diff --git a/gtk/gtkdnd.c b/gtk/gtkdnd.c
index dd66413f5d..96edea65f8 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkdnd.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkdnd.c
@@ -1699,18 +1699,20 @@ gtk_drag_is_managed (GtkWidget *source_widget)
     FALSE;
 }
 
-/* Like gtk_drag_begin(), but also takes a GtkIconHelper
- * so that we can set the icon from the source site information
+/* Like gtk_drag_begin(), but also communicates the need to
+ * create an icon for the drag operation back to the caller.
+ * If the caller passes out_needs_icon == NULL, it means that
+ * the caller does not care.
  */
 GdkDragContext *
-gtk_drag_begin_internal (GtkWidget          *widget,
-                         GtkImageDefinition *icon,
-                         GtkTargetList      *target_list,
-                         GdkDragAction       actions,
-                         gint                button,
-                         const GdkEvent     *event,
-                         int                 x,
-                         int                 y)
+gtk_drag_begin_internal (GtkWidget           *widget,
+                         gboolean            *out_needs_icon,
+                         GtkTargetList       *target_list,
+                         GdkDragAction        actions,
+                         gint                 button,
+                         const GdkEvent      *event,
+                         int                  x,
+                         int                  y)
 {
   GtkDragSourceInfo *info;
   GList *targets = NULL;
@@ -1873,20 +1875,16 @@ gtk_drag_begin_internal (GtkWidget          *widget,
    * application may have set one in ::drag_begin, or it may
    * not have set one.
    */
-  if (!info->icon_widget)
+  if (!info->icon_widget && out_needs_icon == NULL)
     {
-      if (icon)
-        {
-          set_icon_helper (info->context, icon, 0, 0);
-        }
-      else
-        {
-          icon = gtk_image_definition_new_icon_name ("text-x-generic");
-          set_icon_helper (info->context, icon, 0, 0);
-          gtk_image_definition_unref (icon);
-        }
+      GtkImageDefinition *icon = gtk_image_definition_new_icon_name ("text-x-generic");
+      set_icon_helper (info->context, icon, 0, 0);
+      gtk_image_definition_unref (icon);
     }
 
+  if (out_needs_icon != NULL)
+    *out_needs_icon = (info->icon_widget == NULL);
+
   if (managed)
     {
       g_signal_connect (context, "drop-performed",
diff --git a/gtk/gtkdndprivate.h b/gtk/gtkdndprivate.h
index f14a456ffb..89f1b0f4db 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkdndprivate.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkdndprivate.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ struct _GtkDragDestSite
 G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
 GdkDragContext *        gtk_drag_begin_internal         (GtkWidget              *widget,
-                                                         GtkImageDefinition     *icon,
+                                                         gboolean               *out_needs_icon,
                                                          GtkTargetList          *target_list,
                                                          GdkDragAction           actions,
                                                          gint                    button,
diff --git a/gtk/gtkdragsource.c b/gtk/gtkdragsource.c
index 677281aa88..bbe3d2ecad 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkdragsource.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkdragsource.c
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ gtk_drag_source_event_cb (GtkWidget *widget,
           GdkEventSequence *sequence;
           GdkEvent *last_event;
           guint button;
+          gboolean needs_icon;
+          GdkDragContext *context;
 
           sequence = gtk_gesture_single_get_current_sequence (GTK_GESTURE_SINGLE (site->drag_gesture));
           last_event = gdk_event_copy (gtk_gesture_get_last_event (site->drag_gesture, sequence));
@@ -95,9 +97,12 @@ gtk_drag_source_event_cb (GtkWidget *widget,
           button = gtk_gesture_single_get_current_button (GTK_GESTURE_SINGLE (site->drag_gesture));
           gtk_event_controller_reset (GTK_EVENT_CONTROLLER (site->drag_gesture));
 
-          gtk_drag_begin_internal (widget, site->image_def, site->target_list,
-                                   site->actions, button, last_event,
-                                   start_x, start_y);
+          context = gtk_drag_begin_internal (widget, &needs_icon, site->target_list,
+                                             site->actions, button, last_event,
+                                             start_x, start_y);
+
+          if (context != NULL && needs_icon)
+            gtk_drag_set_icon_definition (context, site->image_def, 0, 0);
 
           gdk_event_free (last_event);