diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-texture-tower.c b/src/compositor/meta-texture-tower.c
index 8dbe62e7e..002547286 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-texture-tower.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-texture-tower.c
@@ -198,6 +198,9 @@ meta_texture_tower_update_area (MetaTextureTower *tower,
 
   g_return_if_fail (tower != NULL);
 
+  if (tower->textures[0] == COGL_INVALID_HANDLE)
+    return;
+
   texture_width = cogl_texture_get_width (tower->textures[0]);
   texture_height = cogl_texture_get_height (tower->textures[0]);
 
diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
index ef47bc8b7..b69049f36 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
@@ -958,6 +958,9 @@ meta_window_actor_damage_all (MetaWindowActor *self)
                 "pixmap-height", &pixmap_height,
                 NULL);
 
+  if (!priv->mapped || priv->needs_pixmap)
+    return;
+
   clutter_x11_texture_pixmap_update_area (texture_x11,
                                           0,
                                           0,
@@ -2029,6 +2032,8 @@ meta_window_actor_process_damage (MetaWindowActor    *self,
       return;
     }
 
+  if (!priv->mapped || priv->needs_pixmap)
+    return;
 
   clutter_x11_texture_pixmap_update_area (texture_x11,
                                           event->area.x,