diff --git a/src/client/mapblock_mesh.cpp b/src/client/mapblock_mesh.cpp
index 9b5612148..04c50ad99 100644
--- a/src/client/mapblock_mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/client/mapblock_mesh.cpp
@@ -906,6 +906,7 @@ void MapBlockMesh::updateTransparentBuffers(v3f camera_pos, v3s16 block_pos)
 	m_bsp_tree.traverse(rel_camera_pos, triangle_refs);
 
 	// arrange index sequences into partial buffers
+	m_transparent_buffers_consolidated = false;
 	m_transparent_buffers.clear();
 
 	scene::SMeshBuffer *current_buffer = nullptr;
@@ -930,6 +931,8 @@ void MapBlockMesh::updateTransparentBuffers(v3f camera_pos, v3s16 block_pos)
 
 void MapBlockMesh::consolidateTransparentBuffers()
 {
+	if (m_transparent_buffers_consolidated)
+		return;
 	m_transparent_buffers.clear();
 
 	scene::SMeshBuffer *current_buffer = nullptr;
@@ -952,6 +955,8 @@ void MapBlockMesh::consolidateTransparentBuffers()
 	if (!current_strain.empty()) {
 		this->m_transparent_buffers.emplace_back(current_buffer, std::move(current_strain));
 	}
+
+	m_transparent_buffers_consolidated = true;
 }
 
 video::SColor encode_light(u16 light, u8 emissive_light)
diff --git a/src/client/mapblock_mesh.h b/src/client/mapblock_mesh.h
index 7cd368762..6ddd988aa 100644
--- a/src/client/mapblock_mesh.h
+++ b/src/client/mapblock_mesh.h
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ private:
 	MapBlockBspTree m_bsp_tree;
 	// Ordered list of references to parts of transparent buffers to draw
 	std::vector<PartialMeshBuffer> m_transparent_buffers;
+	// Is m_transparent_buffers currently in consolidated form?
+	bool m_transparent_buffers_consolidated = false;
 };
 
 /*!