diff --git a/console.h b/console.h
index a0da498..6dad8d0 100644
--- a/console.h
+++ b/console.h
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ struct DisplayAllocator {
 struct DisplayState {
     struct DisplaySurface *surface;
     void *opaque;
-    struct QEMUTimer *gui_timer;
 
     struct DisplayAllocator* allocator;
     QLIST_HEAD(, DisplayChangeListener) listeners;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 2cfeab1..5181d16 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ int nb_numa_nodes;
 uint64_t node_mem[MAX_NODES];
 uint64_t node_cpumask[MAX_NODES];
 
-static QEMUTimer *nographic_timer;
+static QEMUTimer *gui_timer;
 
 uint8_t qemu_uuid[16];
 
@@ -1532,22 +1532,17 @@ static void gui_update(void *opaque)
     DisplayChangeListener *dcl;
 
     qemu_flush_coalesced_mmio_buffer();
-    dpy_refresh(ds);
 
-    QLIST_FOREACH(dcl, &ds->listeners, next) {
-        if (dcl->gui_timer_interval &&
-            dcl->gui_timer_interval < interval)
-            interval = dcl->gui_timer_interval;
+    if (ds != NULL && !QLIST_EMPTY(&ds->listeners)) {
+        dpy_refresh(ds);
+        QLIST_FOREACH(dcl, &ds->listeners, next) {
+            if (dcl->gui_timer_interval &&
+                dcl->gui_timer_interval < interval)
+                interval = dcl->gui_timer_interval;
+        }
     }
-    qemu_mod_timer(ds->gui_timer, interval + qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
-}
-
-static void nographic_update(void *opaque)
-{
-    uint64_t interval = GUI_REFRESH_INTERVAL;
 
-    qemu_flush_coalesced_mmio_buffer();
-    qemu_mod_timer(nographic_timer, interval + qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
+    qemu_mod_timer(gui_timer, interval + qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
 }
 
 struct vm_change_state_entry {
@@ -2290,7 +2285,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     const char *kernel_filename, *kernel_cmdline;
     char boot_devices[33] = "cad"; /* default to HD->floppy->CD-ROM */
     DisplayState *ds;
-    DisplayChangeListener *dcl;
     int cyls, heads, secs, translation;
     QemuOpts *hda_opts = NULL, *opts;
     int optind;
@@ -3407,18 +3401,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     }
     dpy_resize(ds);
 
-    QLIST_FOREACH(dcl, &ds->listeners, next) {
-        if (dcl->dpy_refresh != NULL) {
-            ds->gui_timer = qemu_new_timer(rt_clock, gui_update, ds);
-            qemu_mod_timer(ds->gui_timer, qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (display_type == DT_NOGRAPHIC || display_type == DT_VNC) {
-        nographic_timer = qemu_new_timer(rt_clock, nographic_update, NULL);
-        qemu_mod_timer(nographic_timer, qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
-    }
+    gui_timer = qemu_new_timer(rt_clock, gui_update, ds);
+    qemu_mod_timer(gui_timer, qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
 
     text_consoles_set_display(ds);