diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
index fcd3502274..500e211c5d 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkdisplay-wayland.c
@@ -906,7 +906,6 @@ typedef struct _GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData {
   struct wl_buffer *buffer;
   GdkWaylandDisplay *display;
   uint32_t scale;
-  gboolean busy;
 } GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData;
 
 static void
@@ -914,9 +913,7 @@ buffer_release_callback (void             *_data,
                          struct wl_buffer *wl_buffer)
 {
   cairo_surface_t *surface = _data;
-  GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData *data = cairo_surface_get_user_data (surface, &gdk_wayland_cairo_key);
 
-  data->busy = FALSE;
   cairo_surface_destroy (surface);
 }
 
@@ -1001,7 +998,6 @@ _gdk_wayland_display_create_shm_surface (GdkWaylandDisplay *display,
   data->display = display;
   data->buffer = NULL;
   data->scale = scale;
-  data->busy = FALSE;
 
   stride = cairo_format_stride_for_width (CAIRO_FORMAT_ARGB32, width*scale);
 
@@ -1043,21 +1039,6 @@ _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_wl_buffer (cairo_surface_t *surface)
   return data->buffer;
 }
 
-void
-_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_set_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface)
-{
-  GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData *data = cairo_surface_get_user_data (surface, &gdk_wayland_cairo_key);
-  data->busy = TRUE;
-  cairo_surface_reference (surface);
-}
-
-gboolean
-_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface)
-{
-  GdkWaylandCairoSurfaceData *data = cairo_surface_get_user_data (surface, &gdk_wayland_cairo_key);
-  return data->busy;
-}
-
 gboolean
 _gdk_wayland_is_shm_surface (cairo_surface_t *surface)
 {
diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h b/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
index 9e5151702e..123a33b161 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkprivate-wayland.h
@@ -232,8 +232,6 @@ cairo_surface_t * _gdk_wayland_display_create_shm_surface (GdkWaylandDisplay *di
                                                            int                height,
                                                            guint              scale);
 struct wl_buffer *_gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_wl_buffer (cairo_surface_t *surface);
-void _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_set_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface);
-gboolean _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (cairo_surface_t *surface);
 gboolean _gdk_wayland_is_shm_surface (cairo_surface_t *surface);
 
 GdkWaylandSelection * gdk_wayland_display_get_selection (GdkDisplay *display);
diff --git a/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c b/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
index f5a0546c76..1c509e59cb 100644
--- a/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
+++ b/gdk/wayland/gdkwindow-wayland.c
@@ -442,8 +442,6 @@ on_frame_clock_after_paint (GdkFrameClock *clock,
   _gdk_frame_clock_freeze (clock);
 
   wl_surface_commit (impl->display_server.wl_surface);
-  if (_gdk_wayland_is_shm_surface (impl->cairo_surface))
-    _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_set_busy (impl->cairo_surface);
 
   g_signal_emit (impl, signals[COMMITTED], 0);
 }
@@ -641,14 +639,9 @@ gdk_wayland_window_create_similar_image_surface (GdkWindow *     window,
 static gboolean
 gdk_window_impl_wayland_begin_paint (GdkWindow *window)
 {
-  GdkWindowImplWayland *impl = GDK_WINDOW_IMPL_WAYLAND (window->impl);
-
   gdk_wayland_window_ensure_cairo_surface (window);
 
-  if (_gdk_wayland_is_shm_surface (impl->cairo_surface))
-    return _gdk_wayland_shm_surface_get_busy (impl->cairo_surface);
-  else
-    return FALSE;
+  return FALSE;
 }
 
 static void