diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 19074e334..7e0286d9a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -7224,11 +7224,11 @@ clutter_actor_set_shader (ClutterActor  *self,
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (self), FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (shader == NULL || CLUTTER_IS_SHADER (shader), FALSE);
 
-  /* if shader passed in is NULL we destroy the shader */
-  if (shader == NULL)
-    {
-      destroy_shader_data (self);
-    }
+  if (shader)
+    g_object_ref (shader);
+  else
+    /* if shader passed in is NULL we destroy the shader */
+    destroy_shader_data (self);
 
   actor_priv = self->priv;
   shader_data = actor_priv->shader_data;
@@ -7242,15 +7242,9 @@ clutter_actor_set_shader (ClutterActor  *self,
                                shader_value_free);
     }
   if (shader_data->shader)
-    {
-      g_object_unref (shader_data->shader);
-      shader_data->shader = NULL;
-    }
+    g_object_unref (shader_data->shader);
 
-  if (shader)
-    {
-      shader_data->shader = g_object_ref (shader);
-    }
+  shader_data->shader = shader;
 
   if (CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_VISIBLE (self))
     clutter_actor_queue_redraw (self);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-alpha.c b/clutter/clutter-alpha.c
index e1c6966e9..dc1dddeba 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-alpha.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-alpha.c
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@ clutter_alpha_set_timeline (ClutterAlpha    *alpha,
   
   priv = alpha->priv;
 
+  if (priv->timeline == timeline)
+    return;
+
   if (priv->timeline)
     {
       g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (priv->timeline,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-behaviour.c b/clutter/clutter-behaviour.c
index 11da23d35..006be1bda 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-behaviour.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-behaviour.c
@@ -570,6 +570,9 @@ clutter_behaviour_set_alpha (ClutterBehaviour *behave,
 
   priv = behave->priv;
 
+  if (alpha)
+    g_object_ref_sink (alpha);
+
   if (priv->notify_id)
     {
       CLUTTER_NOTE (BEHAVIOUR, "removing previous notify-id (%d)",
@@ -590,7 +593,6 @@ clutter_behaviour_set_alpha (ClutterBehaviour *behave,
   if (alpha)
     {
       priv->alpha = alpha;
-      g_object_ref_sink (priv->alpha);
 
       priv->notify_id = g_signal_connect (priv->alpha, "notify::alpha",
                                           G_CALLBACK(notify_cb),
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-clone-texture.c b/clutter/clutter-clone-texture.c
index c92bada82..a2350cbab 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-clone-texture.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-clone-texture.c
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ set_parent_texture (ClutterCloneTexture *ctexture,
   ClutterActor *actor = CLUTTER_ACTOR (ctexture);
   gboolean was_visible = CLUTTER_ACTOR_IS_VISIBLE (ctexture);
 
+  if (priv->parent_texture == texture)
+    return;
+
   if (priv->parent_texture)
     {
       g_object_unref (priv->parent_texture);