diff -Nur -x '*.orig' -x '*~' emerald-0.7.2/include/emerald.h emerald-0.7.2.new/include/emerald.h
--- emerald-0.7.2/include/emerald.h	2008-03-06 20:37:28.000000000 +0100
+++ emerald-0.7.2.new/include/emerald.h	2008-03-15 12:05:39.000000000 +0100
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include <gtk/gtkwindow.h>
 #include <gdk/gdkx.h>
 
+#define IS_VALID(o) (o && o->parent_instance.ref_count)
+
 #ifdef USE_DBUS
 #define DBUS_API_SUBJECT_TO_CHANGE
 #include <dbus/dbus.h>
diff -Nur -x '*.orig' -x '*~' emerald-0.7.2/src/main.c emerald-0.7.2.new/src/main.c
--- emerald-0.7.2/src/main.c	2008-03-15 12:04:17.000000000 +0100
+++ emerald-0.7.2.new/src/main.c	2008-03-15 12:05:39.000000000 +0100
@@ -1181,7 +1181,8 @@
 	else
 	    return;
 	if (button_region->bg_pixmap)
-	    gdk_draw_drawable(d->buffer_pixmap ? d->buffer_pixmap : d->pixmap,
+	    gdk_draw_drawable(IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) ? d->buffer_pixmap :
+			                                   d->pixmap,
 			      d->gc, button_region->bg_pixmap, src_x, src_y,
 			      dest_x, dest_y, w, h);
 	d->min_drawn_buttons_region.x1 =
@@ -1211,8 +1212,8 @@
     {
 	fade_info->cr =
 	    gdk_cairo_create(GDK_DRAWABLE
-			     (d->buffer_pixmap ? d->buffer_pixmap : d->
-			      pixmap));
+			     (IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) ? d->buffer_pixmap :
+			                                   d->pixmap));
 	cairo_set_operator(fade_info->cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER);
     }
 
@@ -1324,8 +1325,10 @@
 	    break;
 	}
 
-    if (d->buffer_pixmap && !d->button_fade_info.first_draw && d->min_drawn_buttons_region.x1 < 10000)	// if region is updated at least once
+    if (IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) && !d->button_fade_info.first_draw &&
+	d->min_drawn_buttons_region.x1 < 10000)
     {
+	// if region is updated at least once
 	gdk_draw_drawable(d->pixmap,
 			  d->gc,
 			  d->buffer_pixmap,
@@ -1635,8 +1638,8 @@
     if (!d->draw_only_buttons_region)	// if not only drawing buttons
     {
 	cr = gdk_cairo_create(GDK_DRAWABLE
-			      (d->buffer_pixmap ? d->buffer_pixmap : d->
-			       pixmap));
+			      (IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) ? d->buffer_pixmap :
+			                                    d->pixmap));
 	cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
 	cairo_set_line_width(cr, 1.0);
 	cairo_save(cr);
@@ -1751,8 +1754,9 @@
 		else
 		{
 		    gdk_draw_drawable(button_region->bg_pixmap, d->gc,
-				      d->buffer_pixmap ? d->
-				      buffer_pixmap : d->pixmap, rx, ry, 0, 0,
+				      IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) ?
+				      d->buffer_pixmap : d->pixmap,
+				      rx, ry, 0, 0,
 				      rw, rh);
 		}
 	    }
@@ -1836,8 +1840,8 @@
     }
     // Draw buttons
 
-    cr = gdk_cairo_create(GDK_DRAWABLE
-			  (d->buffer_pixmap ? d->buffer_pixmap : d->pixmap));
+    cr = gdk_cairo_create(GDK_DRAWABLE (IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) ?
+					d->buffer_pixmap : d->pixmap));
 
     cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER);
 
@@ -1848,7 +1852,7 @@
 
     cairo_destroy(cr);
 
-    if (d->buffer_pixmap)
+    if (IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap))
     {
 	/*if (d->draw_only_buttons_region && d->min_drawn_buttons_region.x1 < 10000)	// if region is updated at least once
 	  {
@@ -1956,7 +1960,7 @@
     ushort a = SWITCHER_ALPHA;
     window_settings *ws = d->fs->ws;
 
-    if (!d->buffer_pixmap)
+    if (!IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap))
 	return;
 
     style = gtk_widget_get_style(style_window);
@@ -1984,7 +1988,7 @@
     cairo_set_line_width(cr, 1.0);
 
     cairo_set_operator(cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
-    if (d->prop_xid || !d->buffer_pixmap)
+    if (d->prop_xid || !IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap))
     {
 	draw_shadow_background(d, cr);
     }
@@ -2138,7 +2142,7 @@
     int top;
     window_settings *ws = d->fs->ws;
 
-    if (!d->pixmap || !d->buffer_pixmap)
+    if (!IS_VALID(d->pixmap) || !IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap))
 	return;
 
     style = gtk_widget_get_style(style_window);
@@ -3134,13 +3138,13 @@
     d->decorated = FALSE;
     d->draw = draw_switcher_decoration;
 
-    if (!d->pixmap && ws->switcher_pixmap)
+    if (!IS_VALID(d->pixmap) && IS_VALID(ws->switcher_pixmap))
     {
 	g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (ws->switcher_pixmap));
 	d->pixmap = ws->switcher_pixmap;
     }
 
-    if (!d->buffer_pixmap && ws->switcher_buffer_pixmap)
+    if (!IS_VALID(d->buffer_pixmap) && IS_VALID(ws->switcher_buffer_pixmap))
     {
 	g_object_ref (G_OBJECT (ws->switcher_buffer_pixmap));
 	d->buffer_pixmap = ws->switcher_buffer_pixmap;
@@ -3217,10 +3221,18 @@
     if (width == d->width && height == d->height)
     {
 	if (!d->gc)
-	    d->gc = gdk_gc_new(d->pixmap);
+	{
+	    if (d->pixmap->parent_instance.ref_count) 
+		d->gc = gdk_gc_new(d->pixmap);
+	    else 
+		d->pixmap = NULL;
+	}
 
-	queue_decor_draw(d);
-	return FALSE;
+	if (d->pixmap)
+	{
+	    queue_decor_draw(d);
+	    return FALSE;
+	}
     }
 
     pixmap = create_pixmap(width, height);