diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 7f8b1e997..76c574a20 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -332,6 +332,8 @@ struct _ClutterActorPrivate
   PangoContext   *pango_context;
 
   ClutterActor   *opacity_parent;
+
+  CoglHandle      pick_material;
 };
 
 enum
@@ -1374,11 +1376,13 @@ clutter_actor_real_pick (ClutterActor       *self,
       width = box.x2 - box.x1;
       height = box.y2 - box.y1;
 
-      cogl_set_source_color4ub (color->red,
-                                color->green,
-                                color->blue,
-                                color->alpha);
+      cogl_material_set_color4ub (self->priv->pick_material,
+                                  color->red,
+                                  color->green,
+                                  color->blue,
+                                  color->alpha);
 
+      cogl_set_source (self->priv->pick_material);
       cogl_rectangle (0, 0, width, height);
     }
 }
@@ -4254,6 +4258,8 @@ clutter_actor_init (ClutterActor *self)
   priv->opacity_parent = NULL;
   priv->enable_model_view_transform = TRUE;
 
+  priv->pick_material = cogl_material_new ();
+
   memset (priv->clip, 0, sizeof (gfloat) * 4);
 }