diff --git a/gsk/gskrendernodeparser.c b/gsk/gskrendernodeparser.c
index 26bcab7619..e6ee8383c1 100644
--- a/gsk/gskrendernodeparser.c
+++ b/gsk/gskrendernodeparser.c
@@ -1172,10 +1172,16 @@ create_default_texture (void)
   return texture;
 }
 
+static GskRenderNode *
+create_default_render_node_with_bounds (const graphene_rect_t *rect)
+{
+  return gsk_color_node_new (&GDK_RGBA("FF00CC"), rect);
+}
+
 static GskRenderNode *
 create_default_render_node (void)
 {
-  return gsk_color_node_new (&GDK_RGBA("FF00CC"), &GRAPHENE_RECT_INIT (0, 0, 50, 50));
+  return create_default_render_node_with_bounds (&GRAPHENE_RECT_INIT (0, 0, 50, 50));
 }
 
 static GskPath *
@@ -2254,10 +2260,14 @@ parse_fill_node (GtkCssParser *parser,
   GskRenderNode *result;
 
   parse_declarations (parser, context, declarations, G_N_ELEMENTS (declarations));
-  if (child == NULL)
-    child = create_default_render_node ();
   if (path == NULL)
     path = create_default_path ();
+  if (child == NULL)
+    {
+      graphene_rect_t bounds;
+      gsk_path_get_bounds (path, &bounds);
+      child = create_default_render_node_with_bounds (&bounds);
+    }
 
   result = gsk_fill_node_new (child, path, rule);
 
@@ -2311,8 +2321,6 @@ parse_stroke_node (GtkCssParser *parser,
   GskRenderNode *result;
 
   parse_declarations (parser, context, declarations, G_N_ELEMENTS (declarations));
-  if (child == NULL)
-    child = create_default_render_node ();
   if (path == NULL)
     path = create_default_path ();
 
@@ -2327,6 +2335,13 @@ parse_stroke_node (GtkCssParser *parser,
     }
   gsk_stroke_set_dash_offset (stroke, dash_offset);
 
+  if (child == NULL)
+    {
+      graphene_rect_t bounds;
+      gsk_path_get_stroke_bounds (path, stroke, &bounds);
+      child = create_default_render_node_with_bounds (&bounds);
+    }
+
   result = gsk_stroke_node_new (child, path, stroke);
 
   gsk_path_unref (path);
diff --git a/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-fill.ref.node b/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-fill.ref.node
index 5840c61804..233a990899 100644
--- a/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-fill.ref.node
+++ b/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-fill.ref.node
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 fill {
   child: color {
-    bounds: 0 0 50 50;
+    bounds: 1.22359 0 47.5528 45.2254;
     color: rgb(255,0,204);
   }
   path: "\
diff --git a/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-stroke.ref.node b/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-stroke.ref.node
index d49b2ce908..c32daa6885 100644
--- a/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-stroke.ref.node
+++ b/testsuite/gsk/nodeparser/empty-stroke.ref.node
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 stroke {
   child: color {
-    bounds: 0 0 50 50;
+    bounds: -2.77641 -4 55.5528 53.2254;
     color: rgb(255,0,204);
   }
   path: "\