diff --git a/src/cairo-pattern.c b/src/cairo-pattern.c
index bd7e07af5..0ecfbe398 100644
--- a/src/cairo-pattern.c
+++ b/src/cairo-pattern.c
@@ -250,9 +250,10 @@ _cairo_pattern_fini (cairo_pattern_t *pattern)
 }
 
 cairo_status_t
-_cairo_pattern_create_copy (cairo_pattern_t	  **pattern,
+_cairo_pattern_create_copy (cairo_pattern_t	  **pattern_out,
 			    const cairo_pattern_t  *other)
 {
+    cairo_pattern_t *pattern;
     cairo_status_t status;
 
     if (other->status)
@@ -260,29 +261,29 @@ _cairo_pattern_create_copy (cairo_pattern_t	  **pattern,
 
     switch (other->type) {
     case CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_SOLID:
-	*pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_solid_pattern_t));
+	pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_solid_pattern_t));
 	break;
     case CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_SURFACE:
-	*pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_surface_pattern_t));
+	pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_surface_pattern_t));
 	break;
     case CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_LINEAR:
-	*pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_linear_pattern_t));
+	pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_linear_pattern_t));
 	break;
     case CAIRO_PATTERN_TYPE_RADIAL:
-	*pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_radial_pattern_t));
+	pattern = malloc (sizeof (cairo_radial_pattern_t));
 	break;
     }
-    if (unlikely (*pattern == NULL))
+    if (unlikely (pattern == NULL))
 	return _cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY);
 
-    status = _cairo_pattern_init_copy (*pattern, other);
+    status = _cairo_pattern_init_copy (pattern, other);
     if (unlikely (status)) {
-	free (*pattern);
+	free (pattern);
 	return status;
     }
 
-    CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INIT (&(*pattern)->ref_count, 1);
-
+    CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INIT (&pattern->ref_count, 1);
+    *pattern_out = pattern;
     return CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }