diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/document.py b/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/document.py
index 13407d45bf..f0c53b12f9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/document.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/document.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class _Canvas(QGraphicsRectItem):
         pen = QPen()
         pen.setStyle(Qt.NoPen)
         self.setPen(pen)
+        if not hasattr(self, 'children'):
+            self.children = self.childItems
 
     def layout_block(self, block, x, y):
         if isinstance(block, TextBlock):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/text.py b/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/text.py
index 05e87532f4..b6a2788353 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/text.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/lrf_renderer/text.py
@@ -358,6 +358,8 @@ class Line(QGraphicsItem):
         self.links = collections.deque()
         self.current_link = None
         self.valign = None
+        if not hasattr(self, 'children'):
+            self.children = self.childItems
 
     def start_link(self, refobj, slot):
         self.current_link = [self.current_width, sys.maxint, refobj, slot]
@@ -481,10 +483,9 @@ class Line(QGraphicsItem):
             painter.restore()
         painter.save()
         painter.setPen(QPen(Qt.NoPen))
-        if hasattr(self, 'children'):
-            for c in self.children():
-                painter.setBrush(c.brush)
-                painter.drawRect(c.boundingRect())
+        for c in self.children():
+            painter.setBrush(c.brush)
+            painter.drawRect(c.boundingRect())
         painter.restore()
         painter.save()
         for tok in self.tokens: