diff --git a/src/effects.js b/src/effects.js
index 0469eefb6..af61de705 100644
--- a/src/effects.js
+++ b/src/effects.js
@@ -71,6 +71,18 @@ var
 		} ]
 	};
 
+function raf() {
+	if ( timerId ) {
+		window.requestAnimationFrame( raf );
+		jQuery.fx.tick();
+	}
+}
+
+// Will get false negative for old browsers which is okay
+function isDocumentHidden() {
+	return "hidden" in document && document.hidden;
+}
+
 // Animations created synchronously will run synchronously
 function createFxNow() {
 	setTimeout(function() {
@@ -460,6 +472,9 @@ jQuery.speed = function( speed, easing, fn ) {
 
 jQuery.fn.extend({
 	fadeTo: function( speed, to, easing, callback ) {
+		if ( isDocumentHidden() ) {
+			return this;
+		}
 
 		// show any hidden elements after setting opacity to 0
 		return this.filter( isHidden ).css( "opacity", 0 ).show()
@@ -468,6 +483,10 @@ jQuery.fn.extend({
 			.end().animate({ opacity: to }, speed, easing, callback );
 	},
 	animate: function( prop, speed, easing, callback ) {
+		if ( isDocumentHidden() ) {
+			return this;
+		}
+
 		var empty = jQuery.isEmptyObject( prop ),
 			optall = jQuery.speed( speed, easing, callback ),
 			doAnimation = function() {
@@ -636,7 +655,12 @@ jQuery.fx.interval = 13;
 
 jQuery.fx.start = function() {
 	if ( !timerId ) {
-		timerId = setInterval( jQuery.fx.tick, jQuery.fx.interval );
+		if ( window.requestAnimationFrame ) {
+			timerId = true;
+			window.requestAnimationFrame( raf );
+		} else {
+			timerId = setInterval( jQuery.fx.tick, jQuery.fx.interval );
+		}
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/test/unit/effects.js b/test/unit/effects.js
index 9b4c4d5c1..30d58ccd3 100644
--- a/test/unit/effects.js
+++ b/test/unit/effects.js
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ if ( !jQuery.fx ) {
 	return;
 }
 
+var oldRaf = window.requestAnimationFrame;
+
 module("effects", {
 	setup: function() {
+		window.requestAnimationFrame = null;
 		this.clock = sinon.useFakeTimers( 505877050 );
 		this._oldInterval = jQuery.fx.interval;
 		jQuery.fx.interval = 10;
@@ -15,6 +18,7 @@ module("effects", {
 		this.clock.restore();
 		jQuery.fx.stop();
 		jQuery.fx.interval = this._oldInterval;
+		window.requestAnimationFrame = oldRaf;
 		return moduleTeardown.apply( this, arguments );
 	}
 });