diff --git a/page-widget.c b/page-widget.c
index 0c95624..75694a6 100644
--- a/page-widget.c
+++ b/page-widget.c
@@ -505,11 +505,13 @@ zathura_page_widget_update_surface(ZathuraPage* widget, cairo_surface_t* surface
   zathura_page_widget_private_t* priv = ZATHURA_PAGE_GET_PRIVATE(widget);
   mutex_lock(&(priv->lock));
   if (priv->surface != NULL) {
-    cairo_surface_finish(priv->surface);
     cairo_surface_destroy(priv->surface);
   }
   priv->render_requested = false;
   priv->surface = surface;
+  if (priv->surface != NULL) {
+    cairo_surface_reference(surface);
+  }
   mutex_unlock(&(priv->lock));
   /* force a redraw here */
   if (priv->surface != NULL) {
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index b2ad38b..e8bcde3 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -266,10 +266,10 @@ render(zathura_t* zathura, zathura_page_t* page)
     GtkWidget* widget = zathura_page_get_widget(zathura, page);
     zathura_page_widget_update_surface(ZATHURA_PAGE(widget), surface);
     gdk_threads_leave();
-  } else {
-    cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
   }
 
+  cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
+
   return true;
 }