diff --git a/src/hb-cairo.cc b/src/hb-cairo.cc
index 90f3030ec..656a9d4f9 100644
--- a/src/hb-cairo.cc
+++ b/src/hb-cairo.cc
@@ -379,6 +379,7 @@ hb_cairo_init_scaled_font (cairo_scaled_font_t  *scaled_font,
 								   &hb_cairo_face_user_data_key);
     font = hb_font_create (face);
 
+#if CAIRO_VERSION >= CAIRO_VERSION_ENCODE(1,16,0)
     cairo_font_options_t *font_options = cairo_font_options_create ();
 
     // Set variations
@@ -397,6 +398,7 @@ hb_cairo_init_scaled_font (cairo_scaled_font_t  *scaled_font,
     hb_font_set_variations (font, &vars[0], vars.length);
 
     cairo_font_options_destroy (font_options);
+#endif
 
     // Set scale; Note: should NOT set slant, or we'll double-slant.
     unsigned scale_factor = hb_cairo_font_face_get_scale_factor (font_face);