Index: src/cairo-surface.c
===================================================================
--- src/cairo-surface.c	(revision 36730)
+++ src/cairo-surface.c	(revision 36731)
@@ -234,6 +234,9 @@
     if (surface == NULL)
 	surface = cairo_image_surface_create (format, width, height);
 
+    if (!surface || surface->status)
+	return (cairo_surface_t*) &_cairo_surface_nil;
+
     cairo_surface_get_font_options (other, &options);
     _cairo_surface_set_font_options (surface, &options);