diff --git a/cogl/cogl-onscreen.h b/cogl/cogl-onscreen.h
index 98b89d224..481664e09 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-onscreen.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-onscreen.h
@@ -268,6 +268,19 @@ cogl_wayland_onscreen_resize (CoglOnscreen *onscreen,
 #endif /* COGL_HAS_EGL_PLATFORM_WAYLAND_SUPPORT */
 
 #if defined (COGL_HAS_EGL_PLATFORM_MIR_SUPPORT)
+/**
+ * cogl_mir_onscreen_get_surface:
+ * @onscreen: A #CoglOnscreen framebuffer
+ *
+ * Allows you to get the internal #MirSurface linked to the given @onscreen.
+ * This function might return %NULL if the @onscreen has not been allocated
+ * (see cogl_framebuffer_allocate() for more details)
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer none): a #MirSurface or %NULL.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.18
+ * Stability: unstable
+ */
 struct MirSurface *
 cogl_mir_onscreen_get_surface (CoglOnscreen *onscreen);
 
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-mir.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-mir.c
index e7bbfde58..6c0dbe3cb 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-mir.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-egl-mir.c
@@ -744,7 +744,9 @@ cogl_mir_onscreen_get_surface (CoglOnscreen *onscreen)
   CoglOnscreenMir *mir_onscreen;
 
   _COGL_RETURN_VAL_IF_FAIL (cogl_is_onscreen (onscreen), NULL);
-  cogl_framebuffer_allocate (COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (onscreen), NULL);
+
+  if (!COGL_FRAMEBUFFER (onscreen)->allocated)
+    return NULL;
 
   egl_onscreen = onscreen->winsys;
   mir_onscreen = egl_onscreen->platform;