diff --git a/boilerplate/cairo-boilerplate-cogl.c b/boilerplate/cairo-boilerplate-cogl.c
index 037a34147..364654feb 100644
--- a/boilerplate/cairo-boilerplate-cogl.c
+++ b/boilerplate/cairo-boilerplate-cogl.c
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ _cairo_boilerplate_cogl_create_offscreen_color_surface (const char		*name,
     cogl_closure_t *closure;
     cairo_status_t status;
 
+    if (width < 1)
+        width = 1;
+    if (height < 1)
+        height = 1;
+
     if (!context)
 	context = cogl_context_new (NULL, NULL);
 
@@ -118,6 +123,11 @@ _cairo_boilerplate_cogl_create_onscreen_color_surface (const char	       *name,
     cogl_closure_t *closure;
     cairo_status_t status;
 
+    if (width < 1)
+        width = 1;
+    if (height < 1)
+        height = 1;
+
     if (!context)
 	context = cogl_context_new (NULL, NULL);