diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 93c6dfe7..d5b4cc44 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -5522,6 +5522,9 @@ weston_surface_get_bounding_box(struct weston_surface *surface)
  * - the machine must be little-endian due to Pixman formats.
  *
  * NOTE: Pixman formats are premultiplied.
+ *
+ * FURTHER NOTE: Surface contents will be in the state they were last
+ * rendered, even if a new buffer has been attached since that time.
  */
 WL_EXPORT int
 weston_surface_copy_content(struct weston_surface *surface,
diff --git a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
index 141480d1..b690097b 100644
--- a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
@@ -912,8 +912,6 @@ pixman_renderer_surface_copy_content(struct weston_surface *surface,
 	if (!ps->image)
 		return -1;
 
-	pixman_renderer_attach_internal(surface, surface->buffer_ref.buffer);
-
 	out_buf = pixman_image_create_bits(format, width, height,
 					   target, width * bytespp);
 
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
index d824f3bb..67569dfe 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
@@ -3755,7 +3755,6 @@ gl_renderer_surface_copy_content(struct weston_surface *surface,
 	GLenum status;
 	int ret = -1;
 
-	gl_renderer_attach_internal(surface, surface->buffer_ref.buffer, NULL);
 	gs = get_surface_state(surface);
 	gb = gs->buffer;
 	buffer = gs->buffer_ref.buffer;
@@ -3771,8 +3770,6 @@ gl_renderer_surface_copy_content(struct weston_surface *surface,
 		*(uint32_t *)target = pack_color(format, gb->color);
 		return 0;
 	case WESTON_BUFFER_SHM:
-		gl_renderer_flush_damage_internal(surface, false);
-		/* fall through */
 	case WESTON_BUFFER_DMABUF:
 	case WESTON_BUFFER_RENDERER_OPAQUE:
 		break;