diff --git a/include/wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h b/include/wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h
index 282ee4bb..8f4f61ee 100644
--- a/include/wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h
+++ b/include/wlr/render/wlr_renderer.h
@@ -52,15 +52,6 @@ struct wlr_renderer {
  */
 struct wlr_renderer *wlr_renderer_autocreate(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 
-/**
- * Start a render pass with the provided viewport.
- *
- * This should be called after wlr_output_attach_render(). Compositors must call
- * wlr_renderer_end() when they are done.
- *
- * Returns false on failure, in which case compositors shouldn't try rendering.
- */
-bool wlr_renderer_begin(struct wlr_renderer *r, uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
 /**
  * Start a render pass on the provided struct wlr_buffer.
  *
diff --git a/render/wlr_renderer.c b/render/wlr_renderer.c
index 6711cb6b..b2258fce 100644
--- a/render/wlr_renderer.c
+++ b/render/wlr_renderer.c
@@ -68,26 +68,19 @@ bool renderer_bind_buffer(struct wlr_renderer *r, struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
 	return r->impl->bind_buffer(r, buffer);
 }
 
-bool wlr_renderer_begin(struct wlr_renderer *r, uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
+bool wlr_renderer_begin_with_buffer(struct wlr_renderer *r,
+		struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
 	assert(!r->rendering);
 
-	if (!r->impl->begin(r, width, height)) {
+	if (!renderer_bind_buffer(r, buffer)) {
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (!r->impl->begin(r, buffer->width, buffer->height)) {
+		renderer_bind_buffer(r, NULL);
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	r->rendering = true;
-	return true;
-}
-
-bool wlr_renderer_begin_with_buffer(struct wlr_renderer *r,
-		struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
-	if (!renderer_bind_buffer(r, buffer)) {
-		return false;
-	}
-	if (!wlr_renderer_begin(r, buffer->width, buffer->height)) {
-		renderer_bind_buffer(r, NULL);
-		return false;
-	}
 	r->rendering_with_buffer = true;
 	return true;
 }