diff --git a/src/Background/BackgroundManager.vala b/src/Background/BackgroundManager.vala
index 9ff1dd97a..c53b5209f 100644
--- a/src/Background/BackgroundManager.vala
+++ b/src/Background/BackgroundManager.vala
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public class Gala.BackgroundManager : Meta.BackgroundGroup, Gala.BackgroundManag
     }
 
     private BackgroundSource background_source;
-    private Meta.BackgroundActor background_actor;
+    private Meta.BackgroundActor? background_actor;
     private Meta.BackgroundActor? new_background_actor = null;
 
     public BackgroundManager (WindowManager wm, int monitor_index, bool control_position = true) {
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ public class Gala.BackgroundManager : Meta.BackgroundGroup, Gala.BackgroundManag
 
         new_background_actor = create_background_actor ();
         var new_content = (Meta.BackgroundContent)new_background_actor.content;
-        new_background_actor.visible = background_actor.visible;
 
         var background = new_content.background.get_data<unowned Background> ("delegate");
 
diff --git a/src/ShellClients/PanelWindow.vala b/src/ShellClients/PanelWindow.vala
index f05a9b410..502de6465 100644
--- a/src/ShellClients/PanelWindow.vala
+++ b/src/ShellClients/PanelWindow.vala
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public class Gala.PanelWindow : Object {
 
     private Barrier? barrier;
 
-    private PanelClone clone;
+    private PanelClone? clone = null;
 
     private int width = -1;
     private int height = -1;
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@ public class Gala.PanelWindow : Object {
         });
 
         window.stick ();
-
-        clone = new PanelClone (wm, this);
     }
 
 #if HAS_MUTTER46
@@ -71,14 +69,14 @@ public class Gala.PanelWindow : Object {
         this.height = height;
 
         position_window ();
-        set_hide_mode (clone.hide_mode); // Resetup barriers etc.
+        set_hide_mode (clone == null ? Pantheon.Desktop.HideMode.NEVER : clone.hide_mode); // Resetup barriers etc.
     }
 
     public void update_anchor (Meta.Side anchor) {
         this.anchor = anchor;
 
         position_window ();
-        set_hide_mode (clone.hide_mode); // Resetup barriers etc.
+        set_hide_mode (clone == null ? Pantheon.Desktop.HideMode.NEVER : clone.hide_mode); // Resetup barriers etc.
     }
 
     private void position_window () {
@@ -130,15 +128,20 @@ public class Gala.PanelWindow : Object {
     }
 
     public void set_hide_mode (Pantheon.Desktop.HideMode hide_mode) {
-        clone.hide_mode = hide_mode;
-
         destroy_barrier ();
 
-        if (hide_mode != NEVER) {
+        if (hide_mode == NEVER) {
+            clone = null;
+            make_exclusive ();
+        } else {
             unmake_exclusive ();
+
+            if (clone == null) {
+                clone = new PanelClone (wm, this);
+            }
+            clone.hide_mode = hide_mode;
+
             setup_barrier ();
-        } else {
-            make_exclusive ();
         }
     }