diff --git a/js/id/ui/sidebar.js b/js/id/ui/sidebar.js
index dac928cee..59007d279 100644
--- a/js/id/ui/sidebar.js
+++ b/js/id/ui/sidebar.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 iD.ui.Sidebar = function(context) {
-    var current;
+    var inspector = iD.ui.Inspector(context),
+        current;
 
     function sidebar(selection) {
         var wrap = selection.append('div')
@@ -10,10 +11,15 @@ iD.ui.Sidebar = function(context) {
 
             if (!current && entity) {
                 wrap.classed('inspector-hidden', false)
-                    .classed('inspector-hover', true)
-                    .call(iD.ui.Inspector(context)
+                    .classed('inspector-hover', true);
+
+                if (inspector.entityID() !== entity.id || inspector.state() !== 'hover') {
+                    inspector
                         .state('hover')
-                        .entityID(entity.id));
+                        .entityID(entity.id);
+
+                    wrap.call(inspector);
+                }
             } else {
                 wrap.classed('inspector-hidden', true);
             }
@@ -22,10 +28,15 @@ iD.ui.Sidebar = function(context) {
         context.on('select.sidebar', function(selection) {
             if (!current && selection.length === 1) {
                 wrap.classed('inspector-hidden', false)
-                    .classed('inspector-hover', false)
-                    .call(iD.ui.Inspector(context)
+                    .classed('inspector-hover', false);
+
+                if (inspector.entityID() !== selection[0] || inspector.state() !== 'select') {
+                    inspector
                         .state('select')
-                        .entityID(selection[0]));
+                        .entityID(selection[0]);
+
+                    wrap.call(inspector);
+                }
             } else {
                 wrap.classed('inspector-hidden', true);
             }