diff --git a/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts b/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
index 3d048e4f869..f3d319f11c6 100644
--- a/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/services/context_srv.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ export class ContextSrv {
     store.set('grafana.sidemenu.pinned', val);
   }
 
+  isGrafanaVisible() {
+    return !!(document.visibilityState === undefined || document.visibilityState === 'visible');
+  }
+
   toggleSideMenu() {
     this.sidemenu = !this.sidemenu;
     if (!this.sidemenu) {
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard/timeSrv.js b/public/app/features/dashboard/timeSrv.js
index f83c2bf0517..8c600319589 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard/timeSrv.js
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard/timeSrv.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ define([
 
   var module = angular.module('grafana.services');
 
-  module.service('timeSrv', function($rootScope, $timeout, $routeParams, timer) {
+  module.service('timeSrv', function($rootScope, $timeout, $routeParams, timer, contextSrv) {
     var self = this;
 
     // default time
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ define([
       self.cancel_scheduled_refresh();
       self.refresh_timer = timer.register($timeout(function () {
         self.start_scheduled_refresh(after_ms);
-        self.refreshDashboard();
+        if (contextSrv.isGrafanaVisible()) {
+          self.refreshDashboard();
+        }
       }, after_ms));
     };