diff --git a/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index c4df67a23..acbae9568 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -3205,6 +3205,9 @@ clutter_actor_paint_node (ClutterActor     *actor,
 {
   ClutterActorPrivate *priv = actor->priv;
 
+  if (root == NULL)
+    return FALSE;
+
   if (priv->bg_color_set &&
       !clutter_color_equal (&priv->bg_color, CLUTTER_COLOR_Transparent))
     {
@@ -17614,9 +17617,9 @@ clutter_actor_get_content_box (ClutterActor    *self,
   /* if the content does not have a preferred size then there is
    * no point in computing the content box
    */
-  if (!_clutter_content_get_preferred_size (priv->content,
-                                            &content_w,
-                                            &content_h))
+  if (!clutter_content_get_preferred_size (priv->content,
+                                           &content_w,
+                                           &content_h))
     return;
 
   clutter_actor_box_get_size (&priv->allocation, &alloc_w, &alloc_h);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-content-private.h b/clutter/clutter-content-private.h
index 56c3f78c0..009ae41c8 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-content-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-content-private.h
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@
 
 G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
-gboolean        _clutter_content_get_preferred_size     (ClutterContent   *content,
-                                                         gfloat           *width,
-                                                         gfloat           *height);
-
 void            _clutter_content_attached               (ClutterContent   *content,
                                                          ClutterActor     *actor);
 void            _clutter_content_detached               (ClutterContent   *content,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-content.c b/clutter/clutter-content.c
index 04942a333..c4046205c 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-content.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-content.c
@@ -275,8 +275,8 @@ _clutter_content_paint_content (ClutterContent   *content,
   CLUTTER_CONTENT_GET_IFACE (content)->paint_content (content, actor, node);
 }
 
-/*< private >
- * _clutter_content_get_preferred_size:
+/**
+ * clutter_content_get_preferred_size:
  * @content: a #ClutterContent
  * @width: (out): return location for the natural width of the content
  * @height: (out): return location for the natural height of the content
@@ -289,12 +289,16 @@ _clutter_content_paint_content (ClutterContent   *content,
  *
  * Return value: %TRUE if the content has a preferred size, and %FALSE
  *   otherwise
+ *
+ * Since: 1.10
  */
 gboolean
-_clutter_content_get_preferred_size (ClutterContent *content,
-                                     gfloat         *width,
-                                     gfloat         *height)
+clutter_content_get_preferred_size (ClutterContent *content,
+                                    gfloat         *width,
+                                    gfloat         *height)
 {
+  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_CONTENT (content), FALSE);
+
   return CLUTTER_CONTENT_GET_IFACE (content)->get_preferred_size (content,
                                                                   width,
                                                                   height);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-content.h b/clutter/clutter-content.h
index 2a5b01e9f..e329f3f3c 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-content.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-content.h
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ struct _ClutterContentIface
 
 GType clutter_content_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
+gboolean        clutter_content_get_preferred_size      (ClutterContent *content,
+                                                         gfloat         *width,
+                                                         gfloat         *height);
 void            clutter_content_invalidate              (ClutterContent *content);
 
 G_END_DECLS