diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
index cebc8d12b76d..6bdc2e748058 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
@@ -109,9 +109,6 @@ mpl.figure.prototype._init_canvas = function() {
     var fig = this;
 
     var canvas_div = $('<div/>');
-    canvas_div.resizable({ resize: mpl.debounce_resize(
-        function(event, ui) { fig.request_resize(ui.size.width, ui.size.height); }
-        , 50)});
 
     canvas_div.attr('style', 'position: relative; clear: both; outline: 0');
 
@@ -134,9 +131,27 @@ mpl.figure.prototype._init_canvas = function() {
 
     var rubberband = $('<canvas/>');
     rubberband.attr('style', "position: absolute; left: 0; top: 0; z-index: 1;")
+
+    var pass_mouse_events = true;
+
+    canvas_div.resizable({
+        start: function(event, ui) {
+            pass_mouse_events = false;
+        },
+        resize: function(event, ui) {
+            fig.request_resize(ui.size.width, ui.size.height);
+        },
+        stop: function(event, ui) {
+            pass_mouse_events = true;
+            fig.request_resize(ui.size.width, ui.size.height);
+        },
+    });
+
     function mouse_event_fn(event) {
-        return fig.mouse_event(event, event['data']);
+        if (pass_mouse_events)
+            return fig.mouse_event(event, event['data']);
     }
+
     rubberband.mousedown('button_press', mouse_event_fn);
     rubberband.mouseup('button_release', mouse_event_fn);
     // Throttle sequential mouse events to 1 every 20ms.
@@ -489,19 +504,3 @@ mpl.figure.prototype.toolbar_button_onclick = function(name) {
 mpl.figure.prototype.toolbar_button_onmouseover = function(tooltip) {
     this.message.textContent = tooltip;
 };
-
-mpl.debounce_event = function(func, time) {
-    var timer;
-    return function(event) {
-        clearTimeout(timer);
-        timer = setTimeout(function() { func(event); }, time);
-    };
-}
-
-mpl.debounce_resize = function(func, time) {
-    var timer;
-    return function(event, ui) {
-        clearTimeout(timer);
-        timer = setTimeout(function() { func(event, ui); }, time);
-    };
-}