diff --git a/src/js/app.js b/src/js/app.js
index 0e7b8defe..d39499e59 100644
--- a/src/js/app.js
+++ b/src/js/app.js
@@ -203,9 +203,14 @@
     },
 
     getFirstFrameAsPng : function () {
-      var firstFrame = this.piskelController.getMergedFrameAt(0);
-      var firstFrameCanvas = pskl.utils.FrameUtils.toImage(firstFrame);
-      return firstFrameCanvas.toDataURL('image/png');
+      var frame = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeFrameAt(this.piskelController.getLayers(), 0);
+      var canvas;
+      if (frame instanceof pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame) {
+        canvas = pskl.utils.CanvasUtils.createFromImage(frame.getRenderedFrame());
+      } else {
+        canvas = pskl.utils.FrameUtils.toImage(frame);
+      }
+      return canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
     },
 
     getFramesheetAsPng : function () {
diff --git a/src/js/controller/piskel/PiskelController.js b/src/js/controller/piskel/PiskelController.js
index d2b007c8f..6d3230e78 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/piskel/PiskelController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/piskel/PiskelController.js
@@ -90,17 +90,10 @@
     return this.piskel;
   };
 
-  ns.PiskelController.prototype.getMergedFrameAt = function (index) {
-    var hash = [];
-    var frames = this.getLayers().map(function (l) {
-      var frame = l.getFrameAt(index);
-      hash.push(frame.getHash());
-      return frame;
+  ns.PiskelController.prototype.isTransparent = function () {
+    return this.getLayers().some(function (l) {
+      return l.isTransparent();
     });
-    var mergedFrame = pskl.utils.FrameUtils.merge(frames);
-    mergedFrame.id = hash.join('-');
-    mergedFrame.version = 0;
-    return mergedFrame;
   };
 
   ns.PiskelController.prototype.renderFrameAt = function (index, preserveOpacity) {
diff --git a/src/js/controller/preview/PreviewController.js b/src/js/controller/preview/PreviewController.js
index dd252e703..6efcaeec5 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/preview/PreviewController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/preview/PreviewController.js
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@
   ns.PreviewController.prototype.render = function (delta) {
     this.elapsedTime += delta;
     var index = this.getNextIndex_(delta);
-    if (this.shoudlRender_() || this.currentIndex != index) {
+    if (this.shouldRender_() || this.currentIndex != index) {
       this.currentIndex = index;
-      var frame = this.piskelController.getMergedFrameAt(this.currentIndex);
+      var frame = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeFrameAt(this.piskelController.getLayers(), index);
       this.renderer.render(frame);
       this.renderFlag = false;
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
     this.renderFlag = bool;
   };
 
-  ns.PreviewController.prototype.shoudlRender_ = function () {
+  ns.PreviewController.prototype.shouldRender_ = function () {
     return this.renderFlag || this.popupPreviewController.renderFlag;
   };
 
diff --git a/src/js/controller/settings/exportimage/GifExportController.js b/src/js/controller/settings/exportimage/GifExportController.js
index cb4c061a9..f74a5148e 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/settings/exportimage/GifExportController.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/settings/exportimage/GifExportController.js
@@ -105,11 +105,9 @@
   ns.GifExportController.prototype.renderAsImageDataAnimatedGIF = function(zoom, fps, cb) {
     var currentColors = pskl.app.currentColorsService.getCurrentColors();
 
-    var hasTransparency = this.piskelController.getLayers().some(function (l) {
-      var opacity = l.getOpacity();
-      return opacity > 0 && opacity < 1;
-    });
-    var preserveColors = !hasTransparency && currentColors.length < MAX_GIF_COLORS;
+    var layers = this.piskelController.getLayers();
+    var isTransparent = layers.some(function (l) {return l.isTransparent();});
+    var preserveColors = !isTransparent && currentColors.length < MAX_GIF_COLORS;
 
     var transparentColor, transparent;
     // transparency only supported if preserveColors is true, see Issue #357
diff --git a/src/js/model/Layer.js b/src/js/model/Layer.js
index fdf947278..98019ada7 100644
--- a/src/js/model/Layer.js
+++ b/src/js/model/Layer.js
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@
     this.opacity = opacity;
   };
 
+  ns.Layer.prototype.isTransparent = function () {
+    return this.opacity > 0 && this.opacity < 1;
+  };
+
   ns.Layer.prototype.getFrames = function () {
     return this.frames;
   };
diff --git a/src/js/model/frame/AsyncCachedFrameProcessor.js b/src/js/model/frame/AsyncCachedFrameProcessor.js
index 14c92520a..f1854cecb 100644
--- a/src/js/model/frame/AsyncCachedFrameProcessor.js
+++ b/src/js/model/frame/AsyncCachedFrameProcessor.js
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
     var key1 = frame.getHash();
     if (cache[key1]) {
       processedFrame = cache[key1];
+    } else if (frame instanceof pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame) {
+      // Cannot use 2nd level cache with rendered frames
+      var callbackFirstLvlCacheOnly = this.onProcessorComplete_.bind(this, deferred, cache, key1, key1);
+      this.frameProcessor(frame, callbackFirstLvlCacheOnly);
     } else {
       var framePixels = JSON.stringify(frame.getPixels());
       var key2 = pskl.utils.hashCode(framePixels);
diff --git a/src/js/model/frame/CachedFrameProcessor.js b/src/js/model/frame/CachedFrameProcessor.js
index 27df5ff67..5a1ff57c0 100644
--- a/src/js/model/frame/CachedFrameProcessor.js
+++ b/src/js/model/frame/CachedFrameProcessor.js
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@
     var cacheKey = frame.getHash();
     if (cache[cacheKey]) {
       processedFrame = cache[cacheKey];
+    } else if (frame instanceof pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame) {
+      // Cannot use 2nd level cache with rendered frames
+      processedFrame = this.frameProcessor(frame);
+      cache[cacheKey] = processedFrame;
     } else {
       var framePixels = JSON.stringify(frame.getPixels());
       var frameAsString = pskl.utils.hashCode(framePixels);
diff --git a/src/js/model/frame/RenderedFrame.js b/src/js/model/frame/RenderedFrame.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..47a75ca4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/model/frame/RenderedFrame.js
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+(function () {
+  var ns = $.namespace('pskl.model.frame');
+
+  /**
+   * Create a frame instance that provides an image getter. Can be faster
+   * to use after merging using transparency. Transparent frames are merged to
+   * an image and this allows to reuse the image rather than retransform into
+   * a frame before calling the renderers.
+   *
+   * This rendered frame should only be used with renderers that support it.
+   *
+   * @param {Function} imageFn getter that will create the image
+   * @param {Number} width image width in pixels
+   * @param {Number} height image height in pixels
+   * @param {String} id will be used as hash, so should be as unique as possible
+   */
+  ns.RenderedFrame = function (renderFn, width, height, id) {
+    this.width = width;
+    this.height = height;
+    this.id = id;
+    this.renderFn = renderFn;
+  };
+
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getRenderedFrame = function () {
+    return this.renderFn();
+  };
+
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getHash = function () {
+    return this.id;
+  };
+
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getWidth = function () {
+    return this.width;
+  };
+
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getHeight = function () {
+    return this.height;
+  };
+
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getPixels = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.containsPixel = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.isSameSize = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.clone = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.setPixels = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.clear = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.setPixel = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.getPixel = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+  ns.RenderedFrame.prototype.forEachPixel = Constants.ABSTRACT_FUNCTION;
+})();
diff --git a/src/js/rendering/frame/BackgroundImageFrameRenderer.js b/src/js/rendering/frame/BackgroundImageFrameRenderer.js
index f03e18275..96f6ff74a 100644
--- a/src/js/rendering/frame/BackgroundImageFrameRenderer.js
+++ b/src/js/rendering/frame/BackgroundImageFrameRenderer.js
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@
   };
 
   ns.BackgroundImageFrameRenderer.prototype.frameToDataUrl_ = function (frame) {
-    var canvas = new pskl.utils.FrameUtils.toImage(frame, this.zoom);
+    var canvas;
+    if (frame instanceof pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame) {
+      canvas = pskl.utils.ImageResizer.scale(frame.getRenderedFrame(), this.zoom);
+    } else {
+      canvas = pskl.utils.FrameUtils.toImage(frame, this.zoom);
+    }
     return canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
   };
 
diff --git a/src/js/rendering/layer/LayersRenderer.js b/src/js/rendering/layer/LayersRenderer.js
index d7a5688d9..1bfe8fbdb 100644
--- a/src/js/rendering/layer/LayersRenderer.js
+++ b/src/js/rendering/layer/LayersRenderer.js
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@
     var offset = this.getOffset();
     var size = this.getDisplaySize();
     var layers = this.piskelController.getLayers();
-    var currentFrameIndex = this.piskelController.getCurrentFrameIndex();
-    var currentLayerIndex = this.piskelController.getCurrentLayerIndex();
+    var frameIndex = this.piskelController.getCurrentFrameIndex();
+    var layerIndex = this.piskelController.getCurrentLayerIndex();
 
-    var belowLayers = layers.slice(0, currentLayerIndex);
-    var aboveLayers = layers.slice(currentLayerIndex + 1, layers.length);
+    var belowLayers = layers.slice(0, layerIndex);
+    var aboveLayers = layers.slice(layerIndex + 1, layers.length);
 
     var serializedRendering = [
       this.getZoom(),
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@
       offset.y,
       size.width,
       size.height,
-      this.getHashForLayersAt_(currentFrameIndex, belowLayers),
-      this.getHashForLayersAt_(currentFrameIndex, aboveLayers),
+      pskl.utils.LayerUtils.getFrameHashAt(belowLayers, frameIndex),
+      pskl.utils.LayerUtils.getFrameHashAt(aboveLayers, frameIndex),
       layers.length
     ].join('-');
 
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@
       this.clear();
 
       if (belowLayers.length > 0) {
-        var belowFrame = this.getFrameForLayersAt_(currentFrameIndex, belowLayers);
+        var belowFrame = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeFrameAt(belowLayers, frameIndex);
         this.belowRenderer.render(belowFrame);
       }
 
       if (aboveLayers.length > 0) {
-        var aboveFrame = this.getFrameForLayersAt_(currentFrameIndex, aboveLayers);
+        var aboveFrame = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeFrameAt(aboveLayers, frameIndex);
         this.aboveRenderer.render(aboveFrame);
       }
     }
@@ -80,20 +80,6 @@
     }
   };
 
-  ns.LayersRenderer.prototype.getFrameForLayersAt_ = function (frameIndex, layers) {
-    var frames = layers.map(function (l) {
-      return l.getFrameAt(frameIndex);
-    });
-    return pskl.utils.FrameUtils.merge(frames);
-  };
-
-  ns.LayersRenderer.prototype.getHashForLayersAt_ = function (frameIndex, layers) {
-    var hash = layers.map(function (l) {
-      return l.getFrameAt(frameIndex).getHash();
-    });
-    return hash.join('-');
-  };
-
   ns.LayersRenderer.prototype.onUserSettingsChange_ = function (evt, settingsName, settingsValue) {
     if (settingsName == pskl.UserSettings.LAYER_OPACITY) {
       this.updateLayersCanvasOpacity_(settingsValue);
diff --git a/src/js/utils/FrameUtils.js b/src/js/utils/FrameUtils.js
index a3f0189cd..bc5d97b2e 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/FrameUtils.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/FrameUtils.js
@@ -22,37 +22,43 @@
     /**
      * Draw the provided frame in a 2d canvas
      *
-     * @param {Frame} frame the frame to draw
+     * @param {Frame|RenderedFrame} frame the frame to draw
      * @param {Canvas} canvas the canvas target
      * @param {String} transparentColor (optional) color to use to represent transparent pixels.
-     * @param {String} opacity (optional) global frame opacity
+     * @param {String} globalAlpha (optional) global frame opacity
      */
-    drawToCanvas : function (frame, canvas, transparentColor, opacity) {
+    drawToCanvas : function (frame, canvas, transparentColor, globalAlpha) {
       var context = canvas.getContext('2d');
-      opacity = isNaN(opacity) ? 1 : opacity;
-      context.globalAlpha = opacity;
-
+      globalAlpha = isNaN(globalAlpha) ? 1 : globalAlpha;
+      context.globalAlpha = globalAlpha;
       transparentColor = transparentColor || Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR;
-      for (var x = 0, width = frame.getWidth() ; x < width ; x++) {
-        for (var y = 0, height = frame.getHeight() ; y < height ; y++) {
-          var color = frame.getPixel(x, y);
-
-          // accumulate all the pixels of the same color to speed up rendering
-          // by reducting fillRect calls
-          var w = 1;
-          while (color === frame.getPixel(x, y + w) && (y + w) < height) {
-            w++;
-          }
 
-          if (color == Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR) {
-            color = transparentColor;
+      if (frame instanceof pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame) {
+        context.fillRect(transparentColor, 0, 0, frame.getWidth(), frame.getHeight());
+        context.drawImage(frame.getRenderedFrame(), 0, 0);
+      } else {
+        for (var x = 0, width = frame.getWidth() ; x < width ; x++) {
+          for (var y = 0, height = frame.getHeight() ; y < height ; y++) {
+            var color = frame.getPixel(x, y);
+
+            // accumulate all the pixels of the same color to speed up rendering
+            // by reducting fillRect calls
+            var w = 1;
+            while (color === frame.getPixel(x, y + w) && (y + w) < height) {
+              w++;
+            }
+
+            if (color == Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR) {
+              color = transparentColor;
+            }
+
+            pskl.utils.FrameUtils.renderLine_(color, x, y, w, context);
+            y = y + w - 1;
           }
-
-          pskl.utils.FrameUtils.renderLine_(color, x, y, w, context);
-          y = y + w - 1;
         }
+
+        context.globalAlpha = 1;
       }
-      context.globalAlpha = 1;
     },
 
     /**
@@ -98,12 +104,16 @@
     },
 
     /*
-     * Create a pskl.model.Frame from an Image object.
-     * Transparent pixels will either be converted to completely opaque or completely transparent pixels.
+     * Create a pskl.model.Frame from an Image object. By default transparent
+     * pixels will be converted to completely opaque or completely transparent
+     * pixels. If preserveOpacity is true the actual opacity of the pixel will
+     * be used and the generated frame will contain rgba pixels.
+     *
      * @param  {Image} image source image
+     * @param  {boolean} preserveOpacity set to true to preserve the opacity
      * @return {pskl.model.Frame} corresponding frame
      */
-    createFromImage : function (image) {
+    createFromImage : function (image, preserveOpacity) {
       var w = image.width;
       var h = image.height;
       var canvas = pskl.utils.CanvasUtils.createCanvas(w, h);
@@ -111,10 +121,10 @@
 
       context.drawImage(image, 0, 0, w, h, 0, 0, w, h);
       var imgData = context.getImageData(0, 0, w, h).data;
-      return pskl.utils.FrameUtils.createFromImageData_(imgData, w, h);
+      return pskl.utils.FrameUtils.createFromImageData_(imgData, w, h, preserveOpacity);
     },
 
-    createFromImageData_ : function (imageData, width, height) {
+    createFromImageData_ : function (imageData, width, height, preserveOpacity) {
       // Draw the zoomed-up pixels to a different canvas context
       var grid = [];
       for (var x = 0 ; x < width ; x++) {
@@ -126,10 +136,18 @@
           var g = imageData[i + 1];
           var b = imageData[i + 2];
           var a = imageData[i + 3];
-          if (a < 125) {
-            grid[x][y] = Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR;
+          if (preserveOpacity) {
+            if (a === 0) {
+              grid[x][y] = Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR;
+            } else {
+              grid[x][y] = 'rgba(' + [r, g, b, a / 255].join(',') + ')';
+            }
           } else {
-            grid[x][y] = pskl.utils.rgbToHex(r, g, b);
+            if (a < 125) {
+              grid[x][y] = Constants.TRANSPARENT_COLOR;
+            } else {
+              grid[x][y] = pskl.utils.rgbToHex(r, g, b);
+            }
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/js/utils/LayerUtils.js b/src/js/utils/LayerUtils.js
index e05ab37c7..bb9673724 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/LayerUtils.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/LayerUtils.js
@@ -42,6 +42,52 @@
       return mergedLayer;
     },
 
+    getFrameHashAt : function (layers, index) {
+      var hashBuffer = [];
+      layers.forEach(function (l) {
+        var frame = l.getFrameAt(index);
+        hashBuffer.push(frame.getHash());
+        hashBuffer.push(l.getOpacity());
+        return frame;
+      });
+      return hashBuffer.join('-');
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Create a frame instance merging all the frames from the layers array at
+     * the provided index.
+     *
+     * @param  {Array<Layer>} layers array of layers to use
+     * @param  {Number} index frame index to merge
+     * @return {Frame} Frame instance (can be a fake frame when using
+     *         transparency)
+     */
+    mergeFrameAt : function (layers, index) {
+      var isTransparent = layers.some(function (l) {return l.isTransparent();});
+      if (isTransparent) {
+        return pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeTransparentFrameAt_(layers, index);
+      } else {
+        return pskl.utils.LayerUtils.mergeOpaqueFrameAt_(layers, index);
+      }
+    },
+
+    mergeTransparentFrameAt_ : function (layers, index) {
+      var hash = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.getFrameHashAt(layers, index);
+      var width = layers[0].frames[0].getWidth();
+      var height = layers[0].frames[0].getHeight();
+      var renderFn = function () {return pskl.utils.LayerUtils.flattenFrameAt(layers, index, true);};
+      return new pskl.model.frame.RenderedFrame(renderFn, width, height, hash);
+    },
+
+    mergeOpaqueFrameAt_ : function (layers, index) {
+      var hash = pskl.utils.LayerUtils.getFrameHashAt(layers, index);
+      var frames = layers.map(function(l) {return l.getFrameAt(index);});
+      var mergedFrame = pskl.utils.FrameUtils.merge(frames);
+      mergedFrame.id = hash;
+      mergedFrame.version = 0;
+      return mergedFrame;
+    },
+
     renderFrameAt : function (layer, index, preserveOpacity) {
       var opacity = preserveOpacity ? layer.getOpacity() : 1;
       var frame = layer.getFrameAt(index);
diff --git a/src/js/utils/serialization/Deserializer.js b/src/js/utils/serialization/Deserializer.js
index d42408649..01db4abe0 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/serialization/Deserializer.js
+++ b/src/js/utils/serialization/Deserializer.js
@@ -56,19 +56,16 @@
 
     // 3 - set the source of the image
     image.src = base64PNG;
-
-    // 4 - return a pointer to the new layer instance
     return layer;
   };
 
   ns.Deserializer.prototype.loadExpandedLayer = function (layerData, index) {
     var layer = new pskl.model.Layer(layerData.name);
+    layer.setOpacity(layerData.opacity);
     var frames = layerData.grids.map(function (grid) {
       return pskl.model.Frame.fromPixelGrid(grid);
     });
     this.addFramesToLayer(frames, layer, index);
-
-    // 4 - return a pointer to the new layer instance
     return layer;
   };
 
diff --git a/src/piskel-script-list.js b/src/piskel-script-list.js
index c9929859a..144895b7e 100644
--- a/src/piskel-script-list.js
+++ b/src/piskel-script-list.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
   // Promises
   "js/lib/q.js",
 
-  // Application libraries-->
+  // Application libraries
   "js/rendering/DrawingLoop.js",
 
   // Models
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
   "js/model/piskel/Descriptor.js",
   "js/model/frame/CachedFrameProcessor.js",
   "js/model/frame/AsyncCachedFrameProcessor.js",
+  "js/model/frame/RenderedFrame.js",
   "js/model/Palette.js",
   "js/model/Piskel.js",