diff --git a/changes/2438.feature.rst b/changes/2438.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de78f132c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/2438.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Windows now have a refresh lock to stop refreshing window layout happening after every add()
diff --git a/core/src/toga/widgets/base.py b/core/src/toga/widgets/base.py
index 4233ac1607..68e1f84814 100644
--- a/core/src/toga/widgets/base.py
+++ b/core/src/toga/widgets/base.py
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ def enabled(self, value: bool) -> None:
         self._impl.set_enabled(bool(value))
 
     def refresh(self) -> None:
+        if self.window is not None and self.window.locked:
+            return
+
         self._impl.refresh()
 
         # Refresh the layout
diff --git a/core/src/toga/window.py b/core/src/toga/window.py
index 04c7e6b2b6..0cb9b3c835 100644
--- a/core/src/toga/window.py
+++ b/core/src/toga/window.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
     from toga.screens import Screen
     from toga.widgets.base import Widget
 
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
 
 class FilteredWidgetRegistry:
     # A class that exposes a mapping lookup interface, filtered to widgets from a single
@@ -174,6 +176,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._content = None
         self._is_full_screen = False
         self._closed = False
+        self._locked = False
 
         self._resizable = resizable
         self._closable = closable
@@ -346,6 +349,29 @@ def size(self, size: tuple[int, int]) -> None:
         if self.content:
             self.content.refresh()
 
+    @property
+    def locked(self) -> bool:
+        """Is the window locked from refreshes?"""
+        return self._locked
+
+    @locked.setter
+    def locked(self, locked: bool) -> None:
+        """Lock or unlock window refresh.
+        When window is unlocked, refresh the content
+        """
+        self._locked = locked
+        if not locked:
+            self.content.refresh()
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def refresh_lock(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Obtain a refresh lock on the window. Unlocks
+        automatically when context manager leaves scope.
+        """
+        self.locked = True
+        yield
+        self.locked = False
+
     ######################################################################
     # Window position
     ######################################################################
diff --git a/core/tests/test_window.py b/core/tests/test_window.py
index 5ea0a05ac4..76b189e96c 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_window.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_window.py
@@ -169,6 +169,42 @@ def test_change_content(window, app):
     assert content1.window is None
 
 
+def test_change_content_locked(window, app):
+    """The refresh of a window can be locked"""
+    with window.refresh_lock():
+        assert window.content is None
+        assert window.app == app
+
+        # Set the content of the window
+        content1 = toga.Box()
+        window.content = content1
+
+        # The content has been assigned and not (yet) refreshed
+        assert content1.app == app
+        assert content1.window == window
+        assert_action_performed_with(window, "set content", widget=content1._impl)
+        assert_action_not_performed(content1, "refresh")
+
+        # Set the content of the window to something new
+        content2 = toga.Box()
+        window.content = content2
+
+        # The content has been assigned and not (yet) refreshed
+        assert content2.app == app
+        assert content2.window == window
+        assert_action_performed_with(window, "set content", widget=content2._impl)
+        assert_action_not_performed(content2, "refresh")
+
+        # The original content has been removed
+        assert content1.window is None
+
+    # Action refresh must not have been performed on content1
+    assert_action_not_performed(content1, "refresh")
+
+    # Action refresh must have been performed on content2
+    assert_action_performed(content2, "refresh")
+
+
 def test_set_position(window):
     """The position of the window can be set."""
     window.position = (123, 456)