diff --git a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraescene.cpp b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraescene.cpp
index e24a78d4ad..832c27c302 100644
--- a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraescene.cpp
+++ b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraescene.cpp
@@ -820,6 +820,12 @@ void AuroraeScene::addTab(const QString &caption)
     static_cast<QGraphicsLinearLayout*>(m_title->layout())->addItem(tab);
     tab->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Expanding, QSizePolicy::Expanding);
     m_title->layout()->invalidate();
+    // have to call active changed on each tab to update shadow effect
+    foreach (QGraphicsItem *item, items()) {
+        if (AuroraeTab *tab = dynamic_cast<AuroraeTab*>(item)) {
+            tab->activeChanged();
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void AuroraeScene::addTabs(const QStringList &captions)
@@ -841,10 +847,16 @@ void AuroraeScene::removeLastTab()
                 removeItem(tab);
                 --m_tabCount;
                 m_title->layout()->invalidate();
-                return;
+                break;
             }
         }
     }
+    // have to call active changed on each tab to update shadow effect
+    foreach (QGraphicsItem *item, items()) {
+        if (AuroraeTab *tab = dynamic_cast<AuroraeTab*>(item)) {
+            tab->activeChanged();
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 int AuroraeScene::tabCount() const
diff --git a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetab.cpp b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetab.cpp
index cab8bed498..eeb4a717cb 100644
--- a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetab.cpp
+++ b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetab.cpp
@@ -57,11 +57,22 @@ AuroraeTab::~AuroraeTab()
 
 void AuroraeTab::activeChanged()
 {
+    if (scene() == NULL) {
+        return;
+    }
     const ThemeConfig &config = m_theme->themeConfig();
     if (!config.useTextShadow()) {
         return;
     }
-    const bool active = static_cast<AuroraeScene*>(scene())->isActive();
+    AuroraeScene *s = static_cast<AuroraeScene*>(scene());
+    if (s->tabCount() > 1) {
+        // graphics effect seems to be not side effect free and drops scheduled updates
+        // rendering tabs unreadable, therefore disabled.
+        m_effect->setEnabled(false);
+    } else {
+        m_effect->setEnabled(true);
+    }
+    const bool active = s->isActive();
     m_effect->setXOffset(config.textShadowOffsetX());
     m_effect->setYOffset(config.textShadowOffsetY());
     m_effect->setColor(active ? config.activeTextShadowColor() : config.inactiveTextShadowColor());