diff --git a/shared-module/displayio/Display.c b/shared-module/displayio/Display.c
index 37d72a82f2..bb7e40f41d 100644
--- a/shared-module/displayio/Display.c
+++ b/shared-module/displayio/Display.c
@@ -328,11 +328,10 @@ STATIC bool _refresh_area(displayio_display_obj_t* self, const displayio_area_t*
 }
 
 STATIC void _refresh_display(displayio_display_obj_t* self) {
-    if (!displayio_display_core_bus_free(&self->core)) {
-        // Can't acquire display bus; skip updating this display. Try next display.
+    if (!displayio_display_core_start_refresh(&self->core)) {
+        // A refresh on this bus is already in progress.  Try next display.
         return;
     }
-    displayio_display_core_start_refresh(&self->core);
     const displayio_area_t* current_area = _get_refresh_areas(self);
     while (current_area != NULL) {
         _refresh_area(self, current_area);
diff --git a/shared-module/displayio/__init__.c b/shared-module/displayio/__init__.c
index 101dac4b3e..a9bb3b21b6 100644
--- a/shared-module/displayio/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-module/displayio/__init__.c
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ STATIC bool any_display_uses_this_framebuffer(mp_obj_base_t *obj) {
 }
 #endif
 
-// Check for recursive calls to displayio_background.
-bool displayio_background_in_progress = false;
 
 void displayio_background(void) {
     if (mp_hal_is_interrupted()) {
@@ -52,12 +50,6 @@ void displayio_background(void) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (displayio_background_in_progress) {
-        // Don't allow recursive calls to this routine.
-        return;
-    }
-
-    displayio_background_in_progress = true;
 
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < CIRCUITPY_DISPLAY_LIMIT; i++) {
         if (displays[i].display.base.type == NULL || displays[i].display.base.type == &mp_type_NoneType) {
@@ -75,8 +67,6 @@ void displayio_background(void) {
         }
     }
 
-    // All done.
-    displayio_background_in_progress = false;
 }
 
 void common_hal_displayio_release_displays(void) {
diff --git a/shared-module/displayio/display_core.c b/shared-module/displayio/display_core.c
index c592202fba..6975e0af11 100644
--- a/shared-module/displayio/display_core.c
+++ b/shared-module/displayio/display_core.c
@@ -316,8 +316,17 @@ void displayio_display_core_set_region_to_update(displayio_display_core_t* self,
     }
 }
 
-void displayio_display_core_start_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self) {
+bool displayio_display_core_start_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self) {
+    if (!displayio_display_core_bus_free(self)) {
+        // Can't acquire display bus; skip updating this display. Try next display.
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (self->refresh_in_progress) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    self->refresh_in_progress = true;
     self->last_refresh = supervisor_ticks_ms64();
+    return true;
 }
 
 void displayio_display_core_finish_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self) {
@@ -326,6 +335,7 @@ void displayio_display_core_finish_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self) {
         displayio_group_finish_refresh(self->current_group);
     }
     self->full_refresh = false;
+    self->refresh_in_progress = false;
     self->last_refresh = supervisor_ticks_ms64();
 }
 
diff --git a/shared-module/displayio/display_core.h b/shared-module/displayio/display_core.h
index 3b45f79464..fe6cb6f3f5 100644
--- a/shared-module/displayio/display_core.h
+++ b/shared-module/displayio/display_core.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ typedef struct {
     int16_t colstart;
     int16_t rowstart;
     bool full_refresh; // New group means we need to refresh the whole display.
+    bool refresh_in_progress;
 } displayio_display_core_t;
 
 void displayio_display_core_construct(displayio_display_core_t* self,
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ void displayio_display_core_set_region_to_update(displayio_display_core_t* self,
 
 void release_display_core(displayio_display_core_t* self);
 
-void displayio_display_core_start_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self);
+bool displayio_display_core_start_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self);
 void displayio_display_core_finish_refresh(displayio_display_core_t* self);
 
 void displayio_display_core_collect_ptrs(displayio_display_core_t* self);