diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-actor-surface.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-actor-surface.c
index 59c2e5274..5e8cd09b9 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-actor-surface.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-actor-surface.c
@@ -51,20 +51,32 @@ meta_wayland_actor_surface_constructed (GObject *object)
 }
 
 static void
-meta_wayland_actor_surface_dispose (GObject *object)
+clear_surface_actor (MetaWaylandActorSurface *actor_surface)
 {
   MetaWaylandActorSurfacePrivate *priv =
-    meta_wayland_actor_surface_get_instance_private (META_WAYLAND_ACTOR_SURFACE (object));
+    meta_wayland_actor_surface_get_instance_private (actor_surface);
+  MetaWaylandSurfaceRole *surface_role =
+    META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE (actor_surface);
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
-    meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE (object));
+    meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (surface_role);
+
+  g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->actor,
+                                        meta_wayland_surface_notify_geometry_changed,
+                                        surface);
+  g_clear_object (&priv->actor);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_wayland_actor_surface_dispose (GObject *object)
+{
+  MetaWaylandActorSurface *actor_surface = META_WAYLAND_ACTOR_SURFACE (object);
+  MetaWaylandActorSurfacePrivate *priv =
+    meta_wayland_actor_surface_get_instance_private (actor_surface);
 
   if (priv->actor)
     {
-      g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->actor,
-                                            meta_wayland_surface_notify_geometry_changed,
-                                            surface);
       clutter_actor_set_reactive (CLUTTER_ACTOR (priv->actor), FALSE);
-      g_clear_object (&priv->actor);
+      clear_surface_actor (actor_surface);
     }
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (meta_wayland_actor_surface_parent_class)->dispose (object);
@@ -300,13 +312,7 @@ meta_wayland_actor_surface_reset_actor (MetaWaylandActorSurface *actor_surface)
   MetaWaylandSurface *surface =
     meta_wayland_surface_role_get_surface (META_WAYLAND_SURFACE_ROLE (actor_surface));
 
-  if (priv->actor)
-    {
-      g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->actor,
-                                            meta_wayland_surface_notify_geometry_changed,
-                                            surface);
-      g_object_unref (priv->actor);
-    }
+  clear_surface_actor (actor_surface);
 
   priv->actor = g_object_ref_sink (meta_surface_actor_wayland_new (surface));