diff --git a/src/driver/simple_display.cpp b/src/driver/simple_display.cpp
index 5f87a59a1..144abd363 100644
--- a/src/driver/simple_display.cpp
+++ b/src/driver/simple_display.cpp
@@ -117,8 +117,12 @@ void* CLCD::TimeThread(void *)
 		CLCD::getInstance()->showTime();
 		/* hack, just if we missed the blit() somewhere
 		 * this will update the framebuffer once per second */
-		if (getenv("SPARK_NOBLIT") == NULL)
-			CFrameBuffer::getInstance()->blit();
+		if (getenv("SPARK_NOBLIT") == NULL) {
+			CFrameBuffer *fb = CFrameBuffer::getInstance();
+			/* plugin start locks the framebuffer... */
+			if (!fb->Locked())
+				fb->blit();
+		}
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/plugins.cpp b/src/gui/plugins.cpp
index a7b890c6f..2accc1bd2 100644
--- a/src/gui/plugins.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/plugins.cpp
@@ -588,10 +588,13 @@ void CPlugins::startPlugin(int number,int /*param*/)
 #else
 	g_RCInput->clearRCMsg();
 	g_RCInput->stopInput();
+	/* stop automatic updates etc. */
+	frameBuffer->Lock();
 	//frameBuffer->setMode(720, 576, 8 * sizeof(fb_pixel_t));
 	printf("Starting %s\n", plugin_list[number].pluginfile.c_str());
 	mysystem((char *) plugin_list[number].pluginfile.c_str(), NULL, NULL);
 	//frameBuffer->setMode(720, 576, 8 * sizeof(fb_pixel_t));
+	frameBuffer->Unlock();
 	frameBuffer->paintBackground();
 	g_RCInput->restartInput();
 	g_RCInput->clearRCMsg();