diff --git a/src/cairo-gstate.c b/src/cairo-gstate.c
index 54792312e..7b1207339 100644
--- a/src/cairo-gstate.c
+++ b/src/cairo-gstate.c
@@ -204,47 +204,6 @@ _cairo_gstate_fini (cairo_gstate_t *gstate)
     gstate->source = NULL;
 }
 
-static void
-_cairo_gstate_destroy (cairo_gstate_t *gstate)
-{
-    _cairo_gstate_fini (gstate);
-    free (gstate);
-}
-
-/**
- * _cairo_gstate_clone:
- * @other: a #cairo_gstate_t to be copied, not %NULL.
- *
- * Create a new #cairo_gstate_t setting all graphics state parameters
- * to the same values as contained in @other. gstate->next will be set
- * to %NULL and may be used by the caller to chain #cairo_gstate_t
- * objects together.
- *
- * Return value: a new #cairo_gstate_t or %NULL if there is insufficient
- * memory.
- **/
-static cairo_status_t
-_cairo_gstate_clone (cairo_gstate_t *other, cairo_gstate_t **out)
-{
-    cairo_status_t status;
-    cairo_gstate_t *gstate;
-
-    assert (other != NULL);
-
-    gstate = malloc (sizeof (cairo_gstate_t));
-    if (gstate == NULL)
-	return _cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY);
-
-    status = _cairo_gstate_init_copy (gstate, other);
-    if (status) {
-	free (gstate);
-	return status;
-    }
-
-    *out = gstate;
-    return CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS;
-}
-
 /**
  * _cairo_gstate_save:
  * @gstate: input/output gstate pointer
@@ -254,14 +213,25 @@ _cairo_gstate_clone (cairo_gstate_t *other, cairo_gstate_t **out)
  * copy into @gstate.  _cairo_gstate_restore() reverses this.
  **/
 cairo_status_t
-_cairo_gstate_save (cairo_gstate_t **gstate)
+_cairo_gstate_save (cairo_gstate_t **gstate, cairo_gstate_t **freelist)
 {
-    cairo_gstate_t *top = NULL;
+    cairo_gstate_t *top;
     cairo_status_t status;
 
-    status = _cairo_gstate_clone (*gstate, &top);
-    if (status)
+    top = *freelist;
+    if (top == NULL) {
+	top = malloc (sizeof (cairo_gstate_t));
+	if (top == NULL)
+	    return _cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY);
+    } else
+	*freelist = top->next;
+
+    status = _cairo_gstate_init_copy (top, *gstate);
+    if (status) {
+	top->next = *freelist;
+	*freelist = top;
 	return status;
+    }
 
     top->next = *gstate;
     *gstate = top;
@@ -276,7 +246,7 @@ _cairo_gstate_save (cairo_gstate_t **gstate)
  * Reverses the effects of one _cairo_gstate_save() call.
  **/
 cairo_status_t
-_cairo_gstate_restore (cairo_gstate_t **gstate)
+_cairo_gstate_restore (cairo_gstate_t **gstate, cairo_gstate_t **freelist)
 {
     cairo_gstate_t *top;
 
@@ -286,7 +256,9 @@ _cairo_gstate_restore (cairo_gstate_t **gstate)
 
     *gstate = top->next;
 
-    _cairo_gstate_destroy (top);
+    _cairo_gstate_fini (top);
+    top->next = *freelist;
+    *freelist = top;
 
     return CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/src/cairo-private.h b/src/cairo-private.h
index a5faec832..43bd2232c 100644
--- a/src/cairo-private.h
+++ b/src/cairo-private.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct _cairo {
 
     cairo_gstate_t *gstate;
     cairo_gstate_t  gstate_tail[1];
+    cairo_gstate_t *gstate_freelist;
 
     cairo_path_fixed_t path[1];
 };
diff --git a/src/cairo.c b/src/cairo.c
index e001e70f6..ec2616a80 100644
--- a/src/cairo.c
+++ b/src/cairo.c
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ static const cairo_t _cairo_nil = {
   {{				/* gstate_tail */
     0
   }},
-  {{ 				/* path */
+  NULL,				/* gstate_freelist */
+  {{				/* path */
     { 0, 0 },			/* last_move_point */
     { 0, 0 },			/* current point */
     FALSE,			/* has_current_point */
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@ cairo_create (cairo_surface_t *target)
     _cairo_path_fixed_init (cr->path);
 
     cr->gstate = cr->gstate_tail;
+    cr->gstate_freelist = NULL;
     status = _cairo_gstate_init (cr->gstate, target);
 
     if (status)
@@ -260,11 +262,16 @@ cairo_destroy (cairo_t *cr)
 	return;
 
     while (cr->gstate != cr->gstate_tail) {
-	if (_cairo_gstate_restore (&cr->gstate))
+	if (_cairo_gstate_restore (&cr->gstate, &cr->gstate_freelist))
 	    break;
     }
 
     _cairo_gstate_fini (cr->gstate);
+    while (cr->gstate_freelist != NULL) {
+	cairo_gstate_t *gstate = cr->gstate_freelist;
+	cr->gstate_freelist = gstate->next;
+	free (gstate);
+    }
 
     _cairo_path_fixed_fini (cr->path);
 
@@ -371,10 +378,9 @@ cairo_save (cairo_t *cr)
     if (cr->status)
 	return;
 
-    status = _cairo_gstate_save (&cr->gstate);
-    if (status) {
+    status = _cairo_gstate_save (&cr->gstate, &cr->gstate_freelist);
+    if (status)
 	_cairo_set_error (cr, status);
-    }
 }
 slim_hidden_def(cairo_save);
 
@@ -394,10 +400,9 @@ cairo_restore (cairo_t *cr)
     if (cr->status)
 	return;
 
-    status = _cairo_gstate_restore (&cr->gstate);
-    if (status) {
+    status = _cairo_gstate_restore (&cr->gstate, &cr->gstate_freelist);
+    if (status)
 	_cairo_set_error (cr, status);
-    }
 }
 slim_hidden_def(cairo_restore);
 
diff --git a/src/cairoint.h b/src/cairoint.h
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index b52b0401d..218afc005
--- a/src/cairoint.h
+++ b/src/cairoint.h
@@ -952,10 +952,10 @@ cairo_private void
 _cairo_gstate_fini (cairo_gstate_t *gstate);
 
 cairo_private cairo_status_t
-_cairo_gstate_save (cairo_gstate_t **gstate);
+_cairo_gstate_save (cairo_gstate_t **gstate, cairo_gstate_t **freelist);
 
 cairo_private cairo_status_t
-_cairo_gstate_restore (cairo_gstate_t **gstate);
+_cairo_gstate_restore (cairo_gstate_t **gstate, cairo_gstate_t **freelist);
 
 cairo_private cairo_bool_t
 _cairo_gstate_is_redirected (cairo_gstate_t *gstate);