diff --git a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeSubnodes.tsx b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeSubnodes.tsx
index 635351a..a4aa6ed 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeSubnodes.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeSubnodes.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as q from '../../../../../backend/src/Model'
-import React from 'react'
+import React, { useEffect, useState, useMemo } from 'react'
 import TreeNode from '.'
 import { SettingsState } from '../../../reducers/Settings'
 import { sortedNodes } from '../../../sortedNodes'
@@ -16,59 +16,54 @@ export interface Props {
   selectTopicAction: (treeNode: q.TreeNode<any>) => void
   settings: SettingsState
   actions: typeof treeActions
+  theme: Theme
 }
 
-interface State {
-  alreadyAdded: number
+function useStagedRendering(treeNode: q.TreeNode<any>) {
+  const [alreadyAdded, setAlreadyAdded] = useState(10)
+  const edges = treeNode.edgeArray
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let renderMoreAnimationFrame: any
+
+    if (alreadyAdded < edges.length) {
+      renderMoreAnimationFrame = (window as any).requestIdleCallback(
+        () => {
+          setAlreadyAdded(alreadyAdded * 1.5)
+        },
+        { timeout: 500 }
+      )
+    }
+
+    return function cleanup() {
+      ;(window as any).cancelIdleCallback(renderMoreAnimationFrame)
+    }
+  }, [alreadyAdded, edges.length])
+
+  return alreadyAdded
 }
 
-class TreeNodeSubnodes extends React.Component<Props, State> {
-  private renderMoreAnimationFrame?: any
-  constructor(props: Props) {
-    super(props)
-    this.state = { alreadyAdded: 10 }
-  }
+function TreeNodeSubnodes(props: Props) {
+  const alreadyAdded = useStagedRendering(props.treeNode)
 
-  private renderMore() {
-    this.renderMoreAnimationFrame = (window as any).requestIdleCallback(
-      () => {
-        this.setState({ ...this.state, alreadyAdded: this.state.alreadyAdded * 1.5 })
-      },
-      { timeout: 500 }
-    )
-  }
-
-  public componentWillUnmount() {
-    ;(window as any).cancelIdleCallback(this.renderMoreAnimationFrame)
-  }
-
-  public render() {
-    const edges = this.props.treeNode.edgeArray
-    if (edges.length === 0) {
-      return null
-    }
-
-    if (this.state.alreadyAdded < edges.length) {
-      this.renderMore()
-    }
-
-    const nodes = sortedNodes(this.props.settings, this.props.treeNode).slice(0, this.state.alreadyAdded)
+  return useMemo(() => {
+    const nodes = sortedNodes(props.settings, props.treeNode).slice(0, alreadyAdded)
     const listItems = nodes.map(node => {
       return (
         <TreeNode
-          key={`${node.hash()}-${this.props.filter}`}
+          key={`${node.hash()}-${props.filter}`}
           treeNode={node}
-          className={this.props.classes.listItem}
+          className={props.classes.listItem}
           lastUpdate={node.lastUpdate}
-          selectTopicAction={this.props.selectTopicAction}
-          settings={this.props.settings}
-          actions={this.props.actions}
+          selectTopicAction={props.selectTopicAction}
+          settings={props.settings}
+          actions={props.actions}
         />
       )
     })
 
-    return <span className={this.props.classes.list}>{listItems}</span>
-  }
+    return <span className={props.classes.list}>{listItems}</span>
+  }, [alreadyAdded, props.lastUpdate, props.theme])
 }
 
 const styles = (theme: Theme) => ({
@@ -79,4 +74,4 @@ const styles = (theme: Theme) => ({
   },
 })
 
-export default withStyles(styles)(TreeNodeSubnodes)
+export default withStyles(styles, { withTheme: true })(TreeNodeSubnodes)
diff --git a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/effects/useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate.tsx b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/effects/useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate.tsx
index d23a505..5fe8fa0 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/effects/useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/effects/useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate.tsx
@@ -1,22 +1,30 @@
 import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
 
 export function useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate(
+  ref: React.MutableRefObject<HTMLDivElement | undefined>,
   lastUpdate: number,
+  className: string,
   selected: boolean,
-  setShowUpdateAnimation: React.Dispatch<React.SetStateAction<boolean>>,
-  showUpdateAnimation: boolean
+  shouldAnimate: boolean
 ) {
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (Date.now() - lastUpdate < 3000 && !selected) {
-      setShowUpdateAnimation(true)
-    }
-  }, [lastUpdate, selected])
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (showUpdateAnimation) {
-      const timeout = setTimeout(() => setShowUpdateAnimation(false), 500)
+    if (ref.current && shouldAnimate && Date.now() - lastUpdate < 3000 && !selected) {
+      let animationFrame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        ref.current && ref.current.classList.add(className)
+      })
+
+      const timeout = setTimeout(
+        () =>
+          (animationFrame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+            ref.current && ref.current.classList.remove(className)
+          })),
+        500
+      )
+
       return function cleanup() {
         clearTimeout(timeout)
+        animationFrame && cancelAnimationFrame(animationFrame)
       }
     }
-  }, [showUpdateAnimation])
+  }, [lastUpdate, selected, shouldAnimate, className])
 }
diff --git a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/index.tsx b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/index.tsx
index 51903f5..ce6205e 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/index.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/index.tsx
@@ -1,56 +1,16 @@
 import * as q from '../../../../../backend/src/Model'
-import React, { useState, useRef, useEffect, useMemo, useCallback } from 'react'
+import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import TreeNodeSubnodes from './TreeNodeSubnodes'
 import TreeNodeTitle from './TreeNodeTitle'
 import { SettingsState } from '../../../reducers/Settings'
+import { styles } from './styles'
 import { Theme, withStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles'
 import { TopicViewModel } from '../../../model/TopicViewModel'
-import { useViewModelSubscriptions } from './effects/useViewModelSubscriptions'
 import { treeActions } from '../../../actions'
-import { lightBlue, teal, amber, green, deepPurple, blueGrey } from '@material-ui/core/colors'
 import { useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate } from './effects/useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate'
 import { useDeleteKeyCallback } from './effects/useDeleteKeyCallback'
 import { useIsAllowedToAutoExpandState } from './effects/useIsAllowedToAutoExpandState'
-
-const styles = (theme: Theme) => {
-  return {
-    collapsedSubnodes: {
-      color: theme.palette.text.secondary,
-    },
-    displayBlock: {
-      display: 'block',
-    },
-    node: {
-      display: 'block',
-      marginLeft: '10px',
-      '&:hover': {
-        backgroundColor: theme.palette.type === 'light' ? blueGrey[100] : theme.palette.primary.light,
-      },
-    },
-    topicSelect: {
-      float: 'right' as 'right',
-      opacity: 0,
-      cursor: 'pointer',
-      marginTop: '-1px',
-    },
-    subnodes: {
-      marginLeft: theme.spacing(1.5),
-    },
-    selected: {
-      backgroundColor: (theme.palette.type === 'light' ? blueGrey[300] : theme.palette.primary.main) + ' !important',
-    },
-    hover: {},
-    title: {
-      borderRadius: '4px',
-      lineHeight: '1em',
-      display: 'inline-block' as 'inline-block',
-      whiteSpace: 'nowrap' as 'nowrap',
-      padding: '1px 4px 0px 4px',
-      height: '14px',
-      margin: '1px 0px 2px 0px',
-    },
-  }
-}
+import { useViewModelSubscriptions } from './effects/useViewModelSubscriptions'
 
 export interface Props {
   isRoot?: boolean
@@ -69,13 +29,21 @@ export interface Props {
 function TreeNodeComponent(props: Props) {
   const { actions, classes, className, settings, theme, treeNode, lastUpdate, name } = props
   const deleteTopicCallback = useDeleteKeyCallback(treeNode, actions)
-  const [showUpdateAnimation, setShowUpdateAnimation] = useState(false)
   const [collapsedOverride, setCollapsedOverride] = useState<boolean | undefined>(undefined)
   const [selected, setSelected] = useState(false)
   const nodeRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>()
   const isAllowedToAutoExpand = useIsAllowedToAutoExpandState(props)
   useViewModelSubscriptions(treeNode, nodeRef, setSelected, setCollapsedOverride)
-  useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate(lastUpdate, selected, setShowUpdateAnimation, showUpdateAnimation)
+  const animationClass =
+    props.theme.palette.type === 'light' ? props.classes.animationLight : props.classes.animationDark
+
+  useAnimationToIndicateTopicUpdate(
+    nodeRef,
+    lastUpdate,
+    animationClass,
+    selected,
+    settings.get('highlightTopicUpdates')
+  )
 
   const isCollapsed =
     Boolean(collapsedOverride) === collapsedOverride ? Boolean(collapsedOverride) : !isAllowedToAutoExpand
@@ -141,19 +109,12 @@ function TreeNodeComponent(props: Props) {
       )
     }
 
-    const shouldStartAnimation = settings.get('highlightTopicUpdates') && showUpdateAnimation
-    const animationName = theme.palette.type === 'light' ? 'updateLight' : 'updateDark'
-    const animation = shouldStartAnimation
-      ? { willChange: 'auto', translateZ: 0, animation: `${animationName} 0.5s` }
-      : {}
-
     const highlightClass = selected ? classes.selected : ''
     return (
       <div>
         <div
           key={treeNode.hash()}
           className={`${classes.node} ${className} ${highlightClass} ${classes.title}`}
-          style={animation}
           onMouseEnter={mouseOver}
           onFocus={didObtainFocus}
           onClick={didClickTitle}
@@ -172,7 +133,7 @@ function TreeNodeComponent(props: Props) {
         {renderNodes()}
       </div>
     )
-  }, [lastUpdate, treeNode, name, isCollapsed, selected, theme, showUpdateAnimation])
+  }, [lastUpdate, treeNode, name, isCollapsed, selected, theme])
 }
 
 export default withStyles(styles, { withTheme: true })(TreeNodeComponent)
diff --git a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/styles.ts b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/styles.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..237ff50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/styles.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { blueGrey } from '@material-ui/core/colors'
+import { Theme } from '@material-ui/core/styles'
+
+export const styles = (theme: Theme) => {
+  return {
+    animationLight: {
+      willChange: 'auto',
+      translateZ: 0,
+      animation: `updateLight 0.5s`,
+    },
+    animationDark: {
+      willChange: 'auto',
+      translateZ: 0,
+      animation: `updateLight 0.5s`,
+    },
+    collapsedSubnodes: {
+      color: theme.palette.text.secondary,
+    },
+    displayBlock: {
+      display: 'block',
+    },
+    node: {
+      display: 'block',
+      marginLeft: '10px',
+      '&:hover': {
+        backgroundColor: theme.palette.type === 'light' ? blueGrey[100] : theme.palette.primary.light,
+      },
+    },
+    topicSelect: {
+      float: 'right' as 'right',
+      opacity: 0,
+      cursor: 'pointer',
+      marginTop: '-1px',
+    },
+    subnodes: {
+      marginLeft: theme.spacing(1.5),
+    },
+    selected: {
+      backgroundColor: (theme.palette.type === 'light' ? blueGrey[300] : theme.palette.primary.main) + ' !important',
+    },
+    hover: {},
+    title: {
+      borderRadius: '4px',
+      lineHeight: '1em',
+      display: 'inline-block' as 'inline-block',
+      whiteSpace: 'nowrap' as 'nowrap',
+      padding: '1px 4px 0px 4px',
+      height: '14px',
+      margin: '1px 0px 2px 0px',
+    },
+  }
+}