diff --git a/clients/nested.c b/clients/nested.c
index d75e953aa..3bdb96130 100644
--- a/clients/nested.c
+++ b/clients/nested.c
@@ -976,6 +976,8 @@ ss_surface_init(struct nested_surface *surface)
 				      nested,
 				      SUBSURFACE_SYNCHRONIZED);
 
+	widget_set_use_cairo(ss_surface->widget, 0);
+
 	ss_surface->surface = widget_get_wl_surface(ss_surface->widget);
 	ss_surface->subsurface = widget_get_wl_subsurface(ss_surface->widget);