diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-background.c b/src/compositor/meta-background.c
index 862848449..7534a0876 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-background.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-background.c
@@ -1031,7 +1031,6 @@ meta_background_load_file_finish (MetaBackground  *self,
                                   GAsyncResult    *result,
                                   GError         **error)
 {
-  static CoglUserDataKey key;
   GTask *task;
   LoadFileTaskData *task_data;
   CoglTexture *texture;
@@ -1077,12 +1076,6 @@ meta_background_load_file_finish (MetaBackground  *self,
       goto out;
     }
 
-  cogl_object_set_user_data (COGL_OBJECT (texture),
-                             &key,
-                             g_object_ref (pixbuf),
-                             (CoglUserDataDestroyCallback)
-                             g_object_unref);
-
   ensure_pipeline (self);
   unset_texture (self);
   set_style (self, task_data->style);