diff --git a/libs/image/kis_signal_compressor.h b/libs/image/kis_signal_compressor.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_signal_compressor.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_signal_compressor.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
  *
  * FIRST_ACTIVE emits the timeout() event immediately and sets a timer of
  * duration \p delay. If the compressor is triggered during this time, it will
- * fire another signal at the end of the delay period. Further events are
+ * wait until the end of the delay period to fire the signal. Further events are
  * ignored until the timer elapses. Think of it as a queue with size 1, and
  * where the leading element is popped every \p delay ms.
  *
diff --git a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.h b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.h
--- a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.h
+++ b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     void paintLine(QPainter& gc, const QRect& rc);
     QPointF straightLine(QPointF point);
     void updatePreview();
+    void updatePreviewTimer(bool showGuide);
     virtual QWidget* createOptionWidget();
 
     void endStroke();
diff --git a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.cc b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.cc
--- a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.cc
+++ b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line.cc
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
       m_strokeIsRunning(false),
       m_infoBuilder(new KisConverterPaintingInformationBuilder(getCoordinatesConverter(canvas))),
       m_helper(new KisToolLineHelper(m_infoBuilder.data(), kundo2_i18n("Draw Line"))),
-      m_strokeUpdateCompressor(500, KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_ACTIVE),
+      m_strokeUpdateCompressor(500, KisSignalCompressor::POSTPONE),
       m_longStrokeUpdateCompressor(1000, KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_INACTIVE)
 {
     setObjectName("tool_line");
@@ -120,8 +120,9 @@
 
     // read values in from configuration
     m_chkUseSensors->setChecked(configGroup.readEntry("useSensors", true));
-    m_chkShowOutline->setChecked(configGroup.readEntry("showOutline", false));
+    m_chkShowOutline->setChecked(configGroup.readEntry("showOutline", true));
 
+    updatePreviewTimer(m_chkShowOutline);
     return widget;
 }
 
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@
 
 void KisToolLine::setShowOutline(bool value)
 {
+    updatePreviewTimer(value);
     configGroup.writeEntry("showOutline", value);
 }
 
@@ -145,6 +147,22 @@
     endStroke();
 }
 
+void KisToolLine::updatePreviewTimer(bool showOutline)
+{
+    // If the user disables the guideline, we will want to try to draw some
+    // preview lines even if they're slow, so set the timer to FIRST_ACTIVE. If
+    // the user has a guideline showing, we can take our time and wait until the
+    // user has hovered the mouse for 200ms before doing any rendering.
+    if (showOutline) {
+        m_strokeUpdateCompressor.setMode(KisSignalCompressor::POSTPONE);
+        m_strokeUpdateCompressor.setDelay(200);
+    } else {
+        m_strokeUpdateCompressor.setMode(KisSignalCompressor::FIRST_ACTIVE);
+        m_strokeUpdateCompressor.setDelay(500);
+    }
+}
+
+
 void KisToolLine::paint(QPainter& gc, const KoViewConverter &converter)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(converter);
@@ -210,7 +228,10 @@
         m_helper->addPoint(event);
     }
 
+    // If the cursor has moved a significant amount, immediately clear the
+    // current preview and redraw. Otherwise, do slow redraws periodically.
     if ((pixelToView(m_lastUpdatedPoint) - pixelToView(pos)).manhattanLength() > 10) {
+        m_helper->clearPaint();
         m_longStrokeUpdateCompressor.stop();
         m_strokeUpdateCompressor.start();
         m_lastUpdatedPoint = pos;
diff --git a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.h b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.h
--- a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.h
+++ b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     void translatePoints(const QPointF &offset);
     void end();
     void cancel();
+    void clearPaint();
 
     using KisToolFreehandHelper::isRunning;
 
diff --git a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.cpp b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.cpp
--- a/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.cpp
+++ b/plugins/tools/basictools/kis_tool_line_helper.cpp
@@ -161,3 +161,11 @@
     cancelPaint();
     m_d->linePoints.clear();
 }
+
+
+void KisToolLineHelper::clearPaint()
+{
+    if (!m_d->enabled) return;
+
+    cancelPaint();
+}