diff --git a/gdk/gdkinternals.h b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
index 9ff1d9277a..694391d83c 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkinternals.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
@@ -511,9 +511,9 @@ void _gdk_display_pointer_info_foreach (GdkDisplay                   *display,
 void _gdk_window_invalidate_for_expose (GdkWindow       *window,
 					cairo_region_t       *region);
 
-void _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (cairo_surface_t *surface,
-					    int width,
-					    int height);
+gboolean _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (cairo_surface_t *surface,
+					        int width,
+					        int height);
 
 cairo_surface_t * _gdk_windowing_create_cairo_surface (GdkDrawable *drawable,
 						       int width,
diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.c b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
index 5797591b38..89f8bd7d79 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
@@ -1054,11 +1054,18 @@ recompute_visible_regions_internal (GdkWindowObject *private,
       width = private->abs_x + private->width;
       height = private->abs_y + private->height;
 
-      _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (private->cairo_surface,
-					     width, height);
-      cairo_surface_set_device_offset (private->cairo_surface,
-				       private->abs_x,
-				       private->abs_y);
+      if (_gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (private->cairo_surface,
+                                                 width, height))
+        {
+          cairo_surface_set_device_offset (private->cairo_surface,
+                                           private->abs_x,
+                                           private->abs_y);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          cairo_surface_destroy (private->cairo_surface);
+          private->cairo_surface = NULL;
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/gdk/quartz/gdkdrawable-quartz.c b/gdk/quartz/gdkdrawable-quartz.c
index ddb481a389..849d186ac9 100644
--- a/gdk/quartz/gdkdrawable-quartz.c
+++ b/gdk/quartz/gdkdrawable-quartz.c
@@ -32,12 +32,13 @@ typedef struct {
   CGContextRef  cg_context;
 } GdkQuartzCairoSurfaceData;
 
-void
+gboolean
 _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (cairo_surface_t *surface,
 				       int              width,
 				       int              height)
 {
   /* This is not supported with quartz surfaces. */
+  return FALSE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/gdk/win32/gdkdrawable-win32.c b/gdk/win32/gdkdrawable-win32.c
index 17ccd615a6..403ffad12b 100644
--- a/gdk/win32/gdkdrawable-win32.c
+++ b/gdk/win32/gdkdrawable-win32.c
@@ -670,12 +670,13 @@ gdk_win32_ref_cairo_surface (GdkDrawable *drawable)
   return impl->cairo_surface;
 }
 
-void
+gboolean
 _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (cairo_surface_t *surface,
 				       gint width,
 				       gint height)
 {
   // Do nothing.  The surface size is determined by the DC
+  return FALSE;
 }
 
 static gint
diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c
index 02efc0d840..961dad01ab 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c
@@ -461,12 +461,13 @@ gdk_x11_cairo_surface_destroy (void *data)
   impl->cairo_surface = NULL;
 }
 
-void
+gboolean
 _gdk_windowing_set_cairo_surface_size (cairo_surface_t *surface,
 				       int width,
 				       int height)
 {
   cairo_xlib_surface_set_size (surface, width, height);
+  return TRUE;
 }
 
 cairo_surface_t *