diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d11382035..7605c991b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@
   * Added `BoundingBoxFollowerGraphic` component. This class is a counterpart of `BoundingBoxFollower` that can be used with `SkeletonGraphic`.
   * Added Inspector context menu functions `SkeletonRenderer - Add all BoundingBoxFollower GameObjects` and `SkeletonGraphic - Add all BoundingBoxFollowerGraphic GameObjects` that automatically generate bounding box follower GameObjects for every `BoundingBoxAttachment` for all skins of a skeleton.
   * `GetRemappedClone()` now provides an additional parameter `pivotShiftsMeshUVCoords` for `MeshAttachment` to prevent uv shifts at a non-central Sprite pivot. This parameter defaults to `true` to maintain previous behaviour.
+  * `SkeletonRenderer` components now provide an additional update mode `Only Event Timelines` at the `Update When Invisible` property. This mode saves additional timeline updates compared to update mode `Everything Except Mesh`.
 
 * **Changes of default values**
   * `SkeletonMecanim`'s `Layer Mix Mode` now defaults to `MixMode.MixNext` instead of `MixMode.MixAlways`.
diff --git a/spine-csharp/src/AnimationState.cs b/spine-csharp/src/AnimationState.cs
index e1c132a11..2ded456e1 100644
--- a/spine-csharp/src/AnimationState.cs
+++ b/spine-csharp/src/AnimationState.cs
@@ -300,6 +300,43 @@ namespace Spine {
 			return applied;
 		}
 
+		/// <summary>Version of <see cref="Apply"/> only applying EventTimelines for lightweight off-screen updates.</summary>
+		// Note: This method is not part of the libgdx reference implementation.
+		public bool ApplyEventTimelinesOnly (Skeleton skeleton) {
+			if (skeleton == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("skeleton", "skeleton cannot be null.");
+
+			var events = this.events;
+			bool applied = false;
+			var tracksItems = tracks.Items;
+			for (int i = 0, n = tracks.Count; i < n; i++) {
+				TrackEntry current = tracksItems[i];
+				if (current == null || current.delay > 0) continue;
+				applied = true;
+
+				// Apply mixing from entries first.
+				if (current.mixingFrom != null)
+					ApplyMixingFromEventTimelinesOnly(current, skeleton);
+
+				// Apply current entry.
+				float animationLast = current.animationLast, animationTime = current.AnimationTime;
+				int timelineCount = current.animation.timelines.Count;
+				var timelines = current.animation.timelines;
+				var timelinesItems = timelines.Items;
+				for (int ii = 0; ii < timelineCount; ii++) {
+					Timeline timeline = timelinesItems[ii];
+					if (timeline is EventTimeline)
+						timeline.Apply(skeleton, animationLast, animationTime, events, 1.0f, MixBlend.Setup, MixDirection.In);
+				}
+				QueueEvents(current, animationTime);
+				events.Clear(false);
+				current.nextAnimationLast = animationTime;
+				current.nextTrackLast = current.trackTime;
+			}
+
+			queue.Drain();
+			return applied;
+		}
+
 		private float ApplyMixingFrom (TrackEntry to, Skeleton skeleton, MixBlend blend) {
 			TrackEntry from = to.mixingFrom;
 			if (from.mixingFrom != null) ApplyMixingFrom(from, skeleton, blend);
@@ -386,6 +423,43 @@ namespace Spine {
 			return mix;
 		}
 
+		/// <summary>Version of <see cref="ApplyMixingFrom"/> only applying EventTimelines for lightweight off-screen updates.</summary>
+		// Note: This method is not part of the libgdx reference implementation.
+		private float ApplyMixingFromEventTimelinesOnly (TrackEntry to, Skeleton skeleton) {
+			TrackEntry from = to.mixingFrom;
+			if (from.mixingFrom != null) ApplyMixingFromEventTimelinesOnly(from, skeleton);
+
+			float mix;
+			if (to.mixDuration == 0) { // Single frame mix to undo mixingFrom changes.
+				mix = 1;
+			}
+			else {
+				mix = to.mixTime / to.mixDuration;
+				if (mix > 1) mix = 1;
+			}
+
+			var eventBuffer = mix < from.eventThreshold ? this.events : null;
+			if (eventBuffer == null)
+				return mix;
+
+			float animationLast = from.animationLast, animationTime = from.AnimationTime;
+			var timelines = from.animation.timelines;
+			int timelineCount = timelines.Count;
+			var timelinesItems = timelines.Items;
+			for (int i = 0; i < timelineCount; i++) {
+				var timeline = timelinesItems[i];
+				if (timeline is EventTimeline)
+					timeline.Apply(skeleton, animationLast, animationTime, eventBuffer, 0, MixBlend.Setup, MixDirection.Out);
+			}
+
+			if (to.mixDuration > 0) QueueEvents(from, animationTime);
+			this.events.Clear(false);
+			from.nextAnimationLast = animationTime;
+			from.nextTrackLast = from.trackTime;
+
+			return mix;
+		}
+
 		/// <summary> Applies the attachment timeline and sets <see cref="Slot.attachmentState"/>.</summary>
 		/// <param name="attachments">False when: 1) the attachment timeline is mixing out, 2) mix < attachmentThreshold, and 3) the timeline
 		/// is not the last timeline to set the slot's attachment. In that case the timeline is applied only so subsequent
diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonAnimation.cs b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonAnimation.cs
index 514eaa341..cfc5ddf29 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonAnimation.cs
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonAnimation.cs
@@ -213,7 +213,10 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 			if (_BeforeApply != null)
 				_BeforeApply(this);
 
-			state.Apply(skeleton);
+			if (updateMode != UpdateMode.OnlyEventTimelines)
+				state.Apply(skeleton);
+			else
+				state.ApplyEventTimelinesOnly(skeleton);
 
 			if (_UpdateLocal != null)
 				_UpdateLocal(this);
diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonGraphic.cs b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonGraphic.cs
index 429266bf1..457ba3124 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonGraphic.cs
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonGraphic.cs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 
 		/// <summary>Update mode to optionally limit updates to e.g. only apply animations but not update the mesh.</summary>
 		public UpdateMode UpdateMode { get { return updateMode; } set { updateMode = value; } }
-		[SerializeField] protected UpdateMode updateMode = UpdateMode.FullUpdate;
+		protected UpdateMode updateMode = UpdateMode.FullUpdate;
 
 		/// <summary>Update mode used when the MeshRenderer becomes invisible
 		/// (when <c>OnBecameInvisible()</c> is called). Update mode is automatically
@@ -263,7 +263,10 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 			if (BeforeApply != null)
 				BeforeApply(this);
 
-			state.Apply(skeleton);
+			if (updateMode != UpdateMode.OnlyEventTimelines)
+				state.Apply(skeleton);
+			else
+				state.ApplyEventTimelinesOnly(skeleton);
 
 			if (UpdateLocal != null)
 				UpdateLocal(this);
@@ -283,7 +286,7 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 			// instantiation can happen from Update() after this component, leading to a missing Update() call.
 			if (!wasUpdatedAfterInit) Update(0);
 			if (freeze) return;
-			if (updateMode <= UpdateMode.EverythingExceptMesh) return;
+			if (updateMode != UpdateMode.FullUpdate) return;
 
 			UpdateMesh();
 		}
diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonRenderer.cs b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonRenderer.cs
index 519bf334f..2fea2f7d4 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonRenderer.cs
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonRenderer.cs
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 
 		/// <summary>Update mode to optionally limit updates to e.g. only apply animations but not update the mesh.</summary>
 		public UpdateMode UpdateMode { get { return updateMode; } set { updateMode = value; } }
-		[SerializeField] protected UpdateMode updateMode = UpdateMode.FullUpdate;
+		protected UpdateMode updateMode = UpdateMode.FullUpdate;
 
 		/// <summary>Update mode used when the MeshRenderer becomes invisible
 		/// (when <c>OnBecameInvisible()</c> is called). Update mode is automatically
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 			}
 			#endif
 
-			if (updateMode <= UpdateMode.EverythingExceptMesh) return;
+			if (updateMode != UpdateMode.FullUpdate) return;
 
 			#if SPINE_OPTIONAL_RENDEROVERRIDE
 			bool doMeshOverride = generateMeshOverride != null;
diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/ISkeletonAnimation.cs b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/ISkeletonAnimation.cs
index 36e300ec9..90486e381 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/ISkeletonAnimation.cs
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/ISkeletonAnimation.cs
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 	public enum UpdateMode {
 		Nothing = 0,
 		OnlyAnimationStatus,
-		EverythingExceptMesh,
-		FullUpdate
+		OnlyEventTimelines = 4, // added as index 4 to keep scene behavior unchanged.
+		EverythingExceptMesh = 2,
+		FullUpdate,
+		//Reserved 4 for OnlyEventTimelines
 	};
 
 	public delegate void UpdateBonesDelegate (ISkeletonAnimation animated);