diff --git a/src/cairo-clip.c b/src/cairo-clip.c
index 6e52ab28e..bce6117a7 100644
--- a/src/cairo-clip.c
+++ b/src/cairo-clip.c
@@ -404,7 +404,8 @@ _cairo_clip_intersect_mask (cairo_clip_t      *clip,
 						   CAIRO_CONTENT_ALPHA,
 						   surface_rect.width,
 						   surface_rect.height,
-						   CAIRO_COLOR_WHITE);
+						   CAIRO_COLOR_WHITE,
+						   NULL);
     if (surface->status)
 	return CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
 
diff --git a/src/cairo-glitz-surface.c b/src/cairo-glitz-surface.c
index f8207e745..cfebc3244 100644
--- a/src/cairo-glitz-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-glitz-surface.c
@@ -1002,7 +1002,8 @@ _cairo_glitz_surface_fill_rectangles (void		      *abstract_dst,
 	    _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (&dst->base,
 						 CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA,
 						 1, 1,
-						 (cairo_color_t *) color);
+						 (cairo_color_t *) color,
+						 NULL);
 	if (src->base.status)
 	    return CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
 
diff --git a/src/cairo-pattern.c b/src/cairo-pattern.c
index 2bc893ea6..e29778dce 100644
--- a/src/cairo-pattern.c
+++ b/src/cairo-pattern.c
@@ -1250,7 +1250,8 @@ _cairo_pattern_acquire_surface_for_solid (cairo_solid_pattern_t	     *pattern,
 				       CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR :
 				       CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA,
 				       1, 1,
-				       &pattern->color);
+				       &pattern->color,
+				       &pattern->base);
     if ((*out)->status)
 	return CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY;
 
diff --git a/src/cairo-surface.c b/src/cairo-surface.c
index efd193613..104996400 100644
--- a/src/cairo-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-surface.c
@@ -288,7 +288,8 @@ cairo_surface_create_similar (cairo_surface_t  *other,
 
     return _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (other, content,
 						width, height,
-						CAIRO_COLOR_TRANSPARENT);
+						CAIRO_COLOR_TRANSPARENT,
+						NULL);
 }
 slim_hidden_def (cairo_surface_create_similar);
 
@@ -297,7 +298,8 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (cairo_surface_t	 *other,
 				     cairo_content_t	  content,
 				     int		  width,
 				     int		  height,
-				     const cairo_color_t *color)
+				     const cairo_color_t *color,
+				     cairo_pattern_t	 *pattern)
 {
     cairo_status_t status;
     cairo_surface_t *surface;
@@ -310,19 +312,23 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (cairo_surface_t	 *other,
 	return (cairo_surface_t*) &_cairo_surface_nil;
     }
 
-    source = _cairo_pattern_create_solid (color);
-    if (source->status) {
-	cairo_surface_destroy (surface);
-	_cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY);
-	return (cairo_surface_t*) &_cairo_surface_nil;
-    }
+    if (pattern == NULL) {
+	source = _cairo_pattern_create_solid (color);
+	if (source->status) {
+	    cairo_surface_destroy (surface);
+	    _cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY);
+	    return (cairo_surface_t*) &_cairo_surface_nil;
+	}
+    } else
+	source = pattern;
 
     status = _cairo_surface_paint (surface,
 				   color == CAIRO_COLOR_TRANSPARENT ?
 				   CAIRO_OPERATOR_CLEAR :
 				   CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE, source);
 
-    cairo_pattern_destroy (source);
+    if (source != pattern)
+	cairo_pattern_destroy (source);
 
     if (status) {
 	cairo_surface_destroy (surface);
diff --git a/src/cairoint.h b/src/cairoint.h
index 2a3ff0111..76397e2e0 100644
--- a/src/cairoint.h
+++ b/src/cairoint.h
@@ -1851,12 +1851,16 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_scratch (cairo_surface_t *other,
 				       int		width,
 				       int		height);
 
+/* Note: the color_pattern argument is optional - if provided it will reuse
+ * that pattern instead of creating a very short-lived fresh solid pattern
+ */
 cairo_private cairo_surface_t *
 _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (cairo_surface_t	 *other,
 				     cairo_content_t	  content,
 				     int		  width,
 				     int		  height,
-				     const cairo_color_t *color);
+				     const cairo_color_t *color,
+				     cairo_pattern_t     *color_pattern);
 
 cairo_private void
 _cairo_surface_init (cairo_surface_t			*surface,