diff --git a/src/shell-workspace-dot.c b/src/shell-workspace-dot.c
index c82dfb12e..007416a24 100644
--- a/src/shell-workspace-dot.c
+++ b/src/shell-workspace-dot.c
@@ -64,32 +64,6 @@ shell_workspace_dot_dispose (GObject *object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (shell_workspace_dot_parent_class)->dispose (object);
 }
 
-
-static inline gboolean
-value_changed (float old_value, float new_value)
-{
-  return !G_APPROX_VALUE (old_value, new_value, FLT_EPSILON);
-}
-
-
-static gboolean
-set_if_changed (GObject      *object,
-                GParamSpec   *pspec,
-                float        *target,
-                const GValue *value)
-{
-  float new_value = g_value_get_double (value);
- 
-  if (G_LIKELY (value_changed (*target, new_value)))
-    {
-      *target = new_value;
-      g_object_notify_by_pspec (object, pspec);
-      return TRUE;
-    }
-
-  return FALSE;
-}
-
 static inline float
 lerp (float start, float end, float progress)
 {
@@ -121,17 +95,14 @@ shell_workspace_dot_set_property (GObject      *object,
   switch (property_id)
     {
     case PROP_WIDTH_MULTIPLIER:
-      if (set_if_changed (object, pspec, &priv->width_multiplier, value))
-        {
-          clutter_actor_queue_relayout (CLUTTER_ACTOR (object));
-        }
+      shell_workspace_dot_set_state (self,
+                                     priv->expansion,
+                                     g_value_get_double (value));
       break;
     case PROP_EXPANSION:
-      if (set_if_changed (object, pspec, &priv->expansion, value))
-        {
-          update_visuals (self);
-          clutter_actor_queue_relayout (CLUTTER_ACTOR (object));
-        }
+      shell_workspace_dot_set_state (self,
+                                     g_value_get_double (value),
+                                     priv->width_multiplier);
       break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, property_id, pspec);
@@ -268,6 +239,63 @@ shell_workspace_dot_init (ShellWorkspaceDot *self)
   update_visuals (self);
 }
 
+static inline gboolean
+value_changed (float old_value, float new_value)
+{
+  return !G_APPROX_VALUE (old_value, new_value, FLT_EPSILON);
+}
+
+static gboolean
+set_if_changed (GObject    *object,
+                GParamSpec *pspec,
+                float      *target,
+                float       new_value)
+{
+  if (G_LIKELY (value_changed (*target, new_value)))
+    {
+      *target = new_value;
+      g_object_notify_by_pspec (object, pspec);
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+
+  return FALSE;
+}
+
+void
+shell_workspace_dot_set_state (ShellWorkspaceDot *self,
+                               float              expansion,
+                               float              width_multiplier)
+{
+  ShellWorkspaceDotPrivate *priv;
+  GObject *object = G_OBJECT (self);
+  gboolean trigger_layout = FALSE;
+
+  g_return_if_fail (SHELL_IS_WORKSPACE_DOT (self));
+
+  priv = shell_workspace_dot_get_instance_private (self);
+
+  g_object_freeze_notify (object);
+
+  trigger_layout = set_if_changed (object,
+                                   obj_props[PROP_WIDTH_MULTIPLIER],
+                                   &priv->width_multiplier,
+                                   width_multiplier);
+
+  if (set_if_changed (object,
+                      obj_props[PROP_EXPANSION],
+                      &priv->expansion,
+                      expansion))
+    {
+      update_visuals (self);
+      trigger_layout = TRUE;
+    }
+
+  g_object_thaw_notify (object);
+
+  if (G_LIKELY (trigger_layout))
+    clutter_actor_queue_relayout (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self));
+}
+
 gboolean
 shell_workspace_dot_is_destroying (ShellWorkspaceDot *self)
 {
diff --git a/src/shell-workspace-dot.h b/src/shell-workspace-dot.h
index c8178cc77..73b9c8dd2 100644
--- a/src/shell-workspace-dot.h
+++ b/src/shell-workspace-dot.h
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ struct _ShellWorkspaceDotClass
   void        (*scale_out_and_destroy)          (ShellWorkspaceDot *dot);
 };
 
+void         shell_workspace_dot_set_state             (ShellWorkspaceDot *self,
+                                                        float              expansion,
+                                                        float              width_multiplier);
 gboolean     shell_workspace_dot_is_destroying         (ShellWorkspaceDot *self);
 void         shell_workspace_dot_scale_in              (ShellWorkspaceDot *self);
 void         shell_workspace_dot_scale_out_and_destroy (ShellWorkspaceDot *self);
diff --git a/src/shell-workspace-indicators.c b/src/shell-workspace-indicators.c
index 271309066..a61a8bc9f 100644
--- a/src/shell-workspace-indicators.c
+++ b/src/shell-workspace-indicators.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ update_expansion (ShellWorkspaceIndicators *self)
   ShellWorkspaceIndicatorsPrivate *priv;
   g_autoptr (GPtrArray) active_dots = NULL;
   size_t n_indicators;
-  double active_workspace, width_multiplier;
+  float active_workspace, width_multiplier;
   size_t index = 0;
 
   g_return_if_fail (SHELL_IS_WORKSPACE_INDICATORS (self));
@@ -102,12 +102,11 @@ update_expansion (ShellWorkspaceIndicators *self)
        child != NULL;
        index++, child = clutter_actor_get_next_sibling (child))
     {
-      double distance = fabs (((double) index) - active_workspace);
-      
-      g_object_set (child,
-                    "expansion", CLAMP (1.0 - distance, 0.0, 1.0),
-                    "width-multiplier", width_multiplier,
-                    NULL);
+      float distance = fabsf (((float) index) - active_workspace);
+
+      shell_workspace_dot_set_state (SHELL_WORKSPACE_DOT (child),
+                                     CLAMP (1.0 - distance, 0.0, 1.0),
+                                     width_multiplier);
     }
 }