diff --git a/tests/examples/seek/jsseek.c b/tests/examples/seek/jsseek.c
index 41b19f448c..7e407d01eb 100644
--- a/tests/examples/seek/jsseek.c
+++ b/tests/examples/seek/jsseek.c
@@ -2463,11 +2463,14 @@ handle_expose_cb (GtkWidget * widget, GdkEventExpose * event, gpointer data)
   if (state < GST_STATE_PAUSED) {
     GtkAllocation allocation;
     GdkWindow *window = gtk_widget_get_window (widget);
-    GtkStyle *style = gtk_widget_get_style (widget);
+    cairo_t *cr;
 
     gtk_widget_get_allocation (widget, &allocation);
-    gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->black_gc, TRUE, 0, 0,
-        allocation.width, allocation.height);
+    cr = gdk_cairo_create (window);
+    cairo_set_source_rgb (cr, 0, 0, 0);
+    cairo_rectangle (cr, 0, 0, allocation.width, allocation.height);
+    cairo_fill (cr);
+    cairo_destroy (cr);
   }
   return FALSE;
 }
diff --git a/tests/examples/seek/seek.c b/tests/examples/seek/seek.c
index 50f9fa8b0f..1d6bdca2b3 100644
--- a/tests/examples/seek/seek.c
+++ b/tests/examples/seek/seek.c
@@ -2449,11 +2449,14 @@ handle_expose_cb (GtkWidget * widget, GdkEventExpose * event, gpointer data)
   if (state < GST_STATE_PAUSED) {
     GtkAllocation allocation;
     GdkWindow *window = gtk_widget_get_window (widget);
-    GtkStyle *style = gtk_widget_get_style (widget);
+    cairo_t *cr;
 
     gtk_widget_get_allocation (widget, &allocation);
-    gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->black_gc, TRUE, 0, 0,
-        allocation.width, allocation.height);
+    cr = gdk_cairo_create (window);
+    cairo_set_source_rgb (cr, 0, 0, 0);
+    cairo_rectangle (cr, 0, 0, allocation.width, allocation.height);
+    cairo_fill (cr);
+    cairo_destroy (cr);
   }
   return FALSE;
 }
diff --git a/tests/icles/test-colorkey.c b/tests/icles/test-colorkey.c
index 089ff4ebee..72967bc9a1 100644
--- a/tests/icles/test-colorkey.c
+++ b/tests/icles/test-colorkey.c
@@ -45,29 +45,36 @@ gtk_widget_get_allocation (GtkWidget * w, GtkAllocation * a)
 static GtkWidget *video_window = NULL;
 static GstElement *sink = NULL;
 static gulong embed_xid = 0;
-static GdkGC *trans_gc = NULL;
+static GdkColor trans_color;
+static gboolean trans_color_set = FALSE;
 
 static void
 redraw_overlay (GtkWidget * widget)
 {
   GtkAllocation allocation;
   GdkWindow *window = gtk_widget_get_window (widget);
-  GtkStyle *style = gtk_widget_get_style (widget);
+  cairo_t *cr;
 
+  cr = gdk_cairo_create (window);
   gtk_widget_get_allocation (widget, &allocation);
-  gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->white_gc, TRUE, 0, 0,
-      allocation.width, allocation.height);
 
-  if (trans_gc) {
+  cairo_set_source_rgb (cr, 1, 1, 1);
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, 0, 0, allocation.width, allocation.height);
+  cairo_fill (cr);
+
+  if (trans_color_set) {
     guint x, y;
     guint h = allocation.height * 0.75;
 
-    gdk_draw_rectangle (window, trans_gc, TRUE, 0, 0, allocation.width, h);
+    gdk_cairo_set_source_color (cr, &trans_color);
+    cairo_rectangle (cr, 0, 0, allocation.width, h);
+    cairo_fill (cr);
 
     for (y = h; y < allocation.height; y++) {
       for (x = 0; x < allocation.width; x++) {
         if (((x & 1) || (y & 1)) && (x & 1) != (y & 1)) {
-          gdk_draw_point (window, trans_gc, x, y);
+          cairo_move_to (cr, x, y);
+          cairo_paint (cr);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -127,18 +134,14 @@ msg_state_changed (GstBus * bus, GstMessage * message, GstPipeline * pipeline)
     /* When state of the pipeline changes to paused or playing we start updating scale */
     switch (GST_STATE_TRANSITION (old, new)) {
       case GST_STATE_CHANGE_READY_TO_PAUSED:{
-        GdkWindow *window = gtk_widget_get_window (video_window);
-
         g_object_get (G_OBJECT (sink), "colorkey", &color, NULL);
         if (color != -1) {
-          GdkColor trans_color = { 0,
-            (color & 0xff0000) >> 8,
-            (color & 0xff00),
-            (color & 0xff) << 8
-          };
-
-          trans_gc = gdk_gc_new (window);
-          gdk_gc_set_rgb_fg_color (trans_gc, &trans_color);
+          trans_color.red = (color & 0xff0000) >> 8;
+          trans_color.green = (color & 0xff00);
+          trans_color.blue = (color & 0xff) << 8;
+          trans_color_set = TRUE;
+        } else {
+          trans_color_set = FALSE;
         }
         handle_resize_cb (video_window, NULL, NULL);
         break;
diff --git a/tests/icles/test-xoverlay.c b/tests/icles/test-xoverlay.c
index e9dd1432f6..12a7e27b7f 100644
--- a/tests/icles/test-xoverlay.c
+++ b/tests/icles/test-xoverlay.c
@@ -106,29 +106,28 @@ handle_expose_cb (GtkWidget * widget, GdkEventExpose * event,
   GtkAllocation allocation;
   GdkWindow *window;
   GtkStyle *style;
+  cairo_t *cr;
 
   style = gtk_widget_get_style (widget);
   window = gtk_widget_get_window (widget);
   gtk_widget_get_allocation (widget, &allocation);
+  cr = gdk_cairo_create (window);
+
+  gdk_cairo_set_source_color (cr, &style->bg[GTK_STATE_NORMAL]);
 
   /* we should only redraw outside of the video rect! */
-  /*
-     gdk_draw_rectangle (widget->window, widget->style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-     0, 0, widget->allocation.width, widget->allocation.height);
-     gdk_draw_rectangle (widget->window, widget->style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-     event->area.x, event->area.y, event->area.width, event->area.height);
-   */
-  gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-      0, event->area.y, r->x, event->area.height);
-  gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-      r->x + r->w, event->area.y,
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, 0, event->area.y, r->x, event->area.height);
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, r->x + r->w, event->area.y,
       allocation.width - (r->x + r->w), event->area.height);
 
-  gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-      event->area.x, 0, event->area.width, r->y);
-  gdk_draw_rectangle (window, style->bg_gc[0], TRUE,
-      event->area.x, r->y + r->h,
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, event->area.x, 0, event->area.width, r->y);
+  cairo_rectangle (cr, event->area.x, r->y + r->h,
       event->area.width, allocation.height - (r->y + r->h));
+
+  cairo_fill (cr);
+
+  cairo_destroy (cr);
+
   if (verbose) {
     g_print ("expose(%p)\n", widget);
   }