diff --git a/src/experimental/studio/app.cc b/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
index d92aa038..93f818ae 100644
--- a/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
+++ b/src/experimental/studio/app.cc
@@ -197,10 +197,6 @@ bool App::Update() {
   return status == toolbox::Window::Status::kRunning;
 }
 
-void App::Sync() {
-  renderer_->Sync(Model(), Data(), &perturb_, &camera_, &vis_options_);
-}
-
 void App::Render() {
   const float width = window_->GetWidth();
   const float height = window_->GetHeight();
diff --git a/src/experimental/studio/app.h b/src/experimental/studio/app.h
index 197cbaf9..29be6253 100644
--- a/src/experimental/studio/app.h
+++ b/src/experimental/studio/app.h
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ class App {
   // Processes window events and advances the state of the simulation.
   bool Update();
 
-  // Syncs the state of the simulation with the renderer.
-  void Sync();
-
   // Builds the GUI. We do this after Sync() to ensure we have the latest data
   // for building the GUI.
   void BuildGui();
diff --git a/src/experimental/studio/main.cc b/src/experimental/studio/main.cc
index 11c6a6a9..7f9815f1 100644
--- a/src/experimental/studio/main.cc
+++ b/src/experimental/studio/main.cc
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv, char** envp) {
   if (model_file.empty() && argc > 1 && argv[1][0] != '-') model_file = argv[1];
   app.LoadModel(model_file);
   while (app.Update()) {
-    app.Sync();
     app.BuildGui();
     app.Render();
   }
diff --git a/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.cc b/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.cc
index e4164ef8..ac56deb8 100644
--- a/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.cc
+++ b/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.cc
@@ -49,16 +49,14 @@ void Renderer::Deinit() {
   initialized_ = false;
 }
 
-void Renderer::Sync(const mjModel* model, mjData* data,
-                    const mjvPerturb* perturb, mjvCamera* camera,
-                    const mjvOption* vis_option) {
-  mjv_updateScene(model, data, vis_option, perturb, camera, mjCAT_ALL,
-                  &scene_);
-}
-
 void Renderer::Render(const mjModel* model, mjData* data,
                       const mjvPerturb* perturb, mjvCamera* camera,
                       const mjvOption* vis_option, int width, int height) {
+  if (initialized_) {
+    mjv_updateScene(model, data, vis_option, perturb, camera, mjCAT_ALL,
+                    &scene_);
+  }
+
   mjrRect main_viewport = {0, 0, width, height};
   mjr_render(main_viewport, data ? &scene_ : nullptr, &render_context_);
 
diff --git a/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.h b/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.h
index b7ee239c..3165d3bf 100644
--- a/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.h
+++ b/src/experimental/toolbox/renderer.h
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@ class Renderer {
   // Initializes the renderer with the given mjModel.
   void Init(const mjModel* model);
 
-  // Updates the render scene with the current simulation state.
-  void Sync(const mjModel* model, mjData* data, const mjvPerturb* perturb,
-            mjvCamera* camera, const mjvOption* vis_option);
-
   // Renders the simulation state into the active window. Also renders the imgui
   // state, but that is obtained directly from the ImGui library.
   void Render(const mjModel* model, mjData* data, const mjvPerturb* perturb,
@@ -59,9 +55,6 @@ class Renderer {
   mjtByte GetFlag(mjtRndFlag flag) const { return scene_.flags[flag];}
   void SetFlag(mjtRndFlag flag, mjtByte value) { scene_.flags[flag] = value; }
 
-  // Returns the mjvScene used by the renderer.
-  mjvScene& GetScene() { return scene_; }
-
   // Returns the current, average frame rate.
   double GetFrameRate() const { return fps_; }