diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureGlyph.tsx b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureGlyph.tsx
index 863005aa5f..d40f22ba3e 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureGlyph.tsx
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureGlyph.tsx
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ function FeatureGlyph(props: {
   shouldShowDescription: boolean
   fontHeight: number
   allowedWidthExpansion: number
-  exportSVG: unknown
-  displayModel: DisplayModel
+  exportSVG?: unknown
+  displayModel?: DisplayModel
   selected?: boolean
   reversed?: boolean
   topLevel?: boolean
diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureLabel.tsx b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureLabel.tsx
index e3bb32a935..1e9d05727e 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureLabel.tsx
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/FeatureLabel.tsx
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ export default observer(
     allowedWidthExpansion?: number
     feature: Feature
     reversed?: boolean
-    displayModel: DisplayModel
+    displayModel?: DisplayModel
+    exportSVG?: unknown
     region: Region
-    exportSVG: unknown
     viewParams: {
       start: number
       end: number
diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx
similarity index 93%
rename from plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js
rename to plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx
index 316164807e..528eef1eb1 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import React from 'react'
+import { render, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
 import GranularRectLayout from '@jbrowse/core/util/layouts/GranularRectLayout'
 import PrecomputedLayout from '@jbrowse/core/util/layouts/PrecomputedLayout'
 import SimpleFeature from '@jbrowse/core/util/simpleFeature'
-import React from 'react'
-import { render } from '@testing-library/react'
+
+// locals
 import SvgRendererConfigSchema from '../configSchema'
 import Rendering from './SvgFeatureRendering'
 import SvgOverlay from './SvgOverlay'
@@ -12,12 +14,21 @@ import '@testing-library/jest-dom/extend-expect'
 test('no features', () => {
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 300 }]}
-      layout={new PrecomputedLayout({ rectangles: {}, totalHeight: 20 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
-      config={{}}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      features={new Map()}
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 300, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
+      layout={
+        new PrecomputedLayout({
+          rectangles: {},
+          totalHeight: 20,
+          containsNoTransferables: true,
+          maxHeightReached: false,
+        })
+      }
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
+      config={SvgRendererConfigSchema.create({})}
       bpPerPx={3}
     />,
   )
@@ -28,11 +39,12 @@ test('no features', () => {
 test('one feature', () => {
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }]}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
       layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
       features={
         new Map([
           ['one', new SimpleFeature({ uniqueId: 'one', start: 1, end: 3 })],
@@ -46,16 +58,45 @@ test('one feature', () => {
   expect(container.firstChild).toMatchSnapshot()
 })
 
+test('click on one feature, and do not re-render', () => {
+  let counter = 0
+  const { container, getByTestId } = render(
+    <Rendering
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
+      layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
+      features={
+        new Map([
+          ['one', new SimpleFeature({ uniqueId: 'one', start: 1, end: 3 })],
+          ['two', new SimpleFeature({ uniqueId: 'two', start: 1, end: 3 })],
+          ['three', new SimpleFeature({ uniqueId: 'three', start: 1, end: 3 })],
+        ])
+      }
+      config={SvgRendererConfigSchema.create({})}
+      bpPerPx={3}
+      detectRerender={() => counter++}
+    />,
+  )
+  fireEvent.click(getByTestId('box-one'))
+  expect(counter).toBe(3)
+
+  expect(container.firstChild).toMatchSnapshot()
+})
+
 test('one feature (compact mode)', () => {
   const config = SvgRendererConfigSchema.create({ displayMode: 'compact' })
 
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }]}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
       layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
       features={
         new Map([
           [
@@ -213,11 +254,12 @@ test('processed transcript (reducedRepresentation mode)', () => {
   })
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }]}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
       layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
       features={
         new Map([
           ['one', new SimpleFeature({ uniqueId: 'one', start: 1, end: 3 })],
@@ -234,11 +276,12 @@ test('processed transcript (reducedRepresentation mode)', () => {
 test('processed transcript', () => {
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }]}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
       layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
       features={
         new Map([
           [
@@ -392,11 +435,12 @@ test('processed transcript', () => {
 test('processed transcript (exons + impliedUTR)', () => {
   const { container } = render(
     <Rendering
-      width={500}
-      height={500}
-      regions={[{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }]}
+      blockKey="hello"
+      regions={[
+        { refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000, assemblyName: 'volvox' },
+      ]}
       layout={new GranularRectLayout({ pitchX: 1, pitchY: 1 })}
-      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000 }}
+      viewParams={{ offsetPx: 0, start: 0, end: 50000, offsetPx1: 5000 }}
       features={
         new Map([
           [
@@ -1026,10 +1070,13 @@ test('svg selected', () => {
   const { container } = render(
     <svg>
       <SvgOverlay
-        width={500}
-        height={500}
         blockKey="block1"
-        region={{ refName: 'zonk', start: 0, end: 1000 }}
+        region={{
+          refName: 'zonk',
+          start: 0,
+          end: 1000,
+          assemblyName: 'volvox',
+        }}
         displayModel={{
           getFeatureByID: () => {
             return [0, 0, 10, 10]
@@ -1037,7 +1084,6 @@ test('svg selected', () => {
           featureIdUnderMouse: 'one',
           selectedFeatureId: 'one',
         }}
-        config={SvgRendererConfigSchema.create({})}
         bpPerPx={3}
       />
     </svg>,
diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.tsx b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.tsx
index 071e7b7a48..4b89e4652c 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.tsx
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgFeatureRendering.tsx
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ function RenderedFeatureGlyph(props: {
   region: Region
   config: AnyConfigurationModel
   layout: BaseLayout<unknown>
-  extraGlyphs: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
+  extraGlyphs?: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
   displayMode: string
-  exportSVG: unknown
-  displayModel: DisplayModel
+  exportSVG?: unknown
+  displayModel?: DisplayModel
+  detectRerender?: () => void
   viewParams: {
     start: number
     end: number
@@ -42,8 +43,20 @@ function RenderedFeatureGlyph(props: {
   }
   [key: string]: unknown
 }) {
-  const { feature, bpPerPx, region, config, displayMode, layout, extraGlyphs } =
-    props
+  const {
+    feature,
+    detectRerender,
+    bpPerPx,
+    region,
+    config,
+    displayMode,
+    layout,
+    extraGlyphs,
+  } = props
+
+  // used for unit testing, difficult to mock out so it is in actual source code
+  detectRerender?.()
+
   const { reversed } = region
   const start = feature.get(reversed ? 'end' : 'start')
   const startPx = bpToPx(start, region, bpPerPx)
@@ -139,15 +152,15 @@ function RenderedFeatureGlyph(props: {
 
 const RenderedFeatures = observer(
   (props: {
-    features: Map<string, Feature>
-    isFeatureDisplayed: (f: Feature) => boolean
+    features?: Map<string, Feature>
+    isFeatureDisplayed?: (f: Feature) => boolean
     bpPerPx: number
     config: AnyConfigurationModel
     displayMode: string
-    displayModel: DisplayModel
+    displayModel?: DisplayModel
     region: Region
-    exportSVG: unknown
-    extraGlyphs: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
+    exportSVG?: unknown
+    extraGlyphs?: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
     layout: BaseLayout<unknown>
     viewParams: {
       start: number
@@ -161,7 +174,9 @@ const RenderedFeatures = observer(
     return (
       <>
         {[...features.values()]
-          .filter(feature => isFeatureDisplayed(feature))
+          .filter(feature =>
+            isFeatureDisplayed ? isFeatureDisplayed(feature) : true,
+          )
           .map(feature => (
             <RenderedFeatureGlyph
               key={feature.id()}
@@ -179,18 +194,19 @@ function SvgFeatureRendering(props: {
   blockKey: string
   regions: Region[]
   bpPerPx: number
+  detectRerender?: () => void
   config: AnyConfigurationModel
   features: Map<string, Feature>
-  displayModel: DisplayModel
-  exportSVG: boolean
+  displayModel?: DisplayModel
+  exportSVG?: boolean
   viewParams: {
     start: number
     end: number
     offsetPx: number
     offsetPx1: number
   }
-  featureDisplayHandler: (f: Feature) => boolean
-  extraGlyphs: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
+  featureDisplayHandler?: (f: Feature) => boolean
+  extraGlyphs?: ExtraGlyphValidator[]
   onMouseOut?: React.MouseEventHandler
   onMouseDown?: React.MouseEventHandler
   onMouseLeave?: React.MouseEventHandler
@@ -208,7 +224,7 @@ function SvgFeatureRendering(props: {
     config,
     displayModel = {},
     exportSVG,
-    featureDisplayHandler = () => true,
+    featureDisplayHandler,
     onMouseOut,
     onMouseDown,
     onMouseLeave,
@@ -218,6 +234,7 @@ function SvgFeatureRendering(props: {
     onMouseUp,
     onClick,
   } = props
+
   const [region] = regions || []
   const width = (region.end - region.start) / bpPerPx
   const displayMode = readConfObject(config, 'displayMode') as string
@@ -227,6 +244,7 @@ function SvgFeatureRendering(props: {
   const [height, setHeight] = useState(0)
   const [movedDuringLastMouseDown, setMovedDuringLastMouseDown] =
     useState(false)
+
   const mouseDown = useCallback(
     (event: React.MouseEvent) => {
       setMouseIsDown(true)
@@ -327,6 +345,7 @@ function SvgFeatureRendering(props: {
         isFeatureDisplayed={featureDisplayHandler}
         {...props}
       />
+
       <SvgOverlay
         {...props}
         region={region}
diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgOverlay.tsx b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgOverlay.tsx
index 358e4ce472..0c6e9def11 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgOverlay.tsx
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/SvgOverlay.tsx
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import { Region } from '@jbrowse/core/util/types'
 import { observer } from 'mobx-react'
 
 type LayoutRecord = [number, number, number, number]
+
 interface SvgOverlayProps {
   region: Region
-  displayModel: {
+  displayModel?: {
     getFeatureByID?: (arg0: string, arg1: string) => LayoutRecord
     selectedFeatureId?: string
     featureIdUnderMouse?: string
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ interface SvgOverlayProps {
   }
   bpPerPx: number
   blockKey: string
-  movedDuringLastMouseDown: boolean
+  movedDuringLastMouseDown?: boolean
   onFeatureMouseDown?(
     event: React.MouseEvent<SVGRectElement, MouseEvent>,
     featureId: string,
diff --git a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js.snap b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx.snap
similarity index 95%
rename from plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js.snap
rename to plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx.snap
index 09d5530a95..a8782e276a 100644
--- a/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.js.snap
+++ b/plugins/svg/src/SvgFeatureRenderer/components/__snapshots__/SvgFeatureRendering.test.tsx.snap
@@ -1,5 +1,47 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
+exports[`click on one feature, and do not re-render 1`] = `
+<svg
+  data-testid="svgfeatures"
+  height="130"
+  width="333.3333333333333"
+>
+  <g>
+    <rect
+      data-testid="box-one"
+      fill="goldenrod"
+      height="10"
+      stroke=""
+      width="2"
+      x="0.3"
+      y="0"
+    />
+  </g>
+  <g>
+    <rect
+      data-testid="box-two"
+      fill="goldenrod"
+      height="10"
+      stroke=""
+      width="2"
+      x="0.3"
+      y="10"
+    />
+  </g>
+  <g>
+    <rect
+      data-testid="box-three"
+      fill="goldenrod"
+      height="10"
+      stroke=""
+      width="2"
+      x="0.3"
+      y="20"
+    />
+  </g>
+</svg>
+`;
+
 exports[`no features 1`] = `
 <svg
   data-testid="svgfeatures"