diff --git a/gdk/gdkoffscreenwindow.c b/gdk/gdkoffscreenwindow.c
index bc91ac0da5..df88931f0e 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkoffscreenwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkoffscreenwindow.c
@@ -145,19 +145,12 @@ _gdk_offscreen_window_create_surface (GdkWindow *offscreen,
 {
   cairo_surface_t *similar;
   cairo_surface_t *surface;
-  cairo_content_t  content = CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GDK_IS_OFFSCREEN_WINDOW (offscreen->impl), NULL);
 
   similar = _gdk_window_ref_cairo_surface (offscreen->parent);
 
-  if (gdk_window_get_visual (offscreen) ==
-      gdk_screen_get_rgba_visual (gdk_window_get_screen (offscreen)))
-    {
-      content = CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA;
-    }
-
-  surface = cairo_surface_create_similar (similar, content, width, height);
+  surface = cairo_surface_create_similar (similar, CAIRO_CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA, width, height);
 
   cairo_surface_destroy (similar);