diff --git a/types/scene/wlr_scene.c b/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
index de4ad4b64..e9527fb78 100644
--- a/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
+++ b/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
@@ -754,16 +754,14 @@ void wlr_scene_buffer_set_opaque_region(struct wlr_scene_buffer *scene_buffer,
 
 void wlr_scene_buffer_set_source_box(struct wlr_scene_buffer *scene_buffer,
 		const struct wlr_fbox *box) {
-	struct wlr_fbox *cur = &scene_buffer->src_box;
-	if ((wlr_fbox_empty(box) && wlr_fbox_empty(cur)) ||
-			(box != NULL && wlr_fbox_equal(cur, box))) {
+	if (wlr_fbox_equal(&scene_buffer->src_box, box)) {
 		return;
 	}
 
 	if (box != NULL) {
-		memcpy(cur, box, sizeof(*box));
+		scene_buffer->src_box = *box;
 	} else {
-		memset(cur, 0, sizeof(*cur));
+		scene_buffer->src_box = (struct wlr_fbox){0};
 	}
 
 	scene_node_update(&scene_buffer->node, NULL);
diff --git a/util/box.c b/util/box.c
index 48bfbfddc..2ff226865 100644
--- a/util/box.c
+++ b/util/box.c
@@ -175,6 +175,13 @@ void wlr_fbox_transform(struct wlr_fbox *dest, const struct wlr_fbox *box,
 #ifdef WLR_USE_UNSTABLE
 
 bool wlr_box_equal(const struct wlr_box *a, const struct wlr_box *b) {
+	if (wlr_box_empty(a)) {
+		a = NULL;
+	}
+	if (wlr_box_empty(b)) {
+		b = NULL;
+	}
+
 	if (a == NULL || b == NULL) {
 		return a == b;
 	}
@@ -184,6 +191,13 @@ bool wlr_box_equal(const struct wlr_box *a, const struct wlr_box *b) {
 }
 
 bool wlr_fbox_equal(const struct wlr_fbox *a, const struct wlr_fbox *b) {
+	if (wlr_fbox_empty(a)) {
+		a = NULL;
+	}
+	if (wlr_fbox_empty(b)) {
+		b = NULL;
+	}
+
 	if (a == NULL || b == NULL) {
 		return a == b;
 	}