diff --git a/components/layout/block.rs b/components/layout/block.rs
index b2aa6f3dd52..e5ef740132c 100644
--- a/components/layout/block.rs
+++ b/components/layout/block.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ use style::computed_values::{position, text_align};
 use style::context::SharedStyleContext;
 use style::logical_geometry::{LogicalPoint, LogicalRect, LogicalSize, WritingMode};
 use style::properties::ComputedValues;
-use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPOSITION};
+use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW};
 use style::values::computed::{LengthOrPercentageOrNone, LengthOrPercentage};
 use style::values::computed::LengthOrPercentageOrAuto;
 use traversal::PreorderFlowTraversal;
@@ -2084,8 +2084,6 @@ impl Flow for BlockFlow {
             flow::mut_base(kid).late_absolute_position_info =
                 late_absolute_position_info_for_children;
         }
-
-        self.base.restyle_damage.remove(REPOSITION)
     }
 
     fn mark_as_root(&mut self) {
diff --git a/components/layout/flow.rs b/components/layout/flow.rs
index e2d4e5cd99c..e40b1b3cdc2 100644
--- a/components/layout/flow.rs
+++ b/components/layout/flow.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ use style::context::SharedStyleContext;
 use style::logical_geometry::{LogicalRect, LogicalSize, WritingMode};
 use style::properties::ComputedValues;
 use style::selector_parser::RestyleDamage;
-use style::servo::restyle_damage::{RECONSTRUCT_FLOW, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPAINT, REPOSITION};
+use style::servo::restyle_damage::{RECONSTRUCT_FLOW, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPAINT};
 use style::values::computed::LengthOrPercentageOrAuto;
 use table::TableFlow;
 use table_caption::TableCaptionFlow;
@@ -343,7 +343,6 @@ pub trait Flow: fmt::Debug + Sync + Send + 'static {
     /// in coordinates relative to the nearest ancestor stacking context).
     fn compute_stacking_relative_position(&mut self, _: &LayoutContext) {
         // The default implementation is a no-op.
-        mut_base(self).restyle_damage.remove(REPOSITION)
     }
 
     /// Phase 5 of reflow: builds display lists.
diff --git a/components/layout/inline.rs b/components/layout/inline.rs
index bcda03232c8..c78f93fc318 100644
--- a/components/layout/inline.rs
+++ b/components/layout/inline.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ use style::computed_values::{display, overflow_x, position, text_align, text_jus
 use style::computed_values::{vertical_align, white_space};
 use style::logical_geometry::{LogicalRect, LogicalSize, WritingMode};
 use style::properties::{longhands, ComputedValues};
-use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPOSITION, RESOLVE_GENERATED_CONTENT};
+use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, RESOLVE_GENERATED_CONTENT};
 use text;
 use traversal::PreorderFlowTraversal;
 use unicode_bidi as bidi;
@@ -1649,8 +1649,6 @@ impl Flow for InlineFlow {
                 _ => {}
             }
         }
-
-        self.base.restyle_damage.remove(REPOSITION)
     }
 
     fn update_late_computed_inline_position_if_necessary(&mut self, _: Au) {}
diff --git a/components/layout/traversal.rs b/components/layout/traversal.rs
index 54e62b6d591..dfe79b9d178 100644
--- a/components/layout/traversal.rs
+++ b/components/layout/traversal.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use style::context::{SharedStyleContext, StyleContext};
 use style::data::ElementData;
 use style::dom::{NodeInfo, TElement, TNode};
 use style::selector_parser::RestyleDamage;
-use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPAINT};
+use style::servo::restyle_damage::{BUBBLE_ISIZES, REFLOW, REFLOW_OUT_OF_FLOW, REPAINT, REPOSITION};
 use style::traversal::{DomTraversal, TraversalDriver, recalc_style_at};
 use style::traversal::PerLevelTraversalData;
 use wrapper::{GetRawData, LayoutNodeLayoutData};
@@ -96,6 +96,12 @@ pub trait PreorderFlowTraversal {
     /// The operation to perform. Return true to continue or false to stop.
     fn process(&self, flow: &mut Flow);
 
+    /// Returns true if this node should be processed and false if neither this node nor its
+    /// descendants should be processed.
+    fn should_process_subtree(&self, _flow: &mut Flow) -> bool {
+        true
+    }
+
     /// Returns true if this node must be processed in-order. If this returns false,
     /// we skip the operation for this node, but continue processing the descendants.
     /// This is called *after* parent nodes are visited.
@@ -105,6 +111,9 @@ pub trait PreorderFlowTraversal {
 
     /// Traverses the tree in preorder.
     fn traverse(&self, flow: &mut Flow) {
+        if !self.should_process_subtree(flow) {
+            return;
+        }
         if self.should_process(flow) {
             self.process(flow);
         }
@@ -283,15 +292,20 @@ impl<'a> PostorderFlowTraversal for AssignBSizes<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub struct ComputeStackingRelativePositions<'a> {
     pub layout_context: &'a LayoutContext<'a>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> PreorderFlowTraversal for ComputeStackingRelativePositions<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn should_process_subtree(&self, flow: &mut Flow) -> bool {
+        flow::base(flow).restyle_damage.contains(REPOSITION)
+    }
+
     #[inline]
     fn process(&self, flow: &mut Flow) {
         flow.compute_stacking_relative_position(self.layout_context);
+        flow::mut_base(flow).restyle_damage.remove(REPOSITION)
     }
 }
 
@@ -309,10 +323,8 @@ impl<'a> BuildDisplayList<'a> {
         self.state.current_clip_and_scroll_info =
             flow.clip_and_scroll_info(self.state.layout_context.id);
 
-        if self.should_process() {
-            flow.build_display_list(&mut self.state);
-            flow::mut_base(flow).restyle_damage.remove(REPAINT);
-        }
+        flow.build_display_list(&mut self.state);
+        flow::mut_base(flow).restyle_damage.remove(REPAINT);
 
         for kid in flow::child_iter_mut(flow) {
             self.traverse(kid);
@@ -321,9 +333,4 @@ impl<'a> BuildDisplayList<'a> {
         self.state.current_stacking_context_id = parent_stacking_context_id;
         self.state.current_clip_and_scroll_info = parent_clip_and_scroll_info;
     }
-
-    #[inline]
-    fn should_process(&self) -> bool {
-        true
-    }
 }
diff --git a/components/layout_thread/lib.rs b/components/layout_thread/lib.rs
index 5cefd1488a2..baa5ff0a35b 100644
--- a/components/layout_thread/lib.rs
+++ b/components/layout_thread/lib.rs
@@ -974,10 +974,8 @@ impl LayoutThread {
 
             flow::mut_base(layout_root).clip = data.page_clip_rect;
 
-            if flow::base(layout_root).restyle_damage.contains(REPOSITION) {
-                let traversal = ComputeStackingRelativePositions { layout_context: layout_context };
-                traversal.traverse(layout_root);
-            }
+            let traversal = ComputeStackingRelativePositions { layout_context: layout_context };
+            traversal.traverse(layout_root);
 
             if flow::base(layout_root).restyle_damage.contains(REPAINT) ||
                     rw_data.display_list.is_none() {