diff --git a/java/res/xml/prefs.xml b/java/res/xml/prefs.xml
index ef6be3eed..f7c993d9d 100644
--- a/java/res/xml/prefs.xml
+++ b/java/res/xml/prefs.xml
@@ -138,11 +138,11 @@
                 android:persistent="true"
                 android:defaultValue="true" />
             <CheckBoxPreference
-                android:key="pref_gesture_floating_preview_text"
+                android:key="pref_show_gesture_floating_preview_text"
                 android:title="@string/gesture_floating_preview_text"
                 android:summary="@string/gesture_floating_preview_text_summary"
                 android:persistent="true"
-                android:defaultValue="true" />
+                android:defaultValue="false" />
         </PreferenceScreen>
     </PreferenceCategory>
 </PreferenceScreen>
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/keyboard/internal/PreviewPlacerView.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/keyboard/internal/PreviewPlacerView.java
index 3a850096f..915ce1f36 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/keyboard/internal/PreviewPlacerView.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/keyboard/internal/PreviewPlacerView.java
@@ -189,22 +189,29 @@ public class PreviewPlacerView extends RelativeLayout {
     }
 
     public void invalidatePointer(final PointerTracker tracker, final boolean isOldestTracker) {
-        GesturePreviewTrail trail;
-        synchronized (mGesturePreviewTrails) {
-            trail = mGesturePreviewTrails.get(tracker.mPointerId);
-            if (trail == null) {
-                trail = new GesturePreviewTrail();
-                mGesturePreviewTrails.put(tracker.mPointerId, trail);
-            }
-        }
-        trail.addStroke(tracker.getGestureStrokeWithPreviewTrail(), tracker.getDownTime());
-
-        if (isOldestTracker) {
+        final boolean needsToUpdateLastPointer =
+                isOldestTracker && mDrawsGestureFloatingPreviewText;
+        if (needsToUpdateLastPointer) {
             mLastPointerX = tracker.getLastX();
             mLastPointerY = tracker.getLastY();
         }
+
+        if (mDrawsGesturePreviewTrail) {
+            GesturePreviewTrail trail;
+            synchronized (mGesturePreviewTrails) {
+                trail = mGesturePreviewTrails.get(tracker.mPointerId);
+                if (trail == null) {
+                    trail = new GesturePreviewTrail();
+                    mGesturePreviewTrails.put(tracker.mPointerId, trail);
+                }
+            }
+            trail.addStroke(tracker.getGestureStrokeWithPreviewTrail(), tracker.getDownTime());
+        }
+
         // TODO: Should narrow the invalidate region.
-        invalidate();
+        if (mDrawsGesturePreviewTrail || needsToUpdateLastPointer) {
+            invalidate();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -262,6 +269,7 @@ public class PreviewPlacerView extends RelativeLayout {
     }
 
     public void setGestureFloatingPreviewText(final String gestureFloatingPreviewText) {
+        if (!mDrawsGestureFloatingPreviewText) return;
         mGestureFloatingPreviewText = gestureFloatingPreviewText;
         invalidate();
     }
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/Settings.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/Settings.java
index 180f6c56f..c2dec2593 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/Settings.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/Settings.java
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ public class Settings extends InputMethodSettingsFragment
     public static final String PREF_KEYPRESS_SOUND_VOLUME =
             "pref_keypress_sound_volume";
     public static final String PREF_GESTURE_PREVIEW_TRAIL = "pref_gesture_preview_trail";
-    public static final String PREF_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT =
-            "pref_gesture_floating_preview_text";
+    public static final String PREF_SHOW_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT =
+            "pref_show_gesture_floating_preview_text";
 
     public static final String PREF_INPUT_LANGUAGE = "input_language";
     public static final String PREF_SELECTED_LANGUAGES = "selected_languages";
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ public class Settings extends InputMethodSettingsFragment
                 R.bool.config_gesture_input_enabled_by_build_config);
         final Preference gesturePreviewTrail = findPreference(PREF_GESTURE_PREVIEW_TRAIL);
         final Preference gestureFloatingPreviewText = findPreference(
-                PREF_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT);
+                PREF_SHOW_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT);
         if (!gestureInputEnabledByBuildConfig) {
             miscSettings.removePreference(findPreference(PREF_GESTURE_INPUT));
             miscSettings.removePreference(gesturePreviewTrail);
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ public class Settings extends InputMethodSettingsFragment
                         PREF_GESTURE_INPUT, true);
                 setPreferenceEnabled(findPreference(PREF_GESTURE_PREVIEW_TRAIL),
                         gestureInputEnabledByUser);
-                setPreferenceEnabled(findPreference(PREF_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT),
+                setPreferenceEnabled(findPreference(PREF_SHOW_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT),
                         gestureInputEnabledByUser);
             }
         }
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SettingsValues.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SettingsValues.java
index 5e9c870d4..d9cf2700b 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SettingsValues.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/SettingsValues.java
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ public final class SettingsValues {
                 && prefs.getBoolean(Settings.PREF_GESTURE_INPUT, true);
         mGesturePreviewTrailEnabled = prefs.getBoolean(Settings.PREF_GESTURE_PREVIEW_TRAIL, true);
         mGestureFloatingPreviewTextEnabled = prefs.getBoolean(
-                Settings.PREF_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT, true);
+                Settings.PREF_SHOW_GESTURE_FLOATING_PREVIEW_TEXT, false);
         mCorrectionEnabled = mAutoCorrectEnabled && !mInputAttributes.mInputTypeNoAutoCorrect;
         mSuggestionVisibility = createSuggestionVisibility(res);
     }