diff --git a/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.cpp b/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.cpp
index 2698e49f570..17d22b6b061 100644
--- a/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.cpp
+++ b/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.cpp
@@ -250,21 +250,45 @@ bool RasterizerCanvasGLES2::prefill_joined_item(FillState &r_fill_state, int &r_
 		switch (command->type) {
 
 			default: {
-				if (r_fill_state.curr_batch->type == Batch::BT_DEFAULT) {
-					// another default command, just add to the existing batch
-					r_fill_state.curr_batch->num_commands++;
-				} else {
-					// end of previous different type batch, so start new default batch
-					r_fill_state.curr_batch = _batch_request_new();
-					r_fill_state.curr_batch->type = Batch::BT_DEFAULT;
-					r_fill_state.curr_batch->first_command = command_num;
-					r_fill_state.curr_batch->num_commands = 1;
-				}
+				_prefill_default_batch(r_fill_state, command_num);
 			} break;
 			case Item::Command::TYPE_RECT: {
 
 				Item::CommandRect *rect = static_cast<Item::CommandRect *>(command);
 
+				bool change_batch = false;
+
+				// conditions for creating a new batch
+				if (r_fill_state.curr_batch->type != Batch::BT_RECT) {
+					change_batch = true;
+
+					// check for special case if there is only a single or small number of rects,
+					// in which case we will use the legacy default rect renderer
+					// because it is faster for single rects
+
+					// we only want to do this if not a joined item with more than 1 item,
+					// because joined items with more than 1, the command * will be incorrect
+					// NOTE - this is assuming that use_hardware_transform means that it is a non-joined item!!
+					// If that assumption is incorrect this will go horribly wrong.
+					if (r_fill_state.use_hardware_transform) {
+						bool is_single_rect = false;
+						int command_num_next = command_num + 1;
+						if (command_num_next < command_count) {
+							Item::Command *command_next = commands[command_num_next];
+							if (command_next->type != Item::Command::TYPE_RECT) {
+								is_single_rect = true;
+							}
+						} else {
+							is_single_rect = true;
+						}
+						// if it is a rect on its own, do exactly the same as the default routine
+						if (is_single_rect) {
+							_prefill_default_batch(r_fill_state, command_num);
+							break;
+						}
+					}
+				} // if use hardware transform
+
 				Color col = rect->modulate;
 				if (multiply_final_modulate) {
 					col *= r_fill_state.final_modulate;
@@ -290,10 +314,8 @@ bool RasterizerCanvasGLES2::prefill_joined_item(FillState &r_fill_state, int &r_
 					return true;
 				}
 
-				bool change_batch = false;
-
 				// conditions for creating a new batch
-				if ((r_fill_state.curr_batch->type != Batch::BT_RECT) || (old_batch_tex_id != r_fill_state.batch_tex_id)) {
+				if (old_batch_tex_id != r_fill_state.batch_tex_id) {
 					change_batch = true;
 				}
 
diff --git a/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.h b/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.h
index 44cb1584ad4..a1eab4fef41 100644
--- a/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.h
+++ b/drivers/gles2/rasterizer_canvas_gles2.h
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ private:
 	void _software_transform_vertex(BatchVector2 &r_v, const Transform2D &p_tr) const;
 	void _software_transform_vertex(Vector2 &r_v, const Transform2D &p_tr) const;
 	TransformMode _find_transform_mode(bool p_use_hardware_transform, const Transform2D &p_tr, Transform2D &r_tr) const;
+	_FORCE_INLINE_ void _prefill_default_batch(FillState &r_fill_state, int p_command_num);
 
 	// light scissoring
 	bool _light_find_intersection(const Rect2 &p_item_rect, const Transform2D &p_light_xform, const Rect2 &p_light_rect, Rect2 &r_cliprect) const;
@@ -255,6 +256,19 @@ public:
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+_FORCE_INLINE_ void RasterizerCanvasGLES2::_prefill_default_batch(FillState &r_fill_state, int p_command_num) {
+	if (r_fill_state.curr_batch->type == Batch::BT_DEFAULT) {
+		// another default command, just add to the existing batch
+		r_fill_state.curr_batch->num_commands++;
+	} else {
+		// end of previous different type batch, so start new default batch
+		r_fill_state.curr_batch = _batch_request_new();
+		r_fill_state.curr_batch->type = Batch::BT_DEFAULT;
+		r_fill_state.curr_batch->first_command = p_command_num;
+		r_fill_state.curr_batch->num_commands = 1;
+	}
+}
+
 _FORCE_INLINE_ void RasterizerCanvasGLES2::_software_transform_vertex(BatchVector2 &r_v, const Transform2D &p_tr) const {
 	Vector2 vc(r_v.x, r_v.y);
 	vc = p_tr.xform(vc);