diff --git a/src/cairo-quartz-surface.c b/src/cairo-quartz-surface.c
index 1e2bbecb2..868c6c855 100644
--- a/src/cairo-quartz-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-quartz-surface.c
@@ -1374,7 +1374,6 @@ _cairo_quartz_teardown_state (cairo_quartz_drawing_state_t *state,
 	CGContextDrawLayerInRect (surface->cgContext,
 				  state->clipRect,
 				  state->layer);
-	CGContextRelease (state->cgDrawContext);
 	CGLayerRelease (state->layer);
     }