowing system.}
+       from the windowing system. For a @racket[canvas%], use
+       @method[canvas% refresh-now] to force an immediate update of
+       the canvas's content that is otherwise analogous to queueing an
+       update with @method[window<%> refresh].}
 
 ]
 
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ is suspended until the outermost @method[canvas<%> suspend-flush] is
 balanced by a @method[canvas<%> resume-flush]. An @method[canvas<%>
 on-paint] call from the windowing system is implicitly wrapped with
 @method[canvas<%> suspend-flush] and @method[canvas<%> resume-flush]
-calls.
+calls, as is a call to a paint procedure by @method[canvas% refresh-now].
 
 In the case of a transparent canvas, line and text smoothing can
 depend on the window that serves as the canvas's background. For