--- a/widget/gtk/nsDragService.cpp
+++ b/widget/gtk/nsDragService.cpp
@@ -463,16 +463,23 @@ nsDragService::SetAlphaPixmap(SourceSurf
     gtk_drag_set_icon_pixmap(aContext, alphaColormap, pixmap, nullptr,
                              aXOffset, aYOffset);
     g_object_unref(pixmap);
     return true;
 #else
 #ifdef cairo_image_surface_create
 #error "Looks like we're including Mozilla's cairo instead of system cairo"
 #endif
+    // Prior to GTK 3.9.12, cairo surfaces passed into gtk_drag_set_icon_surface
+    // had their shape information derived from the alpha channel and used with
+    // the X SHAPE extension instead of being displayed as an ARGB window.
+    // See bug 1249604.
+    if (gtk_check_version(3, 9, 12))
+      return false;
+
     // TODO: grab X11 pixmap or image data instead of expensive readback.
     cairo_surface_t *surf = cairo_image_surface_create(CAIRO_FORMAT_ARGB32,
                                                        dragRect.width,
                                                        dragRect.height);
     if (!surf)
         return false;
 
     RefPtr<DrawTarget> dt = gfxPlatform::GetPlatform()->