diff --git a/src/generic/graphicc.cpp b/src/generic/graphicc.cpp
index 9f3c4b7760..a9f7dc091c 100644
--- a/src/generic/graphicc.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/graphicc.cpp
@@ -2818,6 +2818,8 @@ wxCairoRenderer::CreateSubBitmap(const wxGraphicsBitmap& bitmap,
 
     wxCairoBitmapData* dataSrc = static_cast<wxCairoBitmapData*>(bitmap.GetRefData());
     cairo_surface_t* srcSurface = dataSrc->GetCairoSurface();
+    wxCHECK_MSG(srcSurface, wxNullGraphicsBitmap, wxS("Invalid bitmap"));
+
     int srcWidth = cairo_image_surface_get_width(srcSurface);
     int srcHeight = cairo_image_surface_get_height(srcSurface);