diff --git a/exa/exa_classic.c b/exa/exa_classic.c
index 7f93f1e3d..05f0ff2a8 100644
--- a/exa/exa_classic.c
+++ b/exa/exa_classic.c
@@ -96,10 +96,9 @@ exaCreatePixmap_classic(ScreenPtr pScreen, int w, int h, int depth,
     pExaPixmap->fb_size = pExaPixmap->fb_pitch * h;
 
     if (pExaPixmap->fb_pitch > 131071) {
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-        if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-            pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
+        // don't need to protect from calling our own (wrapped) DestroyPixmap
+        // handler, because it can deal with half-initialized state
+        dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -109,10 +108,9 @@ exaCreatePixmap_classic(ScreenPtr pScreen, int w, int h, int depth,
                                        pScreen, pPixmap);
 
     if (pExaPixmap->pDamage == NULL) {
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-        if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-            pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
+        // don't need to protect from calling our own (wrapped) DestroyPixmap
+        // handler, because it can deal with half-initialized state
+        dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -218,6 +216,8 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_classic(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
 
     if (pPixmap->refcnt == 1) {
         ExaPixmapPriv(pPixmap);
+        if (!pExaPixmap) // we're called on an error path
+            goto out;
 
         exaDestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
 
@@ -235,9 +235,10 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_classic(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
         RegionUninit(&pExaPixmap->validFB);
     }
 
+out:
+    // restore original (screen driver's) DestroyPixmap() handler and call it
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-    if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-        ret = pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
+    dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
 
     return ret;
diff --git a/exa/exa_driver.c b/exa/exa_driver.c
index 17106fcb9..e56f980c7 100644
--- a/exa/exa_driver.c
+++ b/exa/exa_driver.c
@@ -98,10 +98,9 @@ exaCreatePixmap_driver(ScreenPtr pScreen, int w, int h, int depth,
     }
 
     if (!pExaPixmap->driverPriv) {
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-        if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-            pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
-        swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
+        // don't need to protect from calling our own (wrapped) DestroyPixmap
+        // handler, because it can deal with half-initialized state
+        dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -196,6 +195,8 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_driver(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
 
     if (pPixmap->refcnt == 1) {
         ExaPixmapPriv(pPixmap);
+        if (!pExaPixmap) // we're called on an error path
+            goto out;
 
         exaDestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
 
@@ -204,9 +205,10 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_driver(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
         pExaPixmap->driverPriv = NULL;
     }
 
+out:
+    // restore original (screen driver's) DestroyPixmap() handler and call it
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-    if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-        ret = pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
+    dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
 
     return ret;
diff --git a/exa/exa_mixed.c b/exa/exa_mixed.c
index 7138f9b30..340c45a1f 100644
--- a/exa/exa_mixed.c
+++ b/exa/exa_mixed.c
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_mixed(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
 
     if (pPixmap->refcnt == 1) {
         ExaPixmapPriv(pPixmap);
+        if (!pExaPixmap)
+            goto out; // we're called on an error path
 
         exaDestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
 
@@ -266,9 +268,10 @@ exaDestroyPixmap_mixed(PixmapPtr pPixmap)
         }
     }
 
+out:
+    // restore original (screen driver's) DestroyPixmap() handler and call it
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
-    if (pScreen->DestroyPixmap)
-        ret = pScreen->DestroyPixmap(pPixmap);
+    dixDestroyPixmap(pPixmap, 0);
     swap(pExaScr, pScreen, DestroyPixmap);
 
     return ret;