diff --git a/src/cairo-win32-surface.c b/src/cairo-win32-surface.c
index 5a9eca314..7834d97ed 100644
--- a/src/cairo-win32-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-win32-surface.c
@@ -387,12 +387,15 @@ _cairo_win32_surface_create_similar_internal (void	    *abstract_src,
 {
     cairo_win32_surface_t *src = abstract_src;
     cairo_format_t format = _cairo_format_from_content (content);
-    cairo_win32_surface_t *new_surf;
+    cairo_surface_t *new_surf = NULL;
 
     /* We force a DIB always if:
      * - we need alpha; or
      * - the parent is a DIB; or
      * - the parent is for printing (because we don't care about the bit depth at that point)
+     *
+     * We also might end up with a DIB even if a DDB is requested if DDB creation failed
+     * due to out of memory.
      */
     if (src->is_dib ||
 	(content & CAIRO_CONTENT_ALPHA) ||
@@ -401,30 +404,19 @@ _cairo_win32_surface_create_similar_internal (void	    *abstract_src,
 	force_dib = TRUE;
     }
 
-    if (force_dib) {
-	new_surf = (cairo_win32_surface_t*)
-	    _cairo_win32_surface_create_for_dc (src->dc, format, width, height);
-    } else {
-	/* otherwise, create a ddb */
-	HBITMAP ddb = CreateCompatibleBitmap (src->dc, width, height);
-	HDC ddb_dc = CreateCompatibleDC (src->dc);
-	HBITMAP saved_dc_bitmap;
-
-	saved_dc_bitmap = SelectObject (ddb_dc, ddb);
-
-	new_surf = (cairo_win32_surface_t*) cairo_win32_surface_create (ddb_dc);
-	if (new_surf->base.status == CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-	    new_surf->bitmap = ddb;
-	    new_surf->saved_dc_bitmap = saved_dc_bitmap;
-	    new_surf->is_dib = FALSE;
-	} else {
-	    SelectObject (ddb_dc, saved_dc_bitmap);
-	    DeleteDC (ddb_dc);
-	    DeleteObject (ddb);
-	}
+    if (!force_dib) {
+	/* try to create a ddb */
+	new_surf = cairo_win32_surface_create_with_ddb (src->dc, CAIRO_FORMAT_RGB24, width, height);
+
+	if (new_surf->status != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS)
+	    new_surf = NULL;
     }
 
-    return (cairo_surface_t*) new_surf;
+    if (new_surf == NULL) {
+	new_surf = _cairo_win32_surface_create_for_dc (src->dc, format, width, height);
+    }
+
+    return new_surf;
 }
 
 cairo_surface_t *
@@ -1835,7 +1827,6 @@ cairo_win32_surface_create_with_ddb (HDC hdc,
 
     ddb_dc = CreateCompatibleDC (hdc);
     if (ddb_dc == NULL) {
-	_cairo_win32_print_gdi_error("CreateCompatibleDC");
 	new_surf = (cairo_win32_surface_t*) _cairo_surface_create_in_error (_cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY));
 	goto FINISH;
     }
@@ -1846,9 +1837,9 @@ cairo_win32_surface_create_with_ddb (HDC hdc,
 
 	/* Note that if an app actually does hit this out of memory
 	 * condition, it's going to have lots of other issues, as
-	 * video memory is probably exhausted.
+	 * video memory is probably exhausted.  However, it can often
+	 * continue using DIBs instead of DDBs.
 	 */
-	_cairo_win32_print_gdi_error("CreateCompatibleBitmap");
 	new_surf = (cairo_win32_surface_t*) _cairo_surface_create_in_error (_cairo_error (CAIRO_STATUS_NO_MEMORY));
 	goto FINISH;
     }