diff --git a/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationlayermode.c b/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationlayermode.c
index 5e3352b758..2ec62493a2 100644
--- a/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationlayermode.c
+++ b/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationlayermode.c
@@ -458,12 +458,7 @@ gimp_operation_layer_mode_parent_process (GeglOperation        *operation,
       else
         {
           /* ... the output is empty. */
-          gegl_operation_context_take_object (
-            context, "output",
-            G_OBJECT (gegl_buffer_new (result,
-                                       gegl_operation_get_format (operation,
-                                                                  "output"))));
-
+          gegl_operation_context_set_object (context, "output", NULL);
           return TRUE;
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationreplace.c b/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationreplace.c
index 121801879f..18111fd402 100644
--- a/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationreplace.c
+++ b/app/operations/layer-modes/gimpoperationreplace.c
@@ -96,16 +96,9 @@ gimp_operation_replace_parent_process (GeglOperation        *op,
     {
       GObject *aux;
 
-      aux = gegl_operation_context_dup_object (context, "aux");
+      aux = gegl_operation_context_get_object (context, "aux");
 
-      if (! aux)
-        {
-          aux = G_OBJECT (
-            gegl_buffer_new (result,
-                             gegl_operation_get_format (op, "output")));
-        }
-
-      gegl_operation_context_take_object (context, "output", aux);
+      gegl_operation_context_set_object (context, "output", aux);
 
       return TRUE;
     }