diff --git a/src/cairo-pattern.c b/src/cairo-pattern.c
index ed535e1c2..2bc55803c 100644
--- a/src/cairo-pattern.c
+++ b/src/cairo-pattern.c
@@ -50,6 +50,16 @@ static const cairo_solid_pattern_t cairo_pattern_nil_null_pointer = {
       CAIRO_EXTEND_GRADIENT_DEFAULT },	/* extend */
 };
 
+const cairo_solid_pattern_t cairo_pattern_none = {
+    { CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_SOLID, 	/* type */
+      CAIRO_REF_COUNT_INVALID,		/* ref_count */
+      CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS,		/* status */
+      { 0, 0, 0, NULL },		/* user_data */
+      { 1., 0., 0., 1., 0., 0., }, /* matrix */
+      CAIRO_FILTER_DEFAULT,	/* filter */
+      CAIRO_EXTEND_GRADIENT_DEFAULT },	/* extend */
+};
+
 /**
  * _cairo_pattern_set_error:
  * @pattern: a pattern
diff --git a/src/cairo.c b/src/cairo.c
index 22e15fde8..9a96dda7e 100644
--- a/src/cairo.c
+++ b/src/cairo.c
@@ -671,6 +671,9 @@ cairo_set_source_rgb (cairo_t *cr, double red, double green, double blue)
     if (cr->status)
 	return;
 
+    /* push the current pattern to the freed lists */
+    cairo_set_source (cr, (cairo_pattern_t *) &cairo_pattern_none);
+
     pattern = cairo_pattern_create_rgb (red, green, blue);
     cairo_set_source (cr, pattern);
     cairo_pattern_destroy (pattern);
@@ -702,6 +705,9 @@ cairo_set_source_rgba (cairo_t *cr,
     if (cr->status)
 	return;
 
+    /* push the current pattern to the freed lists */
+    cairo_set_source (cr, (cairo_pattern_t *) &cairo_pattern_none);
+
     pattern = cairo_pattern_create_rgba (red, green, blue, alpha);
     cairo_set_source (cr, pattern);
     cairo_pattern_destroy (pattern);
@@ -742,6 +748,9 @@ cairo_set_source_surface (cairo_t	  *cr,
     if (cr->status)
 	return;
 
+    /* push the current pattern to the freed lists */
+    cairo_set_source (cr, (cairo_pattern_t *) &cairo_pattern_none);
+
     pattern = cairo_pattern_create_for_surface (surface);
 
     cairo_matrix_init_translate (&matrix, -x, -y);
diff --git a/src/cairoint.h b/src/cairoint.h
index 4538bece9..1d2c3c782 100644
--- a/src/cairoint.h
+++ b/src/cairoint.h
@@ -1093,6 +1093,7 @@ typedef struct _cairo_solid_pattern {
 } cairo_solid_pattern_t;
 
 extern const cairo_private cairo_solid_pattern_t cairo_pattern_nil;
+extern const cairo_private cairo_solid_pattern_t cairo_pattern_none;
 
 typedef struct _cairo_surface_pattern {
     cairo_pattern_t base;