diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor-x11.c b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor-x11.c
index 5cbd4b80d..5d79c3e0b 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor-x11.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor-x11.c
@@ -647,6 +647,12 @@ check_needs_shadow (MetaWindowActorX11 *actor_x11)
       MetaShadowFactory *factory = actor_x11->shadow_factory;
       const char *shadow_class = get_shadow_class (actor_x11);
       MtkRectangle shape_bounds;
+      ClutterContext *clutter_context =
+        clutter_actor_get_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (actor_x11));
+      ClutterBackend *clutter_backend =
+        clutter_context_get_backend (clutter_context);
+      CoglContext *cogl_context =
+        clutter_backend_get_cogl_context (clutter_backend);
 
       if (!actor_x11->shadow_shape)
         {
@@ -659,7 +665,8 @@ check_needs_shadow (MetaWindowActorX11 *actor_x11)
         meta_shadow_factory_get_shadow (factory,
                                         actor_x11->shadow_shape,
                                         shape_bounds.width, shape_bounds.height,
-                                        shadow_class, appears_focused);
+                                        shadow_class, appears_focused,
+                                        cogl_context);
     }
 
   if (old_shadow)
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.c b/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.c
index 7faebc1ab..a7e480067 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.c
+++ b/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.c
@@ -818,11 +818,10 @@ make_border_region (MtkRegion *region,
 }
 
 static void
-make_shadow (MetaShadow *shadow,
-             MtkRegion  *region)
+make_shadow (MetaShadow  *shadow,
+             CoglContext *cogl_context,
+             MtkRegion   *region)
 {
-  ClutterBackend *backend = clutter_get_default_backend ();
-  CoglContext *ctx = clutter_backend_get_cogl_context (backend);
   GError *error = NULL;
   int d = get_box_filter_size (shadow->key.radius);
   int spread = get_shadow_spread (shadow->key.radius);
@@ -913,7 +912,7 @@ make_shadow (MetaShadow *shadow,
    * in the case of top_fade >= 0. We also account for padding at the left for symmetry
    * though that doesn't currently occur.
    */
-  shadow->texture = cogl_texture_2d_new_from_data (ctx,
+  shadow->texture = cogl_texture_2d_new_from_data (cogl_context,
                                                    shadow->outer_border_left + extents.width + shadow->outer_border_right,
                                                    shadow->outer_border_top + extents.height + shadow->outer_border_bottom,
                                                    COGL_PIXEL_FORMAT_A_8,
@@ -931,7 +930,7 @@ make_shadow (MetaShadow *shadow,
 
   g_free (buffer);
 
-  shadow->pipeline = meta_create_texture_pipeline (ctx, shadow->texture);
+  shadow->pipeline = meta_create_texture_pipeline (cogl_context, shadow->texture);
   cogl_pipeline_set_static_name (shadow->pipeline, "MetaShadowFactory");
 }
 
@@ -990,7 +989,8 @@ meta_shadow_factory_get_shadow (MetaShadowFactory *factory,
                                 int                width,
                                 int                height,
                                 const char        *class_name,
-                                gboolean           focused)
+                                gboolean           focused,
+                                CoglContext       *cogl_context)
 {
   MetaShadowParams *params;
   MetaShadowCacheKey key;
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@ meta_shadow_factory_get_shadow (MetaShadowFactory *factory,
   g_assert (center_width >= 0 && center_height >= 0);
 
   region = meta_window_shape_to_region (shape, center_width, center_height);
-  make_shadow (shadow, region);
+  make_shadow (shadow, cogl_context, region);
 
   if (cacheable)
     g_hash_table_insert (factory->shadows, &shadow->key, shadow);
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.h b/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.h
index c29c20abc..337406c56 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.h
+++ b/src/x11/meta-shadow-factory.h
@@ -112,4 +112,5 @@ MetaShadow *meta_shadow_factory_get_shadow (MetaShadowFactory *factory,
                                             int                width,
                                             int                height,
                                             const char        *class_name,
-                                            gboolean           focused);
+                                            gboolean           focused,
+                                            CoglContext       *cogl_context);