diff --git a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
index e8f46ad773..59d8f114e0 100644
--- a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
+++ b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ public:
     xcb_atom_t announceSupportProperty(const QByteArray &, KWin::Effect *) override {
         return XCB_ATOM_NONE;
     }
-    void buildQuads(KWin::EffectWindow *, KWin::WindowQuadList &) override {}
     QRect clientArea(KWin::clientAreaOption, const QPoint &, int) const override {
         return QRect();
     }
diff --git a/autotests/test_window_paint_data.cpp b/autotests/test_window_paint_data.cpp
index 82f06dc258..0feaf14f17 100644
--- a/autotests/test_window_paint_data.cpp
+++ b/autotests/test_window_paint_data.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class MockEffectWindow : public EffectWindow
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     MockEffectWindow(QObject *parent = nullptr);
-    WindowQuadList buildQuads(bool force = false) const override;
+    WindowQuadList buildQuads() const override;
     QVariant data(int role) const override;
     QRect decorationInnerRect() const override;
     void deleteProperty(long int atom) const override;
@@ -273,9 +273,8 @@ MockEffectWindow::MockEffectWindow(QObject *parent)
 {
 }
 
-WindowQuadList MockEffectWindow::buildQuads(bool force) const
+WindowQuadList MockEffectWindow::buildQuads() const
 {
-    Q_UNUSED(force)
     return WindowQuadList();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/effects.cpp b/src/effects.cpp
index aabb21b50a..65ed266644 100644
--- a/src/effects.cpp
+++ b/src/effects.cpp
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ EffectsHandlerImpl::EffectsHandlerImpl(Compositor *compositor, Scene *scene)
     new EffectsAdaptor(this);
     QDBusConnection dbus = QDBusConnection::sessionBus();
     dbus.registerObject(QStringLiteral("/Effects"), this);
-    // init is important, otherwise causes crashes when quads are build before the first painting pass start
-    m_currentBuildQuadsIterator = m_activeEffects.constEnd();
 
     Workspace *ws = Workspace::self();
     VirtualDesktopManager *vds = VirtualDesktopManager::self();
@@ -477,21 +475,6 @@ void EffectsHandlerImpl::drawWindow(EffectWindow* w, int mask, const QRegion &re
         m_scene->finalDrawWindow(static_cast<EffectWindowImpl*>(w), mask, region, data);
 }
 
-void EffectsHandlerImpl::buildQuads(EffectWindow* w, WindowQuadList& quadList)
-{
-    static bool initIterator = true;
-    if (initIterator) {
-        m_currentBuildQuadsIterator = m_activeEffects.constBegin();
-        initIterator = false;
-    }
-    if (m_currentBuildQuadsIterator != m_activeEffects.constEnd()) {
-        (*m_currentBuildQuadsIterator++)->buildQuads(w, quadList);
-        --m_currentBuildQuadsIterator;
-    }
-    if (m_currentBuildQuadsIterator == m_activeEffects.constBegin())
-        initIterator = true;
-}
-
 bool EffectsHandlerImpl::hasDecorationShadows() const
 {
     return false;
@@ -2106,9 +2089,9 @@ EffectWindowList EffectWindowImpl::mainWindows() const
     return {};
 }
 
-WindowQuadList EffectWindowImpl::buildQuads(bool force) const
+WindowQuadList EffectWindowImpl::buildQuads() const
 {
-    return sceneWindow()->buildQuads(force);
+    return sceneWindow()->buildQuads();
 }
 
 void EffectWindowImpl::setData(int role, const QVariant &data)
diff --git a/src/effects.h b/src/effects.h
index c0ef80613b..5d5443ac8a 100644
--- a/src/effects.h
+++ b/src/effects.h
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ public:
 
     void drawWindow(EffectWindow* w, int mask, const QRegion &region, WindowPaintData& data) override;
 
-    void buildQuads(EffectWindow* w, WindowQuadList& quadList) override;
-
     void activateWindow(EffectWindow* c) override;
     EffectWindow* activeWindow() const override;
     void moveWindow(EffectWindow* w, const QPoint& pos, bool snap = false, double snapAdjust = 1.0) override;
@@ -349,7 +347,6 @@ private:
     EffectsIterator m_currentPaintWindowIterator;
     EffectsIterator m_currentPaintEffectFrameIterator;
     EffectsIterator m_currentPaintScreenIterator;
-    EffectsIterator m_currentBuildQuadsIterator;
     typedef QHash< QByteArray, QList< Effect*> > PropertyEffectMap;
     PropertyEffectMap m_propertiesForEffects;
     QHash<QByteArray, qulonglong> m_managedProperties;
@@ -493,7 +490,7 @@ public:
     EffectWindow* transientFor() override;
     EffectWindowList mainWindows() const override;
 
-    WindowQuadList buildQuads(bool force = false) const override;
+    WindowQuadList buildQuads() const override;
 
     void minimize() override;
     void unminimize() override;
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
index 856a42339e..6b04a2a2d4 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.cpp
@@ -609,11 +609,6 @@ void Effect::drawWindow(EffectWindow* w, int mask, const QRegion &region, Window
     effects->drawWindow(w, mask, region, data);
 }
 
-void Effect::buildQuads(EffectWindow* w, WindowQuadList& quadList)
-{
-    effects->buildQuads(w, quadList);
-}
-
 void Effect::setPositionTransformations(WindowPaintData& data, QRect& region, EffectWindow* w,
                                         const QRect& r, Qt::AspectRatioMode aspect)
 {
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
index 6a7ab51f9c..8f2cf1512f 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
@@ -512,12 +512,6 @@ public:
      */
     virtual void drawWindow(EffectWindow* w, int mask, const QRegion &region, WindowPaintData& data);
 
-    /**
-     * Define new window quads so that they can be transformed by other effects.
-     * It's up to the effect to keep track of them.
-     */
-    virtual void buildQuads(EffectWindow* w, WindowQuadList& quadList);
-
     virtual void windowInputMouseEvent(QEvent* e);
     virtual void grabbedKeyboardEvent(QKeyEvent* e);
 
@@ -844,7 +838,6 @@ public:
     virtual void postPaintWindow(EffectWindow* w) = 0;
     virtual void paintEffectFrame(EffectFrame* frame, const QRegion &region, double opacity, double frameOpacity) = 0;
     virtual void drawWindow(EffectWindow* w, int mask, const QRegion &region, WindowPaintData& data) = 0;
-    virtual void buildQuads(EffectWindow* w, WindowQuadList& quadList) = 0;
     virtual QVariant kwinOption(KWinOption kwopt) = 0;
     /**
      * Sets the cursor while the mouse is intercepted.
@@ -2440,7 +2433,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * Returns the unmodified window quad list. Can also be used to force rebuilding.
      */
-    virtual WindowQuadList buildQuads(bool force = false) const = 0;
+    virtual WindowQuadList buildQuads() const = 0;
 
     void setMinimized(bool minimize);
     virtual void minimize() = 0;
diff --git a/src/scene.cpp b/src/scene.cpp
index 55c926dc92..839d9e3a50 100644
--- a/src/scene.cpp
+++ b/src/scene.cpp
@@ -905,7 +905,6 @@ WindowQuadList Scene::Window::buildQuads(bool force) const
     if (shadowItem() && toplevel->wantsShadowToBeRendered()) {
         *ret << shadowItem()->shadow()->shadowQuads();
     }
-    effects->buildQuads(toplevel->effectWindow(), *ret);
     cached_quad_list.reset(ret);
     return *ret;
 }