diff --git a/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
index 58f832109..b940fd06d 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-presenter-spec.coffee
@@ -1270,8 +1270,8 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
             expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).endOfLineInvisibles).toEqual [atom.config.get('editor.invisibles.eol')]
             expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).endOfLineInvisibles).toEqual [atom.config.get('editor.invisibles.cr'), atom.config.get('editor.invisibles.eol')]
 
-          describe ".blockDecorations", ->
-            it "adds block decorations to the relevant line state objects, both initially and when decorations change", ->
+          describe ".hasBlockDecorations", ->
+            it "is true when block decorations are present before a line, both initially and when decorations change", ->
               blockDecoration1 = editor.addBlockDecorationForScreenRow(0)
               presenter = buildPresenter()
               blockDecoration2 = editor.addBlockDecorationForScreenRow(3)
@@ -1279,19 +1279,19 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
 
               waitsForStateToUpdate presenter
               runs ->
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration1]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration2]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration3]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).blockDecorations).toEqual []
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
 
               waitsForStateToUpdate presenter, ->
                 blockDecoration1.getMarker().setHeadBufferPosition([1, 0])
@@ -1299,38 +1299,38 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
                 blockDecoration3.getMarker().setHeadBufferPosition([9, 0])
 
               runs ->
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration1]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration2]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration3]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).blockDecorations).toEqual []
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
 
               waitsForStateToUpdate presenter, ->
                 blockDecoration1.destroy()
                 blockDecoration3.destroy()
 
               runs ->
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).blockDecorations).toEqual [blockDecoration2]
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).blockDecorations).toEqual []
-                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).blockDecorations).toEqual []
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 0).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 1).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 2).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 3).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 4).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 5).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(true)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 8).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 9).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 10).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 11).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
+                expect(lineStateForScreenRow(presenter, 12).hasBlockDecorations).toBe(false)
 
           describe ".decorationClasses", ->
             it "adds decoration classes to the relevant line state objects, both initially and when decorations change", ->
@@ -2563,8 +2563,8 @@ describe "TextEditorPresenter", ->
               expectValues lineNumberStateForScreenRow(presenter, 6), {screenRow: 6, bufferRow: 5, softWrapped: false}
               expectValues lineNumberStateForScreenRow(presenter, 7), {screenRow: 7, bufferRow: 6, softWrapped: false}
 
-          describe ".blockDecorations", ->
-            it "adds block decorations' height to the relevant line number state objects, both initially and when decorations change", ->
+          describe ".blockDecorationsHeight", ->
+            it "adds the sum of all block decorations' heights to the relevant line number state objects, both initially and when decorations change", ->
               blockDecoration1 = editor.addBlockDecorationForScreenRow(0)
               presenter = buildPresenter()
               blockDecoration2 = editor.addBlockDecorationForScreenRow(3)
diff --git a/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee b/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
index 869b7914b..0e802a0f7 100644
--- a/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor-presenter.coffee
@@ -485,11 +485,12 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
         throw new Error("No line exists for row #{screenRow}. Last screen row: #{@model.getLastScreenRow()}")
 
       visibleLineIds[line.id] = true
+      blockDecorations = this.blockDecorationsPresenter.getDecorationsByScreenRow(screenRow)
       if tileState.lines.hasOwnProperty(line.id)
         lineState = tileState.lines[line.id]
         lineState.screenRow = screenRow
         lineState.decorationClasses = @lineDecorationClassesForRow(screenRow)
-        lineState.blockDecorations = Array.from(this.blockDecorationsPresenter.getDecorationsByScreenRow(screenRow))
+        lineState.hasBlockDecorations = blockDecorations.size isnt 0
       else
         tileState.lines[line.id] =
           screenRow: screenRow
@@ -506,7 +507,7 @@ class TextEditorPresenter
           tabLength: line.tabLength
           fold: line.fold
           decorationClasses: @lineDecorationClassesForRow(screenRow)
-          blockDecorations: Array.from(this.blockDecorationsPresenter.getDecorationsByScreenRow(screenRow))
+          hasBlockDecorations: blockDecorations.size isnt 0
 
     for id, line of tileState.lines
       delete tileState.lines[id] unless visibleLineIds.hasOwnProperty(id)