diff --git a/shared/app/nav.desktop.js b/shared/app/nav.desktop.js
index 720e8e748013..dc83bc36f06b 100644
--- a/shared/app/nav.desktop.js
+++ b/shared/app/nav.desktop.js
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ function Nav(props: Props) {
           badgeNumbers={props.navBadges.toJS()}
         />}
       <Box style={{...globalStyles.flexBoxColumn, flex: 1}}>
-        {visibleScreen.component}
-        {layerScreens.map(r => r.leafComponent)}
+        {visibleScreen.component({isActive: true})}
+        {layerScreens.map(r => r.leafComponent({isActive: true}))}
       </Box>
       <div id="popupContainer" />
       {![chatTab, loginTab].includes(props.routeSelected) &&
diff --git a/shared/app/nav.native.js b/shared/app/nav.native.js
index 7b2f0b98d788..f4423aba7417 100644
--- a/shared/app/nav.native.js
+++ b/shared/app/nav.native.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type OwnProps = RouteProps<{}, {}>
 
 type CardStackShimProps = {
   mode?: 'modal',
-  renderRoute: (route: RenderRouteResult) => React$Element<*>,
+  renderRoute: (route: RenderRouteResult, isActive: boolean) => React$Element<*>,
   onNavigateBack: () => void,
   stack: RouteRenderStack,
   hidden?: boolean,
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ class CardStackShim extends Component<*, CardStackShimProps, *> {
   getComponentForRouteName = () => this.RenderRouteShim
 
   RenderRouteShim = ({navigation}) => {
-    const route = navigation.state.params
-    return this.props.renderRoute(route)
+    const {route, isActive} = navigation.state.params
+    return this.props.renderRoute(route, isActive)
   }
 
   _dispatchShim = (action: NavigationAction) => {
@@ -67,9 +67,12 @@ class CardStackShim extends Component<*, CardStackShimProps, *> {
       state: {
         index: stack.size - 1,
         routes: stack
-          .map(route => {
+          .map((route, index) => {
             const routeName = route.path.join('/')
-            return {key: routeName, routeName, params: route}
+            // Immutable.Stack indexes go from N-1(top/front)...0(bottom/back)
+            // The bottom/back item of the stack is our top (active) screen
+            const isActive = !this.props.hidden && index === 0
+            return {key: routeName, routeName, params: {route, isActive}}
           })
           .toArray(),
       },
@@ -114,11 +117,11 @@ const barStyle = ({showStatusBarDarkContent, underStatusBar}) => {
   return 'dark-content'
 }
 
-function renderStackRoute(route) {
+function renderStackRoute(route, isActive) {
   const {underStatusBar, hideStatusBar, showStatusBarDarkContent} = route.tags
   // Skip extra view if no statusbar
   if (hideStatusBar) {
-    return route.component
+    return route.component({isActive})
   }
 
   return (
@@ -129,7 +132,7 @@ function renderStackRoute(route) {
         backgroundColor="rgba(0, 26, 51, 0.25)"
         barStyle={barStyle({showStatusBarDarkContent, underStatusBar})}
       />
-      {route.component}
+      {route.component({isActive})}
     </Box>
   )
 }
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ function Nav(props: Props) {
   const mainScreens = baseScreens.takeUntil(fullscreenPred)
   const fullScreens = baseScreens.skipUntil(fullscreenPred).unshift({
     path: ['main'],
-    component: <MainNavStack {...props} routeStack={mainScreens} />,
+    component: () => <MainNavStack {...props} routeStack={mainScreens} />,
     tags: {underStatusBar: true}, // don't pad nav stack (child screens have own padding)
   })
 
@@ -235,7 +238,7 @@ function Nav(props: Props) {
     />
   )
   const layerScreens = props.routeStack.filter(r => r.tags.layerOnTop)
-  const layers = layerScreens.map(r => r.leafComponent)
+  const layers = layerScreens.map(r => r.leafComponent({isActive: true}))
 
   // If we have layers, lets add an extra box, else lets just pass through
   if (layers.count()) {
diff --git a/shared/chat/conversation/container.js b/shared/chat/conversation/container.js
index 466ff715b825..d2fdbda9abf1 100644
--- a/shared/chat/conversation/container.js
+++ b/shared/chat/conversation/container.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import * as Creators from '../../actions/chat/creators'
 import Conversation from './index'
 import NoConversation from './no-conversation'
 import Rekey from './rekey/container'
-import {connect} from 'react-redux'
+import pausableConnect from '../../util/pausable-connect'
 import {getProfile} from '../../actions/tracker'
 import {withState, withHandlers, compose, branch, renderNothing, renderComponent} from 'recompose'
 import {selectedSearchIdHoc} from '../../searchv3/helpers'
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ const mergeProps = (stateProps: StateProps, dispatchProps: DispatchProps) => {
 }
 
 export default compose(
-  connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps, mergeProps),
+  pausableConnect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps, mergeProps),
   branch((props: Props) => !props.selectedConversationIDKey, renderNothing),
   branch(
     (props: Props) => props.selectedConversationIDKey === Constants.nothingSelected && !props.inSearch,
diff --git a/shared/chat/inbox/container.js b/shared/chat/inbox/container.js
index 8aa92ea30b83..adce46071f99 100644
--- a/shared/chat/inbox/container.js
+++ b/shared/chat/inbox/container.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import * as I from 'immutable'
 import * as Constants from '../../constants/chat'
 import Inbox from './index'
-import {connect} from 'react-redux'
+import pausableConnect from '../../util/pausable-connect'
 import {createSelectorCreator, defaultMemoize} from 'reselect'
 import {loadInbox, newChat, untrustedInboxVisible} from '../../actions/chat/creators'
 import {compose, lifecycle} from 'recompose'
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = (dispatch: Dispatch) => ({
 const throttleHelper = throttle(cb => cb(), 60 * 1000)
 
 export default compose(
-  connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps),
+  pausableConnect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps),
   lifecycle({
     componentDidMount: function() {
       throttleHelper(() => {
diff --git a/shared/chat/render.desktop.js b/shared/chat/render.desktop.js
index e7de82c3a6a9..a5f11338c2d1 100644
--- a/shared/chat/render.desktop.js
+++ b/shared/chat/render.desktop.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import React from 'react'
 import Inbox from './inbox/container'
 import {globalStyles} from '../styles'
 
-const Render = ({children}: {children: any}) => (
+const Render = ({isActive, children}: {isActive: boolean, children: any}) => (
   <div style={style}>
-    <Inbox />
+    <Inbox isActive={isActive} />
     {children}
   </div>
 )
diff --git a/shared/folders/index.js b/shared/folders/index.js
index 9a041d292ee3..6ad19980ba21 100644
--- a/shared/folders/index.js
+++ b/shared/folders/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 import React, {Component} from 'react'
 import Render from './render'
-import {connect} from 'react-redux'
+import pausableConnect from '../util/pausable-connect'
 import {favoriteList} from '../actions/favorite'
 import {openInKBFS} from '../actions/kbfs'
 import {openTlfInChat} from '../actions/chat'
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = (dispatch: any, {routePath, routeState, setRouteState
   onToggleShowIgnored: () => setRouteState({showingIgnored: !routeState.showingIgnored}),
 })
 
-const ConnectedFolders = connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps)(Folders)
+const ConnectedFolders = pausableConnect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps)(Folders)
 
 export function PrivateFolders(props: FoldersRouteProps) {
   return <ConnectedFolders showingPrivate={true} {...props} />
diff --git a/shared/profile/container.js b/shared/profile/container.js
index d29f161f9bc8..712aab02a8ed 100644
--- a/shared/profile/container.js
+++ b/shared/profile/container.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
   checkProof,
 } from '../actions/profile'
 import {searchSuggestions} from '../actions/searchv3/creators'
-import {connect} from 'react-redux'
+import pausableConnect from '../util/pausable-connect'
 import {getProfile, updateTrackers, onFollow, onUnfollow, openProofUrl} from '../actions/tracker'
 import {isLoading} from '../constants/tracker'
 import {isTesting} from '../local-debug'
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class ProfileContainer extends PureComponent<void, EitherProps<Props>, void> {
   }
 }
 
-export default connect(
+export default pausableConnect(
   (state, {routeProps, routeState, routePath}: OwnProps) => {
     const myUsername = state.config.username
     const username = routeProps.username ? routeProps.username : myUsername
diff --git a/shared/route-tree/render-route.js b/shared/route-tree/render-route.js
index e8ef257847a0..cb7a7a11e45f 100644
--- a/shared/route-tree/render-route.js
+++ b/shared/route-tree/render-route.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import type {RouteDefNode, RouteStateNode, Path} from './'
 type _RenderRouteResultParams = {
   path: I.List<string>,
   tags: LeafTags,
-  component: React$Element<any>,
-  leafComponent: React$Element<any>,
+  component: ({isActive: boolean}) => React$Element<any>,
+  leafComponent: ({isActive: boolean}) => React$Element<any>,
 }
 
 export const RenderRouteResult: (
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export type RouteProps<P, S> = {
 }
 
 type RenderRouteNodeProps<S> = {
+  isActive: boolean,
   isContainer: boolean,
   routeDef: RouteDefNode,
   routeState: RouteStateNode,
@@ -68,10 +69,21 @@ type RenderRouteNodeProps<S> = {
 // shouldComponentUpdate (via PureComponent).
 class RenderRouteNode extends PureComponent<*, RenderRouteNodeProps<*>, *> {
   render() {
-    const {isContainer, routeDef, routeState, setRouteState, path, leafTags, stack, children} = this.props
+    const {
+      isActive,
+      isContainer,
+      routeDef,
+      routeState,
+      setRouteState,
+      path,
+      leafTags,
+      stack,
+      children,
+    } = this.props
     const RouteComponent = isContainer ? routeDef.containerComponent : routeDef.component
     return (
       <RouteComponent
+        isActive={isActive}
         routeProps={routeState.props.toObject()}
         routeState={routeDef.initialState.merge(routeState.state).toObject()}
         routeSelected={routeState.selected}
@@ -135,8 +147,9 @@ function renderRouteStack({
       // If this route specifies a container component, compose it around every
       // view in the stack.
       stack = stack.map(r =>
-        r.update('component', child => (
+        r.update('component', child => ({isActive}) => (
           <RenderRouteNode
+            isActive={isActive}
             isContainer={true}
             routeDef={routeDef}
             routeState={routeState}
@@ -145,7 +158,7 @@ function renderRouteStack({
             leafTags={childStack.last().tags}
             stack={childStack}
           >
-            {child}
+            {child({isActive})}
           </RenderRouteNode>
         ))
       )
@@ -154,8 +167,9 @@ function renderRouteStack({
 
   if (routeDef.component) {
     // If this path has a leaf component to render, add it to the stack.
-    const routeComponent = (
+    const routeComponent = ({isActive}) => (
       <RenderRouteNode
+        isActive={isActive}
         isContainer={false}
         routeDef={routeDef}
         routeState={routeState}
@@ -188,6 +202,6 @@ export default class RenderRoute extends PureComponent<*, RenderRouteProps<*>, *
     // renderRouteStack gives us a stack of all views down the current route path.
     // This component renders the bottom (currently visible) one.
     var viewStack = renderRouteStack({...this.props, path: I.List()})
-    return viewStack.last().component
+    return viewStack.last().component({isActive: true})
   }
 }
diff --git a/shared/settings/index.js b/shared/settings/index.js
index b9c1f0a157ba..b014d44507af 100644
--- a/shared/settings/index.js
+++ b/shared/settings/index.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 // @flow
 import SettingsContainer from './render'
-import {connect} from 'react-redux'
+import pausableConnect from '../util/pausable-connect'
 import {switchTo} from '../actions/route-tree'
 import {logout} from '../actions/login/creators'
 
 import type {RouteProps} from '../route-tree/render-route'
 
 // $FlowIssue type this connector
-export default connect(
+export default pausableConnect(
   (state, {routeSelected, routeLeafTags}: RouteProps<{}, {}>) => ({
     badgeNumbers: {}, // TODO add badging logic
     selectedTab: routeSelected,
diff --git a/shared/util/pausable-connect.js b/shared/util/pausable-connect.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0c9b9fc38fef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/util/pausable-connect.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// @flow
+import {createConnect} from 'react-redux/src/connect/connect'
+import defaultSelectorFactory from 'react-redux/src/connect/selectorFactory'
+
+import typeof {connect} from 'react-redux'
+
+function selectorFactory(dispatch, factoryOptions) {
+  const selector = defaultSelectorFactory(dispatch, factoryOptions)
+  let cachedResult
+  const pausableSelector = function(state, ownProps) {
+    if (ownProps.isActive || cachedResult === undefined) {
+      cachedResult = selector(state, ownProps)
+    }
+    return cachedResult
+  }
+  return pausableSelector
+}
+
+const pausableConnect: connect = createConnect({selectorFactory})
+
+export default pausableConnect