diff --git a/src/js/tech/html5.js b/src/js/tech/html5.js
index 6283f8806..5dc860fe6 100644
--- a/src/js/tech/html5.js
+++ b/src/js/tech/html5.js
@@ -741,6 +741,32 @@ class Html5 extends Tech {
     return this.el_.requestPictureInPicture();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Native requestVideoFrameCallback if supported by browser/tech, or fallback
+   *
+   * @param {function} cb function to call
+   * @return {number} id of request
+   */
+  requestVideoFrameCallback(cb) {
+    if (this.featuresVideoFrameCallback) {
+      return this.el_.requestVideoFrameCallback(cb);
+    }
+    return super.requestVideoFrameCallback(cb);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Native or fallback requestVideoFrameCallback
+   *
+   * @param {number} id request id to cancel
+   */
+  cancelVideoFrameCallback(id) {
+    if (this.featuresVideoFrameCallback) {
+      this.el_.cancelVideoFrameCallback(id);
+    } else {
+      super.cancelVideoFrameCallback(id);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * A getter/setter for the `Html5` Tech's source object.
    * > Note: Please use {@link Html5#setSource}
@@ -1299,6 +1325,13 @@ Html5.prototype.featuresProgressEvents = true;
  */
 Html5.prototype.featuresTimeupdateEvents = true;
 
+/**
+ * Whether the HTML5 el supports `requestVideoFrameCallback`
+ *
+ * @type {boolean}
+ */
+Html5.prototype.featuresVideoFrameCallback = !!(Html5.TEST_VID && Html5.TEST_VID.requestVideoFrameCallback);
+
 // HTML5 Feature detection and Device Fixes --------------------------------- //
 let canPlayType;
 
diff --git a/src/js/tech/tech.js b/src/js/tech/tech.js
index 2489db552..b58b194b6 100644
--- a/src/js/tech/tech.js
+++ b/src/js/tech/tech.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {isPlain} from '../utils/obj';
 import * as TRACK_TYPES from '../tracks/track-types';
 import {toTitleCase, toLowerCase} from '../utils/string-cases.js';
 import vtt from 'videojs-vtt.js';
+import * as Guid from '../utils/guid.js';
 
 /**
  * An Object containing a structure like: `{src: 'url', type: 'mimetype'}` or string
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ class Tech extends Component {
     this.stopTrackingCurrentTime_ = (e) => this.stopTrackingCurrentTime(e);
     this.disposeSourceHandler_ = (e) => this.disposeSourceHandler(e);
 
+    this.queuedHanders_ = new Set();
+
     // keep track of whether the current source has played at all to
     // implement a very limited played()
     this.hasStarted_ = false;
@@ -857,6 +860,43 @@ class Tech extends Component {
    */
   setDisablePictureInPicture() {}
 
+  /**
+   * A fallback implementation of requestVideoFrameCallback using requestAnimationFrame
+   *
+   * @param {function} cb
+   * @return {number} request id
+   */
+  requestVideoFrameCallback(cb) {
+    const id = Guid.newGUID();
+
+    if (this.paused()) {
+      this.queuedHanders_.add(id);
+      this.one('playing', () => {
+        if (this.queuedHanders_.has(id)) {
+          this.queuedHanders_.delete(id);
+          cb();
+        }
+      });
+    } else {
+      this.requestNamedAnimationFrame(id, cb);
+    }
+
+    return id;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A fallback implementation of cancelVideoFrameCallback
+   *
+   * @param {number} id id of callback to be cancelled
+   */
+  cancelVideoFrameCallback(id) {
+    if (this.queuedHanders_.has(id)) {
+      this.queuedHanders_.delete(id);
+    } else {
+      this.cancelNamedAnimationFrame(id);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * A method to set a poster from a `Tech`.
    *
@@ -1171,6 +1211,14 @@ Tech.prototype.featuresTimeupdateEvents = false;
  */
 Tech.prototype.featuresNativeTextTracks = false;
 
+/**
+ * Boolean indicating whether the `Tech` supports `requestVideoFrameCallback`.
+ *
+ * @type {boolean}
+ * @default
+ */
+Tech.prototype.featuresVideoFrameCallback = false;
+
 /**
  * A functional mixin for techs that want to use the Source Handler pattern.
  * Source handlers are scripts for handling specific formats.
diff --git a/src/js/tracks/text-track.js b/src/js/tracks/text-track.js
index e2fd0a30b..7cb02c899 100644
--- a/src/js/tracks/text-track.js
+++ b/src/js/tracks/text-track.js
@@ -183,11 +183,18 @@ class TextTrack extends Track {
     const cues = new TextTrackCueList(this.cues_);
     const activeCues = new TextTrackCueList(this.activeCues_);
     let changed = false;
-    const timeupdateHandler = Fn.bind(this, function() {
-      if (!this.tech_.isReady_ || this.tech_.isDisposed()) {
-        return;
 
+    this.timeupdateHandler = Fn.bind(this, function() {
+      if (this.tech_.isDisposed()) {
+        return;
       }
+
+      if (!this.tech_.isReady_) {
+        this.rvf_ = this.tech_.requestVideoFrameCallback(this.timeupdateHandler);
+
+        return;
+      }
+
       // Accessing this.activeCues for the side-effects of updating itself
       // due to its nature as a getter function. Do not remove or cues will
       // stop updating!
@@ -197,15 +204,18 @@ class TextTrack extends Track {
         this.trigger('cuechange');
         changed = false;
       }
+
+      this.rvf_ = this.tech_.requestVideoFrameCallback(this.timeupdateHandler);
+
     });
 
     const disposeHandler = () => {
-      this.tech_.off('timeupdate', timeupdateHandler);
+      this.stopTracking();
     };
 
     this.tech_.one('dispose', disposeHandler);
     if (mode !== 'disabled') {
-      this.tech_.on('timeupdate', timeupdateHandler);
+      this.startTracking();
     }
 
     Object.defineProperties(this, {
@@ -251,10 +261,10 @@ class TextTrack extends Track {
             // On-demand load.
             loadTrack(this.src, this);
           }
-          this.tech_.off('timeupdate', timeupdateHandler);
+          this.stopTracking();
 
           if (mode !== 'disabled') {
-            this.tech_.on('timeupdate', timeupdateHandler);
+            this.startTracking();
           }
           /**
            * An event that fires when mode changes on this track. This allows
@@ -357,6 +367,17 @@ class TextTrack extends Track {
     }
   }
 
+  startTracking() {
+    this.rvf_ = this.tech_.requestVideoFrameCallback(this.timeupdateHandler);
+  }
+
+  stopTracking() {
+    if (this.rvf_) {
+      this.tech_.cancelVideoFrameCallback(this.rvf_);
+      this.rvf_ = undefined;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Add a cue to the internal list of cues.
    *
diff --git a/test/unit/tracks/text-track.test.js b/test/unit/tracks/text-track.test.js
index 02eb3b8f8..3b8ae9473 100644
--- a/test/unit/tracks/text-track.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/tracks/text-track.test.js
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ QUnit.test('can only remove one cue at a time', function(assert) {
 
 QUnit.test('does not fire cuechange before Tech is ready', function(assert) {
   const done = assert.async();
+  const clock = sinon.useFakeTimers();
   const player = TestHelpers.makePlayer({techfaker: {autoReady: false}});
   let changes = 0;
   const tt = new TextTrack({
@@ -278,7 +279,7 @@ QUnit.test('does not fire cuechange before Tech is ready', function(assert) {
     return 0;
   };
 
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
   assert.equal(changes, 0, 'a cuechange event is not triggered');
 
   player.tech_.on('ready', function() {
@@ -286,15 +287,18 @@ QUnit.test('does not fire cuechange before Tech is ready', function(assert) {
       return 0.2;
     };
 
-    player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+    player.tech_.trigger('playing');
+    clock.tick(1);
 
     assert.equal(changes, 2, 'a cuechange event trigger addEventListener and oncuechange');
 
     tt.off();
     player.dispose();
+    clock.restore();
     done();
   });
   player.tech_.triggerReady();
+  clock.tick(1);
 });
 
 QUnit.test('fires cuechange when cues become active and inactive', function(assert) {
@@ -321,7 +325,7 @@ QUnit.test('fires cuechange when cues become active and inactive', function(asse
     return 2;
   };
 
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(changes, 2, 'a cuechange event trigger addEventListener and oncuechange');
 
@@ -329,7 +333,7 @@ QUnit.test('fires cuechange when cues become active and inactive', function(asse
     return 7;
   };
 
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(changes, 4, 'a cuechange event trigger addEventListener and oncuechange');
 
@@ -360,17 +364,18 @@ QUnit.test('enabled and disabled cuechange handler when changing mode to hidden'
   player.tech_.currentTime = function() {
     return 2;
   };
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(changes, 1, 'a cuechange event trigger');
 
   changes = 0;
+  // debugger;
   tt.mode = 'disabled';
 
   player.tech_.currentTime = function() {
     return 7;
   };
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(changes, 0, 'NO cuechange event trigger');
 
@@ -379,6 +384,7 @@ QUnit.test('enabled and disabled cuechange handler when changing mode to hidden'
 });
 
 QUnit.test('enabled and disabled cuechange handler when changing mode to showing', function(assert) {
+  const clock = sinon.useFakeTimers();
   const player = TestHelpers.makePlayer();
   let changes = 0;
   const tt = new TextTrack({
@@ -401,7 +407,8 @@ QUnit.test('enabled and disabled cuechange handler when changing mode to showing
   player.tech_.currentTime = function() {
     return 2;
   };
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
+  clock.tick(10);
 
   assert.equal(changes, 1, 'a cuechange event trigger');
 
@@ -411,12 +418,13 @@ QUnit.test('enabled and disabled cuechange handler when changing mode to showing
   player.tech_.currentTime = function() {
     return 7;
   };
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(changes, 0, 'NO cuechange event trigger');
 
   tt.off();
   player.dispose();
+  clock.restore();
 });
 
 QUnit.test('if preloadTextTracks is false, default tracks are not parsed until mode is showing', function(assert) {
diff --git a/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js b/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
index a60da79ab..476cd9d1f 100644
--- a/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/tracks/text-tracks.test.js
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ QUnit.test('no lang attribute on cue elements if one is provided', function(asse
   player.tech_.textTracks().addTrack(tt);
 
   player.currentTime(2);
-  player.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.notOk(tt.activeCues[0].displayState.hasAttribute('lang'), 'no lang attribute should be set');
 
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ QUnit.test('set lang attribute on cue elements if one is provided', function(ass
   player.tech_.textTracks().addTrack(tt);
 
   player.currentTime(2);
-  player.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
 
   assert.equal(tt.activeCues[0].displayState.getAttribute('lang'), 'en', 'the lang should be set to en');
 
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ QUnit.test('removes cuechange event when text track is hidden for emulated track
   player.tech_.currentTime = function() {
     return 3;
   };
-  player.tech_.trigger('timeupdate');
+  player.tech_.trigger('playing');
   assert.equal(
     numTextTrackChanges, 3,
     'texttrackchange should be triggered once for the cuechange'