diff --git a/src/cairo-cogl-surface.c b/src/cairo-cogl-surface.c
index 27c3676..b5fb42b 100644
--- a/src/cairo-cogl-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-cogl-surface.c
@@ -2789,7 +2789,7 @@ cairo_cogl_device_create (CoglContext *cogl_context)
 
 ERROR:
     g_free (dev);
-    return NULL;
+    return NULL; /* XXX */
 }
 slim_hidden_def (cairo_cogl_device_create);
 
diff --git a/src/cairo-qt-surface.cpp b/src/cairo-qt-surface.cpp
index ce05dba..03020c6 100644
--- a/src/cairo-qt-surface.cpp
+++ b/src/cairo-qt-surface.cpp
@@ -1685,7 +1685,7 @@ cairo_qt_surface_get_image (cairo_surface_t *surface)
     cairo_qt_surface_t *qs = (cairo_qt_surface_t*) surface;
 
     if (surface->type != CAIRO_SURFACE_TYPE_QT)
-        return NULL;
+        return NULL; /* XXX */
 
     return qs->image_equiv;
 }
diff --git a/src/cairo-quartz-image-surface.c b/src/cairo-quartz-image-surface.c
index 2715abd..04de0f4 100644
--- a/src/cairo-quartz-image-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-quartz-image-surface.c
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ cairo_quartz_image_surface_get_image (cairo_surface_t *asurface)
     cairo_quartz_image_surface_t *surface = (cairo_quartz_image_surface_t*) asurface;
 
     if (asurface->type != CAIRO_SURFACE_TYPE_QUARTZ_IMAGE)
-	return NULL;
+	return NULL; /* XXX */
 
     return (cairo_surface_t*) surface->imageSurface;
 }
diff --git a/src/drm/cairo-drm.c b/src/drm/cairo-drm.c
index 051b79e..68e81c4 100644
--- a/src/drm/cairo-drm.c
+++ b/src/drm/cairo-drm.c
@@ -239,12 +239,21 @@ cairo_drm_device_get (struct udev_device *device)
     if (fd == -1) {
 	/* XXX more likely to be a permissions issue... */
 	_cairo_error_throw (CAIRO_STATUS_FILE_NOT_FOUND);
+#if 0
+	    dev = (cairo_drm_device_t *)
+		_cairo_device_create_in_error (CAIRO_STATUS_DEVICE_ERROR);
+#endif
 	goto DONE;
     }
 
     dev = driver_map[i].create_func (fd, devid, vendor_id, chip_id);
-    if (dev == NULL)
+    if (dev == NULL) {
 	close (fd);
+#if 0
+	    dev = (cairo_drm_device_t *)
+		_cairo_device_create_in_error (CAIRO_STATUS_DEVICE_ERROR);
+#endif
+    }
 
   DONE:
     CAIRO_MUTEX_UNLOCK (_cairo_drm_device_mutex);
@@ -276,6 +285,10 @@ cairo_drm_device_get_for_fd (int fd)
 
     udev_unref (udev);
 
+    if (dev == NULL) {
+	/* XXX */
+    }
+
     return dev;
 }
 slim_hidden_def (cairo_drm_device_get_for_fd);
@@ -324,6 +337,9 @@ cairo_drm_device_default (void)
     udev_unref (udev);
 
     cairo_device_destroy (dev); /* owned by _cairo_drm_default_device */
+    if (dev == NULL) {
+	/* XXX */
+    }
     return dev;
 }
 slim_hidden_def (cairo_drm_device_default);
diff --git a/src/win32/cairo-win32-surface.c b/src/win32/cairo-win32-surface.c
index 7cd46fc..8a03fa4 100644
--- a/src/win32/cairo-win32-surface.c
+++ b/src/win32/cairo-win32-surface.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ cairo_surface_t *
 cairo_win32_surface_get_image (cairo_surface_t *surface)
 {
     if (surface->backend->type != CAIRO_SURFACE_TYPE_WIN32)
-	return NULL;
+	return NULL; /* XXX */
 
     GdiFlush();
     return to_win32_display_surface(surface)->image;