diff --git a/i3bar/include/cairo_util.h b/i3bar/include/cairo_util.h
index 37eaa6e2..3e4ebec4 100644
--- a/i3bar/include/cairo_util.h
+++ b/i3bar/include/cairo_util.h
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@
 
 #include <cairo/cairo-xcb.h>
 
+/* We need to flush cairo surfaces twice to avoid an assertion bug. See #1989
+ * and https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=92455. */
+#define CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(surface)  \
+    do {                              \
+        cairo_surface_flush(surface); \
+        cairo_surface_flush(surface); \
+    } while (0)
+
 /* Represents a color split by color channel. */
 typedef struct color_t {
     double red;
diff --git a/i3bar/src/cairo_util.c b/i3bar/src/cairo_util.c
index 6a2ed0ac..98c129b9 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/cairo_util.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/cairo_util.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ void cairo_set_source_color(surface_t *surface, color_t color) {
  */
 void cairo_draw_text(i3String *text, surface_t *surface, color_t fg_color, color_t bg_color, int x, int y, int max_width) {
     /* Flush any changes before we draw the text as this might use XCB directly. */
-    cairo_surface_flush(surface->surface);
+    CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(surface->surface);
 
     set_font_colors(surface->gc, fg_color.colorpixel, bg_color.colorpixel);
     draw_text(text, surface->id, surface->gc, visual_type, x, y, max_width);
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ void cairo_draw_rectangle(surface_t *surface, color_t color, double x, double y,
 
     /* Make sure we flush the surface for any text drawing operations that could follow.
      * Since we support drawing text via XCB, we need this. */
-    cairo_surface_flush(surface->surface);
+    CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(surface->surface);
 
     cairo_restore(surface->cr);
 }
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ void cairo_copy_surface(surface_t *src, surface_t *dest, double src_x, double sr
 
     /* Make sure we flush the surface for any text drawing operations that could follow.
      * Since we support drawing text via XCB, we need this. */
-    cairo_surface_flush(src->surface);
-    cairo_surface_flush(dest->surface);
+    CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(src->surface);
+    CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(dest->surface);
     cairo_restore(dest->cr);
 }
diff --git a/i3bar/src/xcb.c b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
index ac9b50f9..aa7b816c 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/xcb.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ void refresh_statusline(bool use_short_text) {
     cairo_set_source_color(&statusline_surface, colors.bar_bg);
     cairo_set_operator(statusline_surface.cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
     cairo_paint(statusline_surface.cr);
-    cairo_surface_flush(statusline_surface.surface);
+    CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(statusline_surface.surface);
     cairo_restore(statusline_surface.cr);
 
     /* Draw the text of each block. */
@@ -1801,7 +1801,7 @@ void draw_bars(bool unhide) {
         cairo_set_source_color(&(outputs_walk->buffer), colors.bar_bg);
         cairo_set_operator(outputs_walk->buffer.cr, CAIRO_OPERATOR_SOURCE);
         cairo_paint(outputs_walk->buffer.cr);
-        cairo_surface_flush(outputs_walk->buffer.surface);
+        CAIRO_SURFACE_FLUSH(outputs_walk->buffer.surface);
         cairo_restore(outputs_walk->buffer.cr);
 
         if (!config.disable_ws) {
diff --git a/libi3/font.c b/libi3/font.c
index b578bf8b..c1e95a9e 100644
--- a/libi3/font.c
+++ b/libi3/font.c
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ static void draw_text_pango(const char *text, size_t text_len,
     cairo_move_to(cr, x, y - yoffset);
     pango_cairo_show_layout(cr, layout);
 
+    /* We need to flush cairo surfaces twice to avoid an assertion bug. See #1989
+     * and https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=92455. */
+    cairo_surface_flush(surface);
     cairo_surface_flush(surface);
 
     /* Free resources */