diff --git a/src/st/st-private.c b/src/st/st-private.c
index d40eceb86..e5a27019b 100644
--- a/src/st/st-private.c
+++ b/src/st/st-private.c
@@ -395,7 +395,10 @@ _st_create_shadow_pipeline (StShadow    *shadow_spec,
 
   pipeline = cogl_pipeline_copy (shadow_pipeline_template);
   cogl_pipeline_set_layer_texture (pipeline, 0, texture);
-  cogl_object_unref (texture);
+
+  if (texture)
+    cogl_object_unref (texture);
+
   return pipeline;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/st/st-texture-cache.c b/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
index 88c6bf3ec..cec97d538 100644
--- a/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
+++ b/src/st/st-texture-cache.c
@@ -640,8 +640,12 @@ st_texture_cache_reset_texture (StTextureCachePropertyBind *bind,
                                                              cairo_image_surface_get_stride (surface),
                                                              cairo_image_surface_get_data (surface),
                                                              NULL));
-      clutter_texture_set_cogl_texture (bind->texture, texdata);
-      cogl_object_unref (texdata);
+
+      if (texdata)
+        {
+          clutter_texture_set_cogl_texture (bind->texture, texdata);
+          cogl_object_unref (texdata);
+        }
 
       clutter_actor_set_opacity (CLUTTER_ACTOR (bind->texture), 255);
     }