diff --git a/document.c b/document.c
index 7af7f23..99a41fb 100644
--- a/document.c
+++ b/document.c
@@ -385,9 +385,13 @@ zathura_page_get(zathura_document_t* document, unsigned int page_id)
   zathura_page_t* page = document->functions.page_get(document, page_id);
 
   if (page) {
-    page->number    = page_id;
-    page->rendered  = false;
-    page->event_box = gtk_event_box_new();
+    page->number       = page_id;
+    page->rendered     = false;
+    page->event_box    = gtk_event_box_new();
+    page->drawing_area = gtk_drawing_area_new();
+
+    gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(page->event_box), page->drawing_area);
+
     g_static_mutex_init(&(page->lock));
   }
 
diff --git a/document.h b/document.h
index c39d8e1..5fb78e2 100644
--- a/document.h
+++ b/document.h
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ typedef struct zathura_page_s
   zathura_document_t* document; /**> Document */
   void* data; /**> Custom data */
   bool rendered; /**> Page has been rendered */
-  GtkWidget* event_box; /**> Widget wrapper */
+  GtkWidget* event_box; /**> Widget wrapper for mouse events */
+  GtkWidget* drawing_area; /**> Drawing area */
   GStaticMutex lock; /**> Lock */
 } zathura_page_t;
 
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 61fd660..02208b7 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -170,10 +170,7 @@ render(zathura_page_t* page)
   }
 
   /* draw to gtk widget */
-  GtkWidget* drawing_area = gtk_drawing_area_new();
-  gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(page->event_box), drawing_area);
-
-  cairo_t* cairo = gdk_cairo_create(drawing_area->window);
+  cairo_t* cairo = gdk_cairo_create(page->drawing_area->window);
   cairo_set_source_surface(cairo, surface, 0, 0);
   cairo_paint(cairo);
   cairo_destroy(cairo);
diff --git a/zathura.c b/zathura.c
index 2bdc7ff..df916b2 100644
--- a/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura.c
@@ -224,16 +224,12 @@ create_blank_pages()
     zathura_page_t* page = Zathura.document->pages[i];
     g_static_mutex_lock(&(page->lock));
 
-    /* create blank page */
-    GtkWidget* image = page_blank(page->width, page->height);
+    cairo_t* cairo = gdk_cairo_create(page->drawing_area->window);
+    cairo_set_source_rgb(cairo, 1, 1, 1);
+    cairo_rectangle(cairo, 0, 0, page->width, page->height);
+    cairo_fill(cairo);
+    cairo_destroy(cairo);
 
-    if (!image) {
-      g_static_mutex_unlock(&(page->lock));
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    /* pack to page view */
-    gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(page->event_box), image);
     g_static_mutex_unlock(&(page->lock));
   }
 }