diff --git a/gsk/gl/gskglglyphcache.c b/gsk/gl/gskglglyphcache.c
index 7e01b2bbd9..28cb9063e2 100644
--- a/gsk/gl/gskglglyphcache.c
+++ b/gsk/gl/gskglglyphcache.c
@@ -386,14 +386,15 @@ gsk_gl_glyph_cache_begin_frame (GskGLGlyphCache *self)
   GHashTableIter iter;
   GlyphCacheKey *key;
   GskGLCachedGlyph *value;
-  GHashTable *removed = g_hash_table_new (g_direct_hash, g_direct_equal);
+  GHashTable *removed;
 
   self->timestamp++;
 
-
   if ((self->timestamp - 1) % CHECK_INTERVAL != 0)
     return;
 
+  removed = g_hash_table_new (g_direct_hash, g_direct_equal);
+
   /* look for glyphs that have grown old since last time */
   g_hash_table_iter_init (&iter, self->hash_table);
   while (g_hash_table_iter_next (&iter, (gpointer *)&key, (gpointer *)&value))