diff --git a/src/cairo-font.c b/src/cairo-font.c
index 20ecc5323..b4b08a6b2 100644
--- a/src/cairo-font.c
+++ b/src/cairo-font.c
@@ -281,9 +281,11 @@ _cairo_glyph_surface_init (cairo_font_t *font,
 						   CAIRO_FORMAT_A8, 0,
 						   glyph_surface->size.width,
 						   glyph_surface->size.height);
-	if (glyph_surface->surface == NULL)
+	if (glyph_surface->surface == NULL) {
+	    glyph_surface->surface = image;
 	    return;
-	
+	}
+	    
 	status = _cairo_surface_set_image (glyph_surface->surface,
 					   (cairo_image_surface_t *) image);
 	if (status) {
diff --git a/src/cairo-surface.c b/src/cairo-surface.c
index e17679778..e42cd5528 100644
--- a/src/cairo-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-surface.c
@@ -60,17 +60,11 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_scratch (cairo_surface_t	*other,
 				       int		width,
 				       int		height)
 {
-    cairo_surface_t *surface;
-    
     if (other == NULL)
 	return NULL;
 
-    surface = other->backend->create_similar (other, format, drawable,
-					      width, height);
-    if (surface == NULL)
-	surface = cairo_image_surface_create (format, width, height);
-
-    return surface;
+    return other->backend->create_similar (other, format, drawable,
+					   width, height);
 }
 
 cairo_surface_t *
@@ -103,6 +97,10 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (cairo_surface_t	*other,
 
     surface = _cairo_surface_create_similar_scratch (other, format, 1,
 						     width, height);
+    
+    if (surface == NULL)
+	surface = cairo_image_surface_create (format, width, height);
+    
     status = _cairo_surface_fill_rectangle (surface,
 					    CAIRO_OPERATOR_SRC, color,
 					    0, 0, width, height);
diff --git a/src/cairo_font.c b/src/cairo_font.c
index 20ecc5323..b4b08a6b2 100644
--- a/src/cairo_font.c
+++ b/src/cairo_font.c
@@ -281,9 +281,11 @@ _cairo_glyph_surface_init (cairo_font_t *font,
 						   CAIRO_FORMAT_A8, 0,
 						   glyph_surface->size.width,
 						   glyph_surface->size.height);
-	if (glyph_surface->surface == NULL)
+	if (glyph_surface->surface == NULL) {
+	    glyph_surface->surface = image;
 	    return;
-	
+	}
+	    
 	status = _cairo_surface_set_image (glyph_surface->surface,
 					   (cairo_image_surface_t *) image);
 	if (status) {
diff --git a/src/cairo_surface.c b/src/cairo_surface.c
index e17679778..e42cd5528 100644
--- a/src/cairo_surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo_surface.c
@@ -60,17 +60,11 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_scratch (cairo_surface_t	*other,
 				       int		width,
 				       int		height)
 {
-    cairo_surface_t *surface;
-    
     if (other == NULL)
 	return NULL;
 
-    surface = other->backend->create_similar (other, format, drawable,
-					      width, height);
-    if (surface == NULL)
-	surface = cairo_image_surface_create (format, width, height);
-
-    return surface;
+    return other->backend->create_similar (other, format, drawable,
+					   width, height);
 }
 
 cairo_surface_t *
@@ -103,6 +97,10 @@ _cairo_surface_create_similar_solid (cairo_surface_t	*other,
 
     surface = _cairo_surface_create_similar_scratch (other, format, 1,
 						     width, height);
+    
+    if (surface == NULL)
+	surface = cairo_image_surface_create (format, width, height);
+    
     status = _cairo_surface_fill_rectangle (surface,
 					    CAIRO_OPERATOR_SRC, color,
 					    0, 0, width, height);