A water-borne stain blocking primer comprises a) from about 10 to about 30 wt % of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic alkyd resin having an acid number of less, than 40 KOH/g, b) from about 5 to about 30 wt % of a pigment, the pigment having an average aspect ratio of at least 3:3:1; c) from about 0.05 to about 3 wt % of a tannin chelation agent; d) from about 0 to about 20 wt % of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic free-radically polymerized copolymer; e) a hydrophobically modified associative rheology modifier in an amount effective to provide a water-borne primer having an ICI viscosity of from about 0.5 to about 3.0 poise; and a KU viscosity range of from about 80 to about 120 Krebs units; and f) water. The water-borne primer has a VOC content of less than 5%. Methods of preparing and using such water-borne stain blocking primers also are described.