diff --git a/hw/arm/nseries.c b/hw/arm/nseries.c
index c5bf9f95b3..6747c1c547 100644
--- a/hw/arm/nseries.c
+++ b/hw/arm/nseries.c
@@ -1290,7 +1290,6 @@ static void n8x0_init(QEMUMachineInitArgs *args,
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
     struct n800_s *s = (struct n800_s *) g_malloc0(sizeof(*s));
     int sdram_size = binfo->ram_size;
-    DisplayState *ds;
 
     s->mpu = omap2420_mpu_init(sysmem, sdram_size, args->cpu_model);
 
@@ -1370,12 +1369,6 @@ static void n8x0_init(QEMUMachineInitArgs *args,
         n800_setup_nolo_tags(nolo_tags);
         cpu_physical_memory_write(OMAP2_SRAM_BASE, nolo_tags, 0x10000);
     }
-    /* FIXME: We shouldn't really be doing this here.  The LCD controller
-       will set the size once configured, so this just sets an initial
-       size until the guest activates the display.  */
-    ds = get_displaystate();
-    ds->surface = qemu_resize_displaysurface(ds, 800, 480);
-    dpy_gfx_resize(ds);
 }
 
 static struct arm_boot_info n800_binfo = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/palm.c b/hw/arm/palm.c
index 91bc74af24..baeb585067 100644
--- a/hw/arm/palm.c
+++ b/hw/arm/palm.c
@@ -205,7 +205,6 @@ static void palmte_init(QEMUMachineInitArgs *args)
     static uint32_t cs2val = 0x0000e1a0;
     static uint32_t cs3val = 0xe1a0e1a0;
     int rom_size, rom_loaded = 0;
-    DisplayState *ds = get_displaystate();
     MemoryRegion *flash = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *cs = g_new(MemoryRegion, 4);
 
@@ -268,12 +267,6 @@ static void palmte_init(QEMUMachineInitArgs *args)
         palmte_binfo.initrd_filename = initrd_filename;
         arm_load_kernel(mpu->cpu, &palmte_binfo);
     }
-
-    /* FIXME: We shouldn't really be doing this here.  The LCD controller
-       will set the size once configured, so this just sets an initial
-       size until the guest activates the display.  */
-    ds->surface = qemu_resize_displaysurface(ds, 320, 320);
-    dpy_gfx_resize(ds);
 }
 
 static QEMUMachine palmte_machine = {
diff --git a/hw/qxl-render.c b/hw/qxl-render.c
index d77df42b7e..8a19272dee 100644
--- a/hw/qxl-render.c
+++ b/hw/qxl-render.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ static void qxl_set_rect_to_surface(PCIQXLDevice *qxl, QXLRect *area)
 static void qxl_render_update_area_unlocked(PCIQXLDevice *qxl)
 {
     VGACommonState *vga = &qxl->vga;
+    DisplaySurface *surface;
     int i;
 
     if (qxl->guest_primary.resized) {
@@ -112,8 +113,7 @@ static void qxl_render_update_area_unlocked(PCIQXLDevice *qxl)
                qxl->guest_primary.bytes_pp,
                qxl->guest_primary.bits_pp);
         if (qxl->guest_primary.qxl_stride > 0) {
-            qemu_free_displaysurface(vga->ds);
-            vga->ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from
                 (qxl->guest_primary.surface.width,
                  qxl->guest_primary.surface.height,
                  qxl->guest_primary.bits_pp,
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ static void qxl_render_update_area_unlocked(PCIQXLDevice *qxl)
                  qxl->guest_primary.data,
                  false);
         } else {
-            qemu_resize_displaysurface(vga->ds,
-                    qxl->guest_primary.surface.width,
-                    qxl->guest_primary.surface.height);
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface
+                (qxl->guest_primary.surface.width,
+                 qxl->guest_primary.surface.height);
         }
-        dpy_gfx_resize(vga->ds);
+        dpy_gfx_replace_surface(vga->ds, surface);
     }
     for (i = 0; i < qxl->num_dirty_rects; i++) {
         if (qemu_spice_rect_is_empty(qxl->dirty+i)) {
diff --git a/hw/vga.c b/hw/vga.c
index 2213bc1a88..13d5066e06 100644
--- a/hw/vga.c
+++ b/hw/vga.c
@@ -1691,11 +1691,11 @@ static void vga_draw_graphic(VGACommonState *s, int full_update)
         height != s->last_height ||
         s->last_depth != depth) {
         if (depth == 32 || (depth == 16 && !byteswap)) {
-            qemu_free_displaysurface(s->ds);
-            s->ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from(disp_width, height, depth,
-                    s->line_offset,
+            DisplaySurface *surface;
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from(disp_width,
+                    height, depth, s->line_offset,
                     s->vram_ptr + (s->start_addr * 4), byteswap);
-            dpy_gfx_resize(s->ds);
+            dpy_gfx_replace_surface(s->ds, surface);
         } else {
             qemu_console_resize(s->ds, disp_width, height);
         }
@@ -1709,12 +1709,11 @@ static void vga_draw_graphic(VGACommonState *s, int full_update)
     } else if (is_buffer_shared(s->ds->surface) &&
                (full_update || ds_get_data(s->ds) != s->vram_ptr
                 + (s->start_addr * 4))) {
-        qemu_free_displaysurface(s->ds);
-        s->ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from(disp_width,
-                height, depth,
-                s->line_offset,
+        DisplaySurface *surface;
+        surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from(disp_width,
+                height, depth, s->line_offset,
                 s->vram_ptr + (s->start_addr * 4), byteswap);
-        dpy_gfx_setdata(s->ds);
+        dpy_gfx_replace_surface(s->ds, surface);
     }
 
     s->rgb_to_pixel =
diff --git a/hw/xenfb.c b/hw/xenfb.c
index 3462ded619..7779097f50 100644
--- a/hw/xenfb.c
+++ b/hw/xenfb.c
@@ -703,6 +703,7 @@ static void xenfb_send_refresh_period(struct XenFB *xenfb, int period)
 static void xenfb_update(void *opaque)
 {
     struct XenFB *xenfb = opaque;
+    DisplaySurface *surface;
     int i;
 
     if (xenfb->c.xendev.be_state != XenbusStateConnected)
@@ -753,21 +754,20 @@ static void xenfb_update(void *opaque)
         case 16:
         case 32:
             /* console.c supported depth -> buffer can be used directly */
-            qemu_free_displaysurface(xenfb->c.ds);
-            xenfb->c.ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface_from
                 (xenfb->width, xenfb->height, xenfb->depth,
                  xenfb->row_stride, xenfb->pixels + xenfb->offset,
                  false);
             break;
         default:
             /* we must convert stuff */
-            qemu_resize_displaysurface(xenfb->c.ds, xenfb->width, xenfb->height);
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(xenfb->width, xenfb->height);
             break;
         }
+        dpy_gfx_replace_surface(xenfb->c.ds, surface);
         xen_be_printf(&xenfb->c.xendev, 1, "update: resizing: %dx%d @ %d bpp%s\n",
                       xenfb->width, xenfb->height, xenfb->depth,
                       is_buffer_shared(xenfb->c.ds->surface) ? " (shared)" : "");
-        dpy_gfx_resize(xenfb->c.ds);
         xenfb->up_fullscreen = 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/include/ui/console.h b/include/ui/console.h
index 91a1f63e5d..63e6e662c7 100644
--- a/include/ui/console.h
+++ b/include/ui/console.h
@@ -210,11 +210,8 @@ DisplaySurface* qemu_create_displaysurface_from(int width, int height, int bpp,
 PixelFormat qemu_different_endianness_pixelformat(int bpp);
 PixelFormat qemu_default_pixelformat(int bpp);
 
-DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds,
-                                           int width, int height);
-DisplaySurface *qemu_resize_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds,
-                                           int width, int height);
-void qemu_free_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds);
+DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface(int width, int height);
+void qemu_free_displaysurface(DisplaySurface *surface);
 
 static inline int is_surface_bgr(DisplaySurface *surface)
 {
@@ -236,8 +233,8 @@ void register_displaychangelistener(DisplayState *ds,
 void unregister_displaychangelistener(DisplayChangeListener *dcl);
 
 void dpy_gfx_update(DisplayState *s, int x, int y, int w, int h);
-void dpy_gfx_resize(DisplayState *s);
-void dpy_gfx_setdata(DisplayState *s);
+void dpy_gfx_replace_surface(DisplayState *s,
+                             DisplaySurface *surface);
 void dpy_refresh(DisplayState *s);
 void dpy_gfx_copy(struct DisplayState *s, int src_x, int src_y,
                   int dst_x, int dst_y, int w, int h);
diff --git a/trace-events b/trace-events
index cbe7ef2876..406fe5f408 100644
--- a/trace-events
+++ b/trace-events
@@ -958,8 +958,9 @@ dma_bdrv_cb(void *dbs, int ret) "dbs=%p ret=%d"
 dma_map_wait(void *dbs) "dbs=%p"
 
 # console.h
-displaysurface_free(void *display_state, void *display_surface) "state=%p surface=%p"
-displaysurface_resize(void *display_state, void *display_surface, int width, int height) "state=%p surface=%p %dx%d"
+displaysurface_create(void *display_surface, int w, int h) "surface=%p, %dx%d"
+displaysurface_create_from(void *display_surface, int w, int h, int bpp, int swap) "surface=%p, %dx%d, bpp %d, bswap %d"
+displaysurface_free(void *display_surface) "surface=%p"
 displaychangelistener_register(void *dcl, const char *name) "%p [ %s ]"
 displaychangelistener_unregister(void *dcl, const char *name) "%p [ %s ]"
 
diff --git a/ui/console.c b/ui/console.c
index 09f11859e1..c2ca9e7b93 100644
--- a/ui/console.c
+++ b/ui/console.c
@@ -1099,8 +1099,9 @@ void console_select(unsigned int index)
         }
         active_console = s;
         if (ds->have_gfx) {
-            ds->surface = qemu_resize_displaysurface(ds, s->g_width, s->g_height);
-            dpy_gfx_resize(ds);
+            DisplaySurface *surface;
+            surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(s->g_width, s->g_height);
+            dpy_gfx_replace_surface(ds, surface);
         }
         if (ds->have_text) {
             dpy_text_resize(ds, s->width, s->height);
@@ -1316,34 +1317,24 @@ static void qemu_alloc_display(DisplaySurface *surface, int width, int height,
 #endif
 }
 
-DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds,
-                                           int width, int height)
+DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface(int width, int height)
 {
     DisplaySurface *surface = g_new0(DisplaySurface, 1);
-
     int linesize = width * 4;
+
+    trace_displaysurface_create(surface, width, height);
     qemu_alloc_display(surface, width, height, linesize,
                        qemu_default_pixelformat(32), 0);
     return surface;
 }
 
-DisplaySurface *qemu_resize_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds,
-                                           int width, int height)
-{
-    int linesize = width * 4;
-
-    trace_displaysurface_resize(ds, ds->surface, width, height);
-    qemu_alloc_display(ds->surface, width, height, linesize,
-                       qemu_default_pixelformat(32), 0);
-    return ds->surface;
-}
-
 DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface_from(int width, int height, int bpp,
                                                 int linesize, uint8_t *data,
                                                 bool byteswap)
 {
     DisplaySurface *surface = g_new0(DisplaySurface, 1);
 
+    trace_displaysurface_create_from(surface, width, height, bpp, byteswap);
     if (byteswap) {
         surface->pf = qemu_different_endianness_pixelformat(bpp);
     } else {
@@ -1364,14 +1355,14 @@ DisplaySurface *qemu_create_displaysurface_from(int width, int height, int bpp,
     return surface;
 }
 
-void qemu_free_displaysurface(DisplayState *ds)
+void qemu_free_displaysurface(DisplaySurface *surface)
 {
-    trace_displaysurface_free(ds, ds->surface);
-    if (ds->surface == NULL) {
+    if (surface == NULL) {
         return;
     }
-    qemu_pixman_image_unref(ds->surface->image);
-    g_free(ds->surface);
+    trace_displaysurface_free(surface);
+    qemu_pixman_image_unref(surface->image);
+    g_free(surface);
 }
 
 void register_displaychangelistener(DisplayState *ds,
@@ -1414,24 +1405,19 @@ void dpy_gfx_update(DisplayState *s, int x, int y, int w, int h)
     }
 }
 
-void dpy_gfx_resize(DisplayState *s)
+void dpy_gfx_replace_surface(DisplayState *s,
+                             DisplaySurface *surface)
 {
+    DisplaySurface *old_surface = s->surface;
     struct DisplayChangeListener *dcl;
+
+    s->surface = surface;
     QLIST_FOREACH(dcl, &s->listeners, next) {
         if (dcl->ops->dpy_gfx_resize) {
             dcl->ops->dpy_gfx_resize(dcl, s);
         }
     }
-}
-
-void dpy_gfx_setdata(DisplayState *s)
-{
-    struct DisplayChangeListener *dcl;
-    QLIST_FOREACH(dcl, &s->listeners, next) {
-        if (dcl->ops->dpy_gfx_setdata) {
-            dcl->ops->dpy_gfx_setdata(dcl, s);
-        }
-    }
+    qemu_free_displaysurface(old_surface);
 }
 
 void dpy_refresh(DisplayState *s)
@@ -1521,6 +1507,7 @@ bool dpy_cursor_define_supported(struct DisplayState *s)
 static void dumb_display_init(void)
 {
     DisplayState *ds = g_malloc0(sizeof(DisplayState));
+    DisplaySurface *surface;
     int width = 640;
     int height = 480;
 
@@ -1528,7 +1515,9 @@ static void dumb_display_init(void)
         width = active_console->g_width;
         height = active_console->g_height;
     }
-    ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(ds, width, height);
+    surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(width, height);
+    dpy_gfx_replace_surface(ds, surface);
+
     register_displaystate(ds);
 }
 
@@ -1561,22 +1550,19 @@ DisplayState *graphic_console_init(vga_hw_update_ptr update,
 {
     QemuConsole *s;
     DisplayState *ds;
+    DisplaySurface *surface;
 
     ds = (DisplayState *) g_malloc0(sizeof(DisplayState));
-    ds->surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(ds, 640, 480);
-
     s = new_console(ds, GRAPHIC_CONSOLE);
-    if (s == NULL) {
-        qemu_free_displaysurface(ds);
-        g_free(ds);
-        return NULL;
-    }
     s->hw_update = update;
     s->hw_invalidate = invalidate;
     s->hw_screen_dump = screen_dump;
     s->hw_text_update = text_update;
     s->hw = opaque;
 
+    surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(640, 480);
+    dpy_gfx_replace_surface(ds, surface);
+
     register_displaystate(ds);
     return ds;
 }
@@ -1752,8 +1738,9 @@ void qemu_console_resize(DisplayState *ds, int width, int height)
     s->g_width = width;
     s->g_height = height;
     if (is_graphic_console()) {
-        ds->surface = qemu_resize_displaysurface(ds, width, height);
-        dpy_gfx_resize(ds);
+        DisplaySurface *surface;
+        surface = qemu_create_displaysurface(width, height);
+        dpy_gfx_replace_surface(ds, surface);
     }
 }