diff --git a/caravel/assets/javascripts/dashboard.js b/caravel/assets/javascripts/dashboard.js
index 467fe95c2a749..d2e4f5f016fc6 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/javascripts/dashboard.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/javascripts/dashboard.js
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ var Dashboard = function (dashboardData) {
             slice.render(true);
           });
           sliceObjects.push(slice);
-          slice.render();
         }
       });
       this.slices = sliceObjects;
+      this.refreshTimer = null;
+      this.startPeriodicRender(0);
     },
     setFilter: function (slice_id, col, vals) {
       this.addFilter(slice_id, col, vals, false);
@@ -57,6 +58,36 @@ var Dashboard = function (dashboardData) {
       // Returns a list of human readable active filters
       return JSON.stringify(this.filters, null, 4);
     },
+    stopPeriodicRender: function () {
+      if (this.refreshTimer) {
+        clearTimeout(this.refreshTimer);
+        this.refreshTimer = null;
+      }
+    },
+    startPeriodicRender: function (interval) {
+      this.stopPeriodicRender();
+      var dash = this;
+      var maxRandomDelay = Math.min(interval * 0.1, 5000);
+      var refreshAll = function () {
+        dash.slices.forEach(function (slice) {
+          setTimeout(function () {
+                slice.render(true);
+              },
+              //Randomize to prevent all widgets refreshing at the same time
+              maxRandomDelay * Math.random());
+        });
+      };
+
+      var fetchAndRender = function () {
+        refreshAll();
+        if (interval > 0) {
+          dash.refreshTimer = setTimeout(function () {
+            fetchAndRender();
+          }, interval);
+        }
+      };
+      fetchAndRender();
+    },
     refreshExcept: function (slice_id) {
       var immune = this.metadata.filter_immune_slice || [];
       this.slices.forEach(function (slice) {
@@ -191,6 +222,10 @@ var Dashboard = function (dashboardData) {
           body: "The following global filters are currently applied:<br/>" + dashboard.readFilters()
         });
       });
+      $("#refresh_dash_interval").on("change", function () {
+        var interval = $(this).find('option:selected').val() * 1000;
+        dashboard.startPeriodicRender(interval);
+      });
       $('#refresh_dash').click(function () {
         dashboard.slices.forEach(function (slice) {
           slice.render(true);
diff --git a/caravel/assets/javascripts/modules/caravel.js b/caravel/assets/javascripts/modules/caravel.js
index 55cc5b501a02e..4931dfcdcddbe 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/javascripts/modules/caravel.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/javascripts/modules/caravel.js
@@ -314,8 +314,6 @@ var px = (function () {
         }
         this.force = force;
         token.find("img.loading").show();
-        container.hide();
-        container.html('');
         container.css('height', slice.height());
         dttm = 0;
         timer = setInterval(stopwatch, 10);
@@ -325,9 +323,7 @@ var px = (function () {
       },
       resize: function () {
         token.find("img.loading").show();
-        container.hide();
         container.css('height', slice.height());
-        container.html('');
         this.viz.render();
         this.viz.resize();
       },
diff --git a/caravel/assets/stylesheets/caravel.css b/caravel/assets/stylesheets/caravel.css
index 7fe7f1001cfaa..533f43a9a9976 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/stylesheets/caravel.css
+++ b/caravel/assets/stylesheets/caravel.css
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ img.loading {
 .dashboard img.loading {
   width: 20px;
   margin: 5px;
+  position: absolute;
 }
 img.viz-thumb-option {
     width: 100px;
diff --git a/caravel/assets/visualizations/big_number.js b/caravel/assets/visualizations/big_number.js
index dcc7b1139f213..32941cae5cf34 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/visualizations/big_number.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/visualizations/big_number.js
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ function bigNumberVis(slice) {
         slice.error(error.responseText);
         return '';
       }
+      div.html(''); //reset
+
       var fd = payload.form_data;
       var json = payload.data;
       var color_range = [-1, 1];
diff --git a/caravel/assets/visualizations/nvd3_vis.js b/caravel/assets/visualizations/nvd3_vis.js
index 1df5bebc69b74..fc63b6d03810d 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/visualizations/nvd3_vis.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/visualizations/nvd3_vis.js
@@ -20,116 +20,120 @@ function nvd3Vis(slice) {
         var colorKey = 'key';
 
         nv.addGraph(function () {
-          switch (viz_type) {
-            case 'line':
-              if (fd.show_brush) {
-                chart = nv.models.lineWithFocusChart();
-                chart.lines2.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
-                chart.x2Axis
-                  .showMaxMin(fd.x_axis_showminmax)
-                  .staggerLabels(false);
-              } else {
-                chart = nv.models.lineChart();
-              }
-              // To alter the tooltip header
-              // chart.interactiveLayer.tooltip.headerFormatter(function(){return '';});
-              chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
-              chart.interpolate(fd.line_interpolation);
-              chart.xAxis
-                .showMaxMin(fd.x_axis_showminmax)
-                .staggerLabels(false);
-              break;
-
-            case 'bar':
-              chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
-                .showControls(true)
-                .groupSpacing(0.1);
-
-              chart.xAxis
-                .showMaxMin(false)
-                .staggerLabels(true);
-
-              chart.stacked(fd.bar_stacked);
-              break;
-
-            case 'dist_bar':
-              chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
-                .showControls(true) //Allow user to switch between 'Grouped' and 'Stacked' mode.
-                .reduceXTicks(false)
-                .rotateLabels(45)
-                .groupSpacing(0.1); //Distance between each group of bars.
-
-              chart.xAxis
-                .showMaxMin(false);
-
-              chart.stacked(fd.bar_stacked);
-              break;
-
-            case 'pie':
-              chart = nv.models.pieChart();
-              colorKey = 'x';
-              chart.valueFormat(f);
-              if (fd.donut) {
-                chart.donut(true);
+          if (!chart) {
+            switch (viz_type) {
+              case 'line':
+                if (fd.show_brush) {
+                  chart = nv.models.lineWithFocusChart();
+                  chart.lines2.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
+                  chart.x2Axis
+                      .showMaxMin(fd.x_axis_showminmax)
+                      .staggerLabels(false);
+                } else {
+                  chart = nv.models.lineChart();
+                }
+                // To alter the tooltip header
+                // chart.interactiveLayer.tooltip.headerFormatter(function(){return '';});
+                chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
+                chart.interpolate(fd.line_interpolation);
+                chart.xAxis
+                    .showMaxMin(fd.x_axis_showminmax)
+                    .staggerLabels(false);
+                break;
+
+              case 'bar':
+                chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
+                    .showControls(true)
+                    .groupSpacing(0.1);
+
+                chart.xAxis
+                    .showMaxMin(false)
+                    .staggerLabels(true);
+
+                chart.stacked(fd.bar_stacked);
+                break;
+
+              case 'dist_bar':
+                chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
+                    .showControls(true) //Allow user to switch between 'Grouped' and 'Stacked' mode.
+                    .reduceXTicks(false)
+                    .rotateLabels(45)
+                    .groupSpacing(0.1); //Distance between each group of bars.
+
+                chart.xAxis
+                    .showMaxMin(false);
+
+                chart.stacked(fd.bar_stacked);
+                break;
+
+              case 'pie':
+                chart = nv.models.pieChart();
+                colorKey = 'x';
+                chart.valueFormat(f);
+                if (fd.donut) {
+                  chart.donut(true);
+                  chart.labelsOutside(true);
+                }
                 chart.labelsOutside(true);
-              }
-              chart.labelsOutside(true);
-              chart.cornerRadius(true);
-              break;
-
-            case 'column':
-              chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
-                .reduceXTicks(false)
-                .rotateLabels(45);
-              break;
-
-            case 'compare':
-              chart = nv.models.cumulativeLineChart();
-              chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
-              chart.xAxis
-                .showMaxMin(false)
-                .staggerLabels(true);
-              break;
-
-            case 'bubble':
-              var row = function (col1, col2) {
-                return "<tr><td>" + col1 + "</td><td>" + col2 + "</td></tr>";
-              };
-              chart = nv.models.scatterChart();
-              chart.showDistX(true);
-              chart.showDistY(true);
-              chart.tooltip.contentGenerator(function (obj) {
-                var p = obj.point;
-                var s = "<table>";
-                s += '<tr><td style="color:' + p.color + ';"><strong>' + p[fd.entity] + '</strong> (' + p.group + ')</td></tr>';
-                s += row(fd.x, f(p.x));
-                s += row(fd.y, f(p.y));
-                s += row(fd.size, f(p.size));
-                s += "</table>";
-                return s;
-              });
-              chart.pointRange([5, fd.max_bubble_size * fd.max_bubble_size]);
-              break;
-
-            case 'area':
-              chart = nv.models.stackedAreaChart();
-              chart.style(fd.stacked_style);
-              chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
-              chart.xAxis
-                .showMaxMin(false)
-                .staggerLabels(true);
-              break;
-
-            case 'box_plot':
-              colorKey = 'label';
-              chart = nv.models.boxPlotChart();
-              chart.x(function (d) { return d.label; });
-              chart.staggerLabels(true);
-              chart.maxBoxWidth(75); // prevent boxes from being incredibly wide
-              break;
-
-            default:
-              throw new Error("Unrecognized visualization for nvd3" + viz_type);
+                chart.cornerRadius(true);
+                break;
+
+              case 'column':
+                chart = nv.models.multiBarChart()
+                    .reduceXTicks(false)
+                    .rotateLabels(45);
+                break;
+
+              case 'compare':
+                chart = nv.models.cumulativeLineChart();
+                chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
+                chart.xAxis
+                    .showMaxMin(false)
+                    .staggerLabels(true);
+                break;
+
+              case 'bubble':
+                var row = function (col1, col2) {
+                  return "<tr><td>" + col1 + "</td><td>" + col2 + "</td></tr>";
+                };
+                chart = nv.models.scatterChart();
+                chart.showDistX(true);
+                chart.showDistY(true);
+                chart.tooltip.contentGenerator(function (obj) {
+                  var p = obj.point;
+                  var s = "<table>";
+                  s += '<tr><td style="color:' + p.color + ';"><strong>' + p[fd.entity] + '</strong> (' + p.group + ')</td></tr>';
+                  s += row(fd.x, f(p.x));
+                  s += row(fd.y, f(p.y));
+                  s += row(fd.size, f(p.size));
+                  s += "</table>";
+                  return s;
+                });
+                chart.pointRange([5, fd.max_bubble_size * fd.max_bubble_size]);
+                break;
+
+              case 'area':
+                chart = nv.models.stackedAreaChart();
+                chart.style(fd.stacked_style);
+                chart.xScale(d3.time.scale.utc());
+                chart.xAxis
+                    .showMaxMin(false)
+                    .staggerLabels(true);
+                break;
+
+              case 'box_plot':
+                colorKey = 'label';
+                chart = nv.models.boxPlotChart();
+                chart.x(function (d) {
+                  return d.label;
+                });
+                chart.staggerLabels(true);
+                chart.maxBoxWidth(75); // prevent boxes from being incredibly wide
+                break;
+
+              default:
+                throw new Error("Unrecognized visualization for nvd3" + viz_type);
+            }
           }
 
           if ("showLegend" in chart && typeof fd.show_legend !== 'undefined') {
@@ -197,8 +201,12 @@ function nvd3Vis(slice) {
             return px.color.category21(d[colorKey]);
           });
 
-          d3.select(slice.selector).html('');
-          d3.select(slice.selector).append("svg")
+          var svg = d3.select(slice.selector).select("svg");
+          if (svg.empty()) {
+            svg = d3.select(slice.selector).append("svg");
+          }
+
+          svg
             .datum(payload.data)
             .transition().duration(500)
             .attr('height', height)
diff --git a/caravel/assets/visualizations/table.js b/caravel/assets/visualizations/table.js
index 06aa4e9d6a920..8987e5dac51b3 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/visualizations/table.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/visualizations/table.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function tableVis(slice) {
         maxes[metrics[i]] = d3.max(col(metrics[i]));
       }
 
-      var table = d3.select(slice.selector).append('table')
+      var table = d3.select(slice.selector).html('').append('table')
         .classed('dataframe dataframe table table-striped table-bordered table-condensed table-hover dataTable no-footer', true)
         .attr('width', '100%');
 
diff --git a/caravel/templates/caravel/dashboard.html b/caravel/templates/caravel/dashboard.html
index 00ba50c4fbd25..65ac7c2703b75 100644
--- a/caravel/templates/caravel/dashboard.html
+++ b/caravel/templates/caravel/dashboard.html
@@ -37,6 +37,31 @@ <h6><strong>Styling applies to this dashboard only</strong></h6>
     </div>
   </div>
 </div>
+<div class="modal fade" id="refresh_modal" tabindex="-1" role="dialog">
+    <div class="modal-dialog" role="document">
+        <div class="modal-content">
+            <div class="modal-header">
+                <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"><span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span></button>
+                <h4 class="modal-title" id="myModalLabel">Refresh Interval</h4>
+                <h6><strong>Choose how frequent should the dashboard refresh</strong></h6>
+            </div>
+            <div class="modal-body">
+                <select id="refresh_dash_interval" class="select2" style="margin-bottom: 5px;">
+                    <option value="0">Don't refresh</option>
+                    <option value="10">10 seconds</option>
+                    <option value="30">30 seconds</option>
+                    <option value="60">1 minute</option>
+                    <option value="300">5 minutes</option>
+                </select><br>
+            </div>
+            <div class="modal-footer">
+                <button type="button" class="btn btn-default" data-dismiss="modal">
+                    Close
+                </button>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+</div>
 
 <div class="title">
     <div class="row">
@@ -52,6 +77,9 @@ <h2>
           <button type="button" id="refresh_dash" class="btn btn-default" data-toggle="tooltip" title="Force refresh the whole dashboard">
             <i class="fa fa-refresh"></i>
           </button>
+          <button type="button" id="refresh_dash_periodic" class="btn btn-default" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#refresh_modal">
+              <i class="fa fa-clock-o" data-toggle="tooltip" title="Edit the dashboard's CSS"></i>
+          </button>
           <button type="button" id="filters" class="btn btn-default" data-toggle="tooltip" title="View the list of active filters">
             <i class="fa fa-filter"></i>
           </button>