diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
index 7d6a94c3c..d7d9b8c6a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-color-state.c
@@ -651,9 +651,6 @@ get_transfer_functions (ClutterColorState       *color_state,
                         const TransferFunction **pre_transfer_function,
                         const TransferFunction **post_transfer_function)
 {
-  if (clutter_color_state_equals (color_state, target_color_state))
-    return;
-
   *pre_transfer_function = get_eotf (color_state);
   *post_transfer_function = get_inv_eotf (target_color_state);
 }
@@ -1171,6 +1168,9 @@ clutter_color_state_add_pipeline_transform (ClutterColorState *color_state,
   g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_COLOR_STATE (color_state));
   g_return_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_COLOR_STATE (target_color_state));
 
+  if (clutter_color_state_equals (color_state, target_color_state))
+    return;
+
   snippet = clutter_color_state_get_transform_snippet (color_state,
                                                        target_color_state);
   cogl_pipeline_add_snippet (pipeline, snippet);