diff --git a/src/MediaServer/MediaServer.cpp b/src/MediaServer/MediaServer.cpp
index 01a6aeb..8b22544 100644
--- a/src/MediaServer/MediaServer.cpp
+++ b/src/MediaServer/MediaServer.cpp
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ void MediaServer::setup(){
 
 void MediaServer::update(){
 	for(int i = 0; i < fboSources.size(); ++i){
-		fboSources[i]->updateFbo();
+        if (fboSources[i]->isActive() || fboSources[i]->runsInBackground()) fboSources[i]->updateFbo();
 	}
 }
 
 void MediaServer::draw(){
 	for(int i = 0; i < fboSources.size(); ++i){
-		fboSources[i]->drawFbo();
+        if (fboSources[i]->isActive() || fboSources[i]->runsInBackground()) fboSources[i]->drawFbo();
 	}
 }
 
@@ -366,7 +366,8 @@ BaseSource * MediaServer::loadFboSource(std::string & fboSourceName){
 		// Is loaded, increase reference count and return existing
 		loadedSources[fboSourceName]->referenceCount++;
 		ofLogNotice("MediaServer") << "Current " << fboSourceName << "reference count: " << loadedSources[fboSourceName]->referenceCount;
-		return loadedSources[fboSourceName];
+        source->setActive(true);
+        return loadedSources[fboSourceName];
 	}
 	// else
 	// Not loaded, add to loaded sources and activate
@@ -375,7 +376,8 @@ BaseSource * MediaServer::loadFboSource(std::string & fboSourceName){
 	source->referenceCount = 1;
 	ofLogNotice("MediaServer") << "Current " << fboSourceName << " reference count: " << source->referenceCount;
 	loadedSources[fboSourceName] = source;
-	return loadedSources[fboSourceName];
+    source->setActive(true);
+    return loadedSources[fboSourceName];
 }   // loadFboSource
 
 void MediaServer::unloadFboSource(std::string & fboSourceName){
@@ -395,6 +397,7 @@ void MediaServer::unloadFboSource(std::string & fboSourceName){
 	if(source->referenceCount <= 0){
 		ofLogNotice("MediaServer") << fboSourceName << " reference count <= 0, removing from loaded sources";
 		source->referenceCount = 0;
+        source->setActive(false);
 		//source->removeAppListeners();
 		map <std::string, BaseSource *>::iterator it = loadedSources.find(fboSourceName);
 		loadedSources.erase(it);
diff --git a/src/Sources/BaseSource.cpp b/src/Sources/BaseSource.cpp
index 507583e..fdba7f4 100644
--- a/src/Sources/BaseSource.cpp
+++ b/src/Sources/BaseSource.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ namespace piMapper {
 BaseSource::BaseSource(){
 	//std::cout << "BaseSource" << std::endl;
 	init();
+    runInBackground = false;
+    displayed = false;
 }
 
 BaseSource::BaseSource(ofTexture * newTexture){
@@ -49,13 +51,26 @@ void BaseSource::init(){
 	referenceCount = 1;   // We have one instance on init
 }
 
+void BaseSource::setActive(bool value){
+    displayed = value;
+}
+
+bool BaseSource::isActive(){
+    return displayed;
+}
+
+bool BaseSource::runsInBackground(){
+    return runInBackground;
+}
+
 void BaseSource::setNameFromPath(std::string & fullPath){
 	std::vector<std::string> pathParts;
 	//std::cout << "fullPath: " << fullPath << std::endl;
+
 	pathParts = ofSplitString(fullPath, "/");   // Maybe on win "/" is "\", have to test
 	//std::cout << "lastPathPart: " << pathParts[pathParts.size() - 1] << std::endl;
 	name = pathParts[pathParts.size() - 1];
 }
 
 } // namespace piMapper
-} // namespace ofx
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace ofx
diff --git a/src/Sources/BaseSource.h b/src/Sources/BaseSource.h
index 84f8e42..e637251 100644
--- a/src/Sources/BaseSource.h
+++ b/src/Sources/BaseSource.h
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ class BaseSource {
 		std::string & getPath();
 		virtual void clear(){}
         virtual void togglePause(){}
+        bool isActive();
+        bool runsInBackground();
+        void setActive(bool);
 
         virtual void reset(){} // called by surfaceManager to optionally allow users to reset a source's variables
 
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ class BaseSource {
 		int referenceCount;
 
 	private:
-		void init();
+        void init();
 
 	protected:
 		void setNameFromPath(std::string & fullPath);
@@ -38,6 +41,8 @@ class BaseSource {
 		bool loadable; // If the source can be loaded from disk like image and video
 		bool loaded; // Is the source loaded?
 		SourceType type;
+        bool displayed;
+        bool runInBackground;
 };
 
 } // namespace piMapper
diff --git a/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.cpp b/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.cpp
index dda8eca..f05815f 100644
--- a/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.cpp
+++ b/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.cpp
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ bool SurfaceManager::loadXmlSettings(std::string fileName){
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 	bool success = SettingsLoader::instance()->load(*this, *mediaServer, fileName);
+
+    for (int i=0; i<_presets.size(); i++){
+        setPresetSourcesActiveState(i, false);
+    }
+
+    setPresetSourcesActiveState(_activePresetIndex, true);
 	return success;
 }
 
@@ -451,7 +457,16 @@ void SurfaceManager::setNextPreset(){
 	// TODO: Create command for this.
 }
 
+void SurfaceManager::setPresetSourcesActiveState(unsigned int presetIndex, bool state){
+    // tell sources associated with current preset that they are not displayed any more
+    // this is so that we can optionally update the buffers or not.
+    for (int j=0; j<_presets[presetIndex]->getSurfaces().size(); j++){
+        _presets[presetIndex]->getSurfaces()[j]->getSource()->setActive(state);
+    }
+}
+
 void SurfaceManager::setPreset(unsigned int i){
+    cout << "CALLED IT" << endl;
 	if(_presets.size() <= 1){
 		throw runtime_error("ofxPiMapper: No presets to set.");
 	}
@@ -460,7 +475,14 @@ void SurfaceManager::setPreset(unsigned int i){
 		throw runtime_error("ofxPiMapper: Preset index out of bounds.");
 	}
 	
-	_activePresetIndex = i;
+    //let sources associated with all preset know that they are not being displayed any more
+    setPresetSourcesActiveState(_activePresetIndex, false);
+
+    //change preset
+    _activePresetIndex = i;
+    //let sources associated with NEW preset know that they are now being displayed
+    setPresetSourcesActiveState(_activePresetIndex, true);
+
 
     //when preset it changed, call reset on all sources, if it's defined
     for (int i=0; i<_presets[_activePresetIndex]->getSurfaces().size(); i++){
diff --git a/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.h b/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.h
index d798037..1150e17 100644
--- a/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.h
+++ b/src/Surfaces/SurfaceManager.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class SurfaceManager {
 		void setPreset(unsigned int i);
 		void cloneActivePreset();
 		void eraseActivePreset();
+        void setPresetSourcesActiveState(unsigned int presetIndex, bool state);
 	
 	private:
 		BaseSurface * selectedSurface;