diff --git a/src/hb-buffer.cc b/src/hb-buffer.cc
index 3f46d686e..c3cff08cb 100644
--- a/src/hb-buffer.cc
+++ b/src/hb-buffer.cc
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ void hb_buffer_t::deallocate_var_all (void)
 /* Public API */
 
 hb_buffer_t *
-hb_buffer_create (unsigned int pre_alloc_size)
+hb_buffer_create ()
 {
   hb_buffer_t *buffer;
 
@@ -495,11 +495,6 @@ hb_buffer_create (unsigned int pre_alloc_size)
 
   buffer->reset ();
 
-  if (pre_alloc_size && !buffer->ensure (pre_alloc_size)) {
-    hb_buffer_destroy (buffer);
-    return &_hb_buffer_nil;
-  }
-
   return buffer;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hb-buffer.h b/src/hb-buffer.h
index a5efce354..9582ebee4 100644
--- a/src/hb-buffer.h
+++ b/src/hb-buffer.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ typedef struct _hb_glyph_position_t {
 
 
 hb_buffer_t *
-hb_buffer_create (unsigned int pre_alloc_size);
+hb_buffer_create (void);
 
 hb_buffer_t *
 hb_buffer_get_empty (void);
diff --git a/src/test.cc b/src/test.cc
index d1c0fafa2..af6a45a31 100644
--- a/src/test.cc
+++ b/src/test.cc
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   hb_ft_font_set_funcs (font);
 #endif
 
-  hb_buffer_t *buffer = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  hb_buffer_t *buffer = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   hb_buffer_add_utf8 (buffer, "\xe0\xa4\x95\xe0\xa5\x8d\xe0\xa4\xb0\xe0\xa5\x8d\xe0\xa4\x95", -1, 0, -1);
 
diff --git a/test/test-buffer.c b/test/test-buffer.c
index d3872849e..ec32e156e 100644
--- a/test/test-buffer.c
+++ b/test/test-buffer.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ fixture_init (fixture_t *fixture, gconstpointer user_data)
   hb_buffer_t *b;
   unsigned int i;
 
-  b = fixture->buffer = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  b = fixture->buffer = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   switch (GPOINTER_TO_INT (user_data))
   {
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ test_buffer_utf8_conversion (void)
   hb_glyph_info_t *glyphs;
   unsigned int bytes, chars, i, j, len;
 
-  b = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  b = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (utf8_conversion_tests); i++)
   {
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ test_buffer_utf8_validity (void)
   hb_buffer_t *b;
   unsigned int i;
 
-  b = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  b = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (utf8_validity_tests); i++)
   {
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ test_buffer_utf16_conversion (void)
   hb_buffer_t *b;
   unsigned int i;
 
-  b = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  b = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (utf16_conversion_tests); i++)
   {
@@ -726,7 +726,6 @@ test_buffer_empty (void)
 
   g_assert (hb_buffer_get_empty ());
   g_assert (hb_buffer_get_empty () == b);
-  g_assert (hb_buffer_get_empty () == hb_buffer_create (-1));
 
   g_assert (!hb_buffer_allocation_successful (b));
 
diff --git a/test/test-object.c b/test/test-object.c
index 8878cf17e..66e8d33f1 100644
--- a/test/test-object.c
+++ b/test/test-object.c
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ create_blob_inert (void)
 static void *
 create_buffer (void)
 {
-  return hb_buffer_create (0);
+  return hb_buffer_create ();
 }
 static void *
 create_buffer_inert (void)
 {
-  return hb_buffer_create (-1);
+  return NULL;
 }
 
 static void *
diff --git a/test/test-shape-complex.c b/test/test-shape-complex.c
index 6416b36a7..dea12ec77 100644
--- a/test/test-shape-complex.c
+++ b/test/test-shape-complex.c
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ test_shape_complex (ft_fixture_t *f, gconstpointer user_data)
   if (data->comments[0])
     g_test_message ("Test comments: %s", data->comments);
 
-  buffer =  hb_buffer_create (0);
+  buffer =  hb_buffer_create ();
   for (len = 0; data->characters[len]; len++) ;
   hb_buffer_add_utf32 (buffer, data->characters, len, 0, len);
 
diff --git a/test/test-shape.c b/test/test-shape.c
index 6d30824e3..ccf6eed75 100644
--- a/test/test-shape.c
+++ b/test/test-shape.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ test_shape (void)
   hb_font_set_funcs (font, ffuncs, NULL, NULL);
   hb_font_funcs_destroy (ffuncs);
 
-  buffer =  hb_buffer_create (0);
+  buffer =  hb_buffer_create ();
   hb_buffer_set_direction (buffer, HB_DIRECTION_LTR);
   hb_buffer_add_utf8 (buffer, TesT, 4, 0, 4);
 
diff --git a/util/hb-view.cc b/util/hb-view.cc
index d533dde75..cdb90b6b0 100644
--- a/util/hb-view.cc
+++ b/util/hb-view.cc
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ _hb_cr_text_glyphs (cairo_t *cr,
   unsigned int num_glyphs, i;
   hb_position_t x, y;
 
-  hb_buffer = hb_buffer_create (0);
+  hb_buffer = hb_buffer_create ();
 
   if (shape_opts->direction)
     hb_buffer_set_direction (hb_buffer, hb_direction_from_string (shape_opts->direction));