diff --git a/components/compositing/compositor.rs b/components/compositing/compositor.rs
index 715c3bc8912..895f08795bc 100644
--- a/components/compositing/compositor.rs
+++ b/components/compositing/compositor.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use std::cmp;
 use std::mem;
 use geom::point::{Point2D, TypedPoint2D};
 use geom::rect::{Rect, TypedRect};
-use geom::size::TypedSize2D;
+use geom::size::{Size2D, TypedSize2D};
 use geom::scale_factor::ScaleFactor;
 use gfx::color;
 use gfx::paint_task::Msg as PaintMsg;
@@ -450,8 +450,18 @@ impl<Window: WindowMethods> IOCompositor<Window> {
             return false;
         }
         return self.pipeline_details.values().all(|ref details| {
-                                                     details.paint_state == PaintState::Idle
-                                                  });
+            // If a pipeline exists and has a root layer that has
+            // zero size, it will never be painted. In this case,
+            // consider it as idle to avoid hangs in reftests.
+            if let Some(ref pipeline) = details.pipeline {
+                if let Some(root_layer) = self.find_pipeline_root_layer(pipeline.id) {
+                    if root_layer.bounds.borrow().size == Size2D::zero() {
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            details.paint_state == PaintState::Idle
+        });
     }
 
     fn has_paint_msg_tracking(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/tests/ref/basic.list b/tests/ref/basic.list
index e568e5e2311..96d9178e7b1 100644
--- a/tests/ref/basic.list
+++ b/tests/ref/basic.list
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ flaky_cpu == append_style_a.html append_style_b.html
 
 == iframe/bg_color.html iframe/bg_color_ref.html
 == iframe/hide_and_show.html iframe/hide_and_show_ref.html
+== iframe/hide_layers1.html iframe/hide_layers_ref.html
+== iframe/hide_layers2.html iframe/hide_layers_ref.html
 == iframe/multiple_external.html iframe/multiple_external_ref.html
 == iframe/overflow.html iframe/overflow_ref.html
 == iframe/positioning_margin.html iframe/positioning_margin_ref.html
@@ -107,9 +109,6 @@ flaky_cpu == append_style_a.html append_style_b.html
 == iframe/simple_inline_width_height.html iframe/simple_inline_width_height_ref.html
 == iframe/simple_inline_width_percentage.html iframe/simple_inline_width_percentage_ref.html
 
-# gw: race condition here caused by pipelines never painting when removed from document
-#== iframe/hide_layers1.html iframe/hide_layers_ref.html
-#== iframe/hide_layers2.html iframe/hide_layers_ref.html
 != image_rendering_auto_a.html image_rendering_pixelated_a.html
 == image_rendering_pixelated_a.html image_rendering_pixelated_ref.html
 == img_block_display_a.html img_block_display_ref.html