diff --git a/libs/image/kis_base_node.h b/libs/image/kis_base_node.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_base_node.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_base_node.h
@@ -263,7 +263,14 @@
      * Return all the properties of this layer as a KoProperties-based
      * serializable key-value list.
      */
-    KoProperties & nodeProperties() const;
+    const KoProperties & nodeProperties() const;
+
+    /**
+     * Set a node property.
+     * @param name name of the property to be set.
+     * @param value value to set the property to.
+     */
+    void setNodeProperty(const QString & name, const QVariant & value);
 
     /**
      * Merge the specified properties with the properties of this
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_base_node.cpp b/libs/image/kis_base_node.cpp
--- a/libs/image/kis_base_node.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/kis_base_node.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
 
     if (opacity() == val) return;
 
-    nodeProperties().setProperty("opacity", val);
+    setNodeProperty("opacity", val);
 
     baseNodeChangedCallback();
     baseNodeInvalidateAllFramesCallback();
@@ -177,11 +177,17 @@
     setUserLocked(properties.at(1).state.toBool());
 }
 
-KoProperties & KisBaseNode::nodeProperties() const
+const KoProperties & KisBaseNode::nodeProperties() const
 {
     return m_d->properties;
 }
 
+void KisBaseNode::setNodeProperty(const QString & name, const QVariant & value)
+{
+    m_d->properties.setProperty(name, value);
+    baseNodeChangedCallback();
+}
+
 void KisBaseNode::mergeNodeProperties(const KoProperties & properties)
 {
     QMapIterator<QString, QVariant> iter = properties.propertyIterator();
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_layer.h b/libs/image/kis_layer.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_layer.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_layer.h
@@ -224,6 +224,11 @@
      */
     void updateClones(const QRect &rect);
 
+    /**
+     * Informs this layers that its masks might have changed.
+     */
+    void notifyChildMaskChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildMask);
+
 public:
     qint32 x() const override;
     qint32 y() const override;
@@ -256,7 +261,12 @@
     /**
      * @return the list of effect masks
      */
-    QList<KisEffectMaskSP> effectMasks(KisNodeSP lastNode = KisNodeSP()) const;
+    const QList<KisEffectMaskSP> &effectMasks() const;
+
+    /**
+     * @return the list of effect masks up to a certain node
+     */
+    QList<KisEffectMaskSP> effectMasks(KisNodeSP lastNode) const;
 
     /**
      * Get the group layer that contains this layer.
@@ -272,6 +282,8 @@
     // override from KisNode
     QRect changeRect(const QRect &rect, PositionToFilthy pos = N_FILTHY) const override;
 
+    void childNodeChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildNode) override;
+
 protected:
 
     /**
@@ -371,6 +383,13 @@
                      KisNodeSP filthyNode, KisNodeSP lastNode) const;
 
     bool canMergeAndKeepBlendOptions(KisLayerSP otherLayer);
+
+    void updateSelectionMask();
+
+    void updateEffectMasks();
+
+    QList<KisEffectMaskSP> searchEffectMasks(KisNodeSP lastNode) const;
+
 private:
     friend class KisLayerProjectionPlane;
     friend class KisTransformMask;
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_layer.cc b/libs/image/kis_layer.cc
--- a/libs/image/kis_layer.cc
+++ b/libs/image/kis_layer.cc
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@
     KisAbstractProjectionPlaneSP layerStyleProjectionPlane;
 
     KisAbstractProjectionPlaneSP projectionPlane;
+
+    KisSelectionMaskSP selectionMask;
+    QList<KisEffectMaskSP> effectMasks;
 };
 
 
@@ -143,6 +146,7 @@
     m_d->image = image;
     m_d->metaDataStore = new KisMetaData::Store();
     m_d->projectionPlane = toQShared(new KisLayerProjectionPlane(this));
+    notifyChildMaskChanged(KisNodeSP());
 }
 
 KisLayer::KisLayer(const KisLayer& rhs)
@@ -160,6 +164,7 @@
         if (rhs.m_d->layerStyle) {
             setLayerStyle(rhs.m_d->layerStyle->clone());
         }
+        notifyChildMaskChanged(KisNodeSP());
     }
 }
 
@@ -313,7 +318,7 @@
 
 void KisLayer::setTemporary(bool t)
 {
-    nodeProperties().setProperty("temporary", t);
+    setNodeProperty("temporary", t);
 }
 
 KisImageWSP KisLayer::image() const
@@ -435,8 +440,19 @@
     m_d->clonesList.setDirty(rect);
 }
 
+void KisLayer::notifyChildMaskChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildMask)
+{
+    updateSelectionMask();
+    updateEffectMasks();
+}
+
 KisSelectionMaskSP KisLayer::selectionMask() const
 {
+    return m_d->selectionMask;
+}
+
+void KisLayer::updateSelectionMask()
+{
     KoProperties properties;
     properties.setProperty("active", true);
     QList<KisNodeSP> masks = childNodes(QStringList("KisSelectionMask"), properties);
@@ -444,10 +460,11 @@
     // return the first visible mask
     Q_FOREACH (KisNodeSP mask, masks) {
         if (mask->visible()) {
-            return dynamic_cast<KisSelectionMask*>(mask.data());
+            m_d->selectionMask = dynamic_cast<KisSelectionMask*>(mask.data());
+            return;
         }
     }
-    return KisSelectionMaskSP();
+    m_d->selectionMask = KisSelectionMaskSP();
 }
 
 KisSelectionSP KisLayer::selection() const
@@ -468,8 +485,28 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+const QList<KisEffectMaskSP> &KisLayer::effectMasks() const
+{
+    return m_d->effectMasks;
+}
+
 QList<KisEffectMaskSP> KisLayer::effectMasks(KisNodeSP lastNode) const
 {
+    if (lastNode.isNull()) {
+        return effectMasks();
+    } else {
+        // happens rarely.
+        return searchEffectMasks(lastNode);
+    }
+}
+
+void KisLayer::updateEffectMasks()
+{
+    m_d->effectMasks = searchEffectMasks(KisNodeSP());
+}
+
+QList<KisEffectMaskSP> KisLayer::searchEffectMasks(KisNodeSP lastNode) const
+{
     QList<KisEffectMaskSP> masks;
 
     if (childCount() > 0) {
@@ -477,7 +514,7 @@
         properties.setProperty("visible", true);
         QList<KisNodeSP> nodes = childNodes(QStringList("KisEffectMask"), properties);
 
-        Q_FOREACH (const KisNodeSP& node,  nodes) {
+        Q_FOREACH (const KisNodeSP& node, nodes) {
             if (node == lastNode) break;
 
             KisEffectMaskSP mask = dynamic_cast<KisEffectMask*>(const_cast<KisNode*>(node.data()));
@@ -485,22 +522,13 @@
                 masks.append(mask);
         }
     }
+
     return masks;
 }
 
 bool KisLayer::hasEffectMasks() const
 {
-    if (childCount() == 0) return false;
-
-    KisNodeSP node = firstChild();
-    while (node) {
-        if (node->inherits("KisEffectMask") && node->visible()) {
-            return true;
-        }
-        node = node->nextSibling();
-    }
-
-    return false;
+    return  !m_d->effectMasks.empty();
 }
 
 QRect KisLayer::masksChangeRect(const QList<KisEffectMaskSP> &masks,
@@ -784,6 +812,13 @@
     return changeRect;
 }
 
+void KisLayer::childNodeChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildNode)
+{
+    if (dynamic_cast<KisMask*>(changedChildNode.data())) {
+        notifyChildMaskChanged(changedChildNode);
+    }
+}
+
 QRect KisLayer::incomingChangeRect(const QRect &rect) const
 {
     return rect;
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_mask.h b/libs/image/kis_mask.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_mask.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_mask.h
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@
 
     KisKeyframeChannel *requestKeyframeChannel(const QString &id) override;
 
+    void baseNodeChangedCallback() override;
+
 private:
     friend class KisMaskProjectionPlane;
 
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_mask.cc b/libs/image/kis_mask.cc
--- a/libs/image/kis_mask.cc
+++ b/libs/image/kis_mask.cc
@@ -410,3 +410,12 @@
     return KisNode::requestKeyframeChannel(id);
 }
 
+void KisMask::baseNodeChangedCallback()
+{
+    KisNodeSP up = parent();
+    KisLayer *layer = dynamic_cast<KisLayer*>(up.data());
+    if (layer) {
+        layer->notifyChildMaskChanged(this);
+    }
+    KisNode::baseNodeChangedCallback();
+}
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_node.h b/libs/image/kis_node.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_node.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_node.h
@@ -232,6 +232,13 @@
      */
     virtual QRect accessRect(const QRect &rect, PositionToFilthy pos = N_FILTHY) const;
 
+    /**
+     * Called each time direct child nodes are added or removed under this
+     * node as parent. This does not track changes inside the child nodes
+     * or the child nodes' properties.
+     */
+    virtual void childNodeChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildNode);
+
 public: // Graph methods
 
     /**
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_node.cpp b/libs/image/kis_node.cpp
--- a/libs/image/kis_node.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/kis_node.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,10 @@
     return rect;
 }
 
+void KisNode::childNodeChanged(KisNodeSP changedChildNode)
+{
+}
+
 KisAbstractProjectionPlaneSP KisNode::projectionPlane() const
 {
     KIS_ASSERT_RECOVER_NOOP(0 && "KisNode::projectionPlane() is not defined!");
@@ -501,11 +505,12 @@
         newNode->setGraphListener(m_d->graphListener);
     }
 
+    childNodeChanged(newNode);
+
     if (m_d->graphListener) {
         m_d->graphListener->nodeHasBeenAdded(this, idx);
     }
 
-
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -528,6 +533,8 @@
             m_d->nodes.removeAt(index);
         }
 
+        childNodeChanged(removedNode);
+
         if (m_d->graphListener) {
             m_d->graphListener->nodeHasBeenRemoved(this, index);
         }
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_paint_layer.cc b/libs/image/kis_paint_layer.cc
--- a/libs/image/kis_paint_layer.cc
+++ b/libs/image/kis_paint_layer.cc
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@
         m_d->onionSkinConnection.clear();
     }
 
-    nodeProperties().setProperty("onionskin", state);
+    setNodeProperty("onionskin", state);
 
     if (m_d->contentChannel) {
         m_d->contentChannel->setOnionSkinsEnabled(state);
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_selection_mask.cpp b/libs/image/kis_selection_mask.cpp
--- a/libs/image/kis_selection_mask.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/kis_selection_mask.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 
 void KisSelectionMask::setVisible(bool visible, bool isLoading)
 {
-    nodeProperties().setProperty("visible", visible);
+    setNodeProperty("visible", visible);
 
     if (!isLoading) {
         if (selection())
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    nodeProperties().setProperty("active", active);
+    setNodeProperty("active", active);
 
     if (image) {
         image->nodeChanged(this);
diff --git a/libs/image/tests/kis_base_node_test.cpp b/libs/image/tests/kis_base_node_test.cpp
--- a/libs/image/tests/kis_base_node_test.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/tests/kis_base_node_test.cpp
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
         props.setProperty("locked", true);
         QVERIFY(!node->check(props));
 
-        node->nodeProperties().setProperty("locked", false);
+        node->setNodeProperty("locked", false);
         QVERIFY(node->userLocked() == false);
     }
     {