diff --git a/src/st/st-texture-cache.c b/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
index f235ace6e..b7b547a78 100644
--- a/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
+++ b/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
@@ -742,12 +742,10 @@ typedef struct {
 } StTextureCachePropertyBind;
 
 static void
-st_texture_cache_reset_texture (StTextureCachePropertyBind *bind,
-                                const char                 *propname)
+st_texture_cache_load_surface (ClutterContent  **image,
+                               cairo_surface_t  *surface)
 {
-  cairo_surface_t *surface;
-
-  g_object_get (bind->source, propname, &surface, NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (image != NULL);
 
   if (surface != NULL &&
       cairo_surface_get_type (surface) == CAIRO_SURFACE_TYPE_IMAGE &&
@@ -761,10 +759,10 @@ st_texture_cache_reset_texture (StTextureCachePropertyBind *bind,
       height = cairo_image_surface_get_width (surface);
       size = MAX(width, height);
 
-      if (!bind->image)
-        bind->image = st_image_content_new_with_preferred_size (size, size);
+      if (*image == NULL)
+        *image = st_image_content_new_with_preferred_size (size, size);
 
-      clutter_image_set_data (CLUTTER_IMAGE (bind->image),
+      clutter_image_set_data (CLUTTER_IMAGE (*image),
                               cairo_image_surface_get_data (surface),
                               cairo_image_surface_get_format (surface) == CAIRO_FORMAT_ARGB32 ?
                               COGL_PIXEL_FORMAT_BGRA_8888 : COGL_PIXEL_FORMAT_BGR_888,
@@ -776,12 +774,23 @@ st_texture_cache_reset_texture (StTextureCachePropertyBind *bind,
       if (error)
         g_warning ("Failed to allocate texture: %s", error->message);
     }
-  else if (!bind->image)
+  else if (*image == NULL)
     {
-      bind->image = st_image_content_new_with_preferred_size (0, 0);
+      *image = st_image_content_new_with_preferred_size (0, 0);
     }
 }
 
+static void
+st_texture_cache_reset_texture (StTextureCachePropertyBind *bind,
+                                const char                 *propname)
+{
+  cairo_surface_t *surface;
+
+  g_object_get (bind->source, propname, &surface, NULL);
+
+  st_texture_cache_load_surface (&bind->image, surface);
+}
+
 static void
 st_texture_cache_on_pixbuf_notify (GObject           *object,
                                    GParamSpec        *paramspec,
@@ -849,6 +858,25 @@ st_texture_cache_bind_cairo_surface_property (StTextureCache    *cache,
   return G_ICON (bind->image);
 }
 
+/**
+ * st_texture_cache_load_cairo_surface_to_gicon:
+ * @cache: A #StTextureCache
+ * @surface: A #cairo_surface_t
+ *
+ * Create a #GIcon from @surface.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): A new #GIcon
+ */
+GIcon *
+st_texture_cache_load_cairo_surface_to_gicon (StTextureCache  *cache,
+                                              cairo_surface_t *surface)
+{
+  ClutterContent *image = NULL;
+  st_texture_cache_load_surface (&image, surface);
+
+  return G_ICON (image);
+}
+
 /**
  * st_texture_cache_load: (skip)
  * @cache: A #StTextureCache
diff --git a/src/st/st-texture-cache.h b/src/st/st-texture-cache.h
index 0e8407ea2..55d84952d 100644
--- a/src/st/st-texture-cache.h
+++ b/src/st/st-texture-cache.h
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ st_texture_cache_load_sliced_image (StTextureCache *cache,
 GIcon *st_texture_cache_bind_cairo_surface_property (StTextureCache    *cache,
                                                      GObject           *object,
                                                      const char *property_name);
+GIcon *
+st_texture_cache_load_cairo_surface_to_gicon (StTextureCache  *cache,
+                                              cairo_surface_t *surface);
 
 ClutterActor *st_texture_cache_load_gicon (StTextureCache *cache,
                                            StThemeNode    *theme_node,