diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Classes/GuiApi.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Classes/GuiApi.cs
index ce448247e00..b9d164be73e 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Classes/GuiApi.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Classes/GuiApi.cs
@@ -140,9 +140,20 @@ public void DrawNew(string name, bool clear)
 		public void AddMessage(string message, [LiteralExpected] int? duration = null)
 			=> _dialogController.AddOnScreenMessage(message, duration);
 
-		public void ClearGraphics(DisplaySurfaceID? surfaceID = null) => Get2DRenderer(surfaceID).Clear();
+		public void ClearGraphics(DisplaySurfaceID? surfaceID = null) => LogCallback("the `ClearGraphics()` function has been deprecated; use `Draw()`\n");
 
-		public void ClearText() => _displayManager.OSD.ClearGuiText();
+		public void ClearText() => LogCallback("the `ClearText()` function has been deprecated; use `Draw()`\n");
+
+		public void Draw()
+		{
+			_displayManager.DiscardApiHawkSurfaces();
+			_displayManager.ClearApiHawkSurfaces();
+			_displayManager.OnDraw?.Invoke();
+		}
+
+		public void AddDrawCallback(Action callback) => _displayManager.OnDraw += callback;
+
+		public void RemoveDrawCallback(Action callback) => _displayManager.OnDraw -= callback;
 
 		public void SetDefaultForegroundColor(Color color) => _defaultForeground = color;
 
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IGuiApi.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IGuiApi.cs
index a2c3311037a..27e336ec012 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IGuiApi.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/Api/Interfaces/IGuiApi.cs
@@ -33,8 +33,24 @@ public interface IGuiApi : IDisposable, IExternalApi
 
 		void AddMessage(string message, int? duration = null);
 
+		[Obsolete("use Draw and AddDrawCallback instead")]
 		void ClearGraphics(DisplaySurfaceID? surfaceID = null);
+
+		[Obsolete("use Draw and AddDrawCallback instead")]
 		void ClearText();
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Clears all prior drawings and calls any actions given to <see cref="AddDrawCallback(Action)"/>.
+		/// This should only be used when you want to redraw while paused.
+		/// </summary>
+		void Draw();
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The given action will be called before each API draw. This means after each frame and any time <see cref="Draw"/> is called.
+		/// </summary>
+		void AddDrawCallback(Action callback);
+		void RemoveDrawCallback(Action callback);
+
 		void SetDefaultForegroundColor(Color color);
 		void SetDefaultBackgroundColor(Color color);
 		Color GetDefaultTextBackground();
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/DisplayManagerBase.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/DisplayManagerBase.cs
index 5a30295c011..ee5a82cf8b2 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/DisplayManagerBase.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/DisplayManagerBase.cs
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ public DisplayManagerRenderTargetProvider(Func<Size, IRenderTarget> callback)
 
 		public SnowyNullVideo SnowyVP { get; private set; }
 
+		public Action/*?*/ OnDraw;
+
 		protected DisplayManagerBase(
 			Config config,
 			IEmulator emulator,
@@ -961,12 +963,16 @@ public I2DRenderer GetApiHawk2DRenderer(DisplaySurfaceID surfaceID)
 				? _apiHawkIDTo2DRenderer.GetValueOrPut(surfaceID, _ => _gl.Create2DRenderer(_imGuiResourceCache))
 				: throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(paramName: nameof(surfaceID), surfaceID, message: "invalid surface ID");
 
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Clear stuff drawn by the gui API
+		/// </summary>
 		public void ClearApiHawkSurfaces()
 		{
 			foreach (var renderer in _apiHawkIDTo2DRenderer.Values)
 			{
 				renderer.Clear();
 			}
+			OSD.ClearApiHawkText();
 		}
 
 		public void DiscardApiHawkSurfaces()
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/OSDManager.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/OSDManager.cs
index 1ab1aec2b0c..1a0d5ac6130 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/OSDManager.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/DisplayManager/OSDManager.cs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public void AddGuiText(string message, MessagePosition pos, Color backGround, Co
 			});
 		}
 
-		public void ClearGuiText()
+		public void ClearApiHawkText()
 			=> _guiTextList.Clear();
 
 		private void DrawMessage(IBlitter g, UIMessage message, int yOffset)
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/NamedLuaFunction.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/NamedLuaFunction.cs
index bf665b0b826..84d06748dfe 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/NamedLuaFunction.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/lua/NamedLuaFunction.cs
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ public sealed class NamedLuaFunction : INamedLuaFunction
 
 		public const string EVENT_TYPE_FUTURE = "BeforeFutureFrame";
 
+		public const string EVENT_TYPE_DRAW = "OnDraw";
+
 		private readonly LuaFunction _function;
 
 		private readonly ILuaLibraries _luaImp;
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
index fa4b8d800b5..bfc8ea66a4f 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
@@ -2935,8 +2935,8 @@ private void StepRunLoop_Core(bool force = false)
 
 				_lastFastForwardingOrRewinding = isFastForwardingOrRewinding;
 
-				// client input-related duties
-				OSD.ClearGuiText();
+				// Clear stuff previously drawn by gui API
+				DisplayManager.ClearApiHawkSurfaces();
 
 				CheatList.Pulse();
 
@@ -3055,6 +3055,7 @@ private void StepRunLoop_Core(bool force = false)
 						UpdateToolsAfter();
 					}
 				}
+				DisplayManager.OnDraw?.Invoke();
 
 				if (newFrame)
 				{
@@ -4098,7 +4099,7 @@ public bool LoadState(string path, string userFriendlyStateName, bool suppressOS
 				return false;
 			}
 
-			OSD.ClearGuiText();
+			DisplayManager.ClearApiHawkSurfaces();
 			if (SavestateLoaded is not null)
 			{
 				StateLoadedEventArgs args = new(userFriendlyStateName);
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/Libraries/GuiLuaLibrary.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/Libraries/GuiLuaLibrary.cs
index 4c06f27caa2..fbcaf734ba5 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/Libraries/GuiLuaLibrary.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/Libraries/GuiLuaLibrary.cs
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@
 
 namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 {
-	public sealed class GuiLuaLibrary : LuaLibraryBase, IDisposable
+	public sealed class GuiLuaLibrary : LuaLibraryBase, IDisposable, IRegisterFunctions
 	{
 		private DisplaySurfaceID _rememberedSurfaceID = DisplaySurfaceID.EmuCore;
 
+		public NLFAddCallback CreateAndRegisterNamedFunction { get; set; }
+
 		public GuiLuaLibrary(ILuaLibraries luaLibsImpl, ApiContainer apiContainer, Action<string> logOutputCallback)
 			: base(luaLibsImpl, apiContainer, logOutputCallback) {}
 
@@ -37,15 +39,36 @@ public void DrawFinish()
 		public void AddMessage(string message)
 			=> APIs.Gui.AddMessage(message);
 
-		[LuaMethodExample("gui.clearGraphics( );")]
+#pragma warning disable CS0618
+		[LuaDeprecatedMethod]
 		[LuaMethod("clearGraphics", "clears all lua drawn graphics from the screen")]
 		public void ClearGraphics(string surfaceName = null)
 			=> APIs.Gui.ClearGraphics(surfaceID: UseOrFallback(surfaceName));
 
-		[LuaMethodExample("gui.cleartext( );")]
+		[LuaDeprecatedMethod]
 		[LuaMethod("cleartext", "clears all text created by gui.text()")]
 		public void ClearText()
 			=> APIs.Gui.ClearText();
+#pragma warning restore CS0618
+
+		[LuaMethodExample("gui.draw();")]
+		[LuaMethod("draw", "Clears all prior drawings and calls any functions given to gui.addDrawCallback. Use this to re-draw while paused.")]
+		public void Draw()
+		{
+			APIs.Gui.Draw();
+		}
+
+		[LuaMethodExample("local draw_cb_id = gui.addDrawCallback(\r\n\tfunction()\r\n\t\t-- gui.draw*** calls go here\r\n\tend);")]
+		[LuaMethod("addDrawCallback", "The given function will be called before each API draw. This means after each frame and any time gui.draw is called.")]
+		public string AddDrawCallback(LuaFunction luaf, string name = null)
+		{
+			INamedLuaFunction nlf = CreateAndRegisterNamedFunction(luaf, NamedLuaFunction.EVENT_TYPE_DRAW, ApiGroup.PROHIBITED_MID_FRAME, name);
+			Action callback = () => nlf.Call();
+			APIs.Gui.AddDrawCallback(callback);
+			nlf.OnRemove += () => APIs.Gui.RemoveDrawCallback(callback);
+
+			return nlf.GuidStr;
+		}
 
 		[LuaMethodExample("gui.defaultForeground( 0x000000FF );")]
 		[LuaMethod("defaultForeground", "Sets the default foreground color to use in drawing methods, white by default")]
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/LuaConsole.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/LuaConsole.cs
index ff9ea53a77d..17f7752afd2 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/LuaConsole.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Lua/LuaConsole.cs
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ public LuaConsole()
 					ResetDrawSurfacePadding();
 					ClearFileWatches();
 					LuaImp?.Close();
-					DisplayManager.OSD.ClearGuiText();
 				}
 				else
 				{
@@ -978,7 +977,6 @@ private void RemoveScriptMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
 				UpdateDialog();
 				DisplayManager.ClearApiHawkSurfaces();
 				DisplayManager.ClearApiHawkTextureCache();
-				DisplayManager.OSD.ClearGuiText();
 				if (!_openedFiles.Any(static lf => !lf.IsSeparator)) ResetDrawSurfacePadding(); // just removed last script, reset padding
 			}
 		}