diff --git a/manimlib/mobject/mobject.py b/manimlib/mobject/mobject.py
index 96a7018b..874c81a1 100644
--- a/manimlib/mobject/mobject.py
+++ b/manimlib/mobject/mobject.py
@@ -1673,10 +1673,13 @@ class Mobject(object):
         for submob, sf in zip(self.submobjects, split_factors):
             new_submobs.append(submob)
             for k in range(1, sf):
-                new_submobs.append(submob.copy().scale(0))
+                new_submobs.append(submob.invisible_copy())
         self.set_submobjects(new_submobs)
         return self
 
+    def invisible_copy(self):
+        return self.copy().set_opacity(0)
+
     # Interpolate
 
     def interpolate(
diff --git a/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py b/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
index cf9eed5b..dca1e321 100644
--- a/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
+++ b/manimlib/mobject/types/vectorized_mobject.py
@@ -878,6 +878,12 @@ class VMobject(Mobject):
             mob.get_joint_products()
         return self
 
+    def invisible_copy(self):
+        result = self.copy()
+        result.append_vectorized_mobject(self.copy().reverse_points())
+        result.set_opacity(0)
+        return result
+
     def insert_n_curves(self, n: int, recurse: bool = True):
         for mob in self.get_family(recurse):
             if mob.get_num_curves() > 0:
@@ -1107,6 +1113,7 @@ class VMobject(Mobject):
             if refresh:
                 self.refresh_triangulation()
                 self.refresh_joint_products()
+            return self
         return wrapper
 
     @triggers_refreshed_triangulation