diff --git a/src/cairo-surface.c b/src/cairo-surface.c
index 8806f139e..642a75b8b 100644
--- a/src/cairo-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-surface.c
@@ -2346,14 +2346,14 @@ cairo_surface_show_page (cairo_surface_t *surface)
     if (surface->status)
 	return;
 
-    _cairo_surface_begin_modification (surface);
-
     if (surface->finished) {
 	status_ignored = _cairo_surface_set_error (surface,
 		                                 CAIRO_STATUS_SURFACE_FINISHED);
 	return;
     }
 
+    _cairo_surface_begin_modification (surface);
+
     /* It's fine if some backends don't implement show_page */
     if (surface->backend->show_page == NULL)
 	return;