diff --git a/src/gui/gtk.c b/src/gui/gtk.c
index b7c2f9a01100..c14b0221c203 100644
--- a/src/gui/gtk.c
+++ b/src/gui/gtk.c
@@ -2467,7 +2467,11 @@ static gboolean _side_panel_draw(GtkWidget *widget,
                                  cairo_t *cr,
                                  gpointer user_data)
 {
-  if(darktable.gui->ui->thumbtable->manual_button.x != -1)
+  // in lighttable view, if there are no thumbs displayed in the center view, we have lines to
+  // modules which need to be updated as we expand and collapse modules in the side panels
+  if(darktable.collection
+     && dt_view_get_current() == DT_VIEW_LIGHTTABLE
+     && dt_collection_get_count(darktable.collection) == 0)
     gtk_widget_queue_draw(darktable.gui->ui->center);
   return FALSE;
 }