diff --git a/piet-gpu/src/samples.rs b/piet-gpu/src/samples.rs
index 8cb0392..bcde384 100644
--- a/piet-gpu/src/samples.rs
+++ b/piet-gpu/src/samples.rs
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ pub fn render_blend_grid(sb: &mut SceneBuilder) {
 fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affine) {
     // Inspired by https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/mix-blend-mode
     let rect = Rect::from_origin_size(Point::new(0., 0.), (200., 200.));
-    let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::BLACK, Color::WHITE]);
+    let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (200.0, 0.0)).stops([Color::BLACK, Color::WHITE]);
     sb.fill(Fill::NonZero, transform, &linear.into(), None, &rect);
     const GRADIENTS: &[(f64, f64, Color)] = &[
         (150., 0., Color::rgb8(255, 240, 64)),
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affin
     for (x, y, c) in GRADIENTS {
         let mut color2 = c.clone();
         color2.a = 0;
-        let radial = RadialGradient::new((*x, *y), 100.0).stops([c.clone(), color2]);
+        let radial = RadialGradient::new((*x, *y), 100.0).stops([*c, color2]);
         sb.fill(Fill::NonZero, transform, &radial.into(), None, &rect);
     }
     const COLORS: &[Color] = &[
@@ -246,17 +246,7 @@ fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affin
     ];
     sb.push_layer(Mix::Normal.into(), transform, &rect);
     for (i, c) in COLORS.iter().enumerate() {
-        // let stops = &[
-        //     GradientStop {
-        //         color: Color::rgb8(255, 255, 255),
-        //         offset: 0.0,
-        //     },
-        //     GradientStop {
-        //         color: c.clone(),
-        //         offset: 1.0,
-        //     },
-        // ][..];
-        let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::WHITE, c.clone()]);
+        let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::WHITE, *c]);
         sb.push_layer(blend, transform, &rect);
         // squash the ellipse
         let a = transform
diff --git a/piet-scene/src/scene/builder.rs b/piet-scene/src/scene/builder.rs
index 767962e..65ff186 100644
--- a/piet-scene/src/scene/builder.rs
+++ b/piet-scene/src/scene/builder.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use smallvec::SmallVec;
 /// Builder for constructing a scene or scene fragment.
 pub struct SceneBuilder<'a> {
     scene: &'a mut SceneData,
-    layers: SmallVec<[BlendMode; 8]>,
+    layers: SmallVec<[(BlendMode, bool); 8]>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> SceneBuilder<'a> {
@@ -54,15 +54,23 @@ impl<'a> SceneBuilder<'a> {
     pub fn push_layer(&mut self, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affine, shape: &impl Shape) {
         self.maybe_encode_transform(transform);
         self.linewidth(-1.0);
-        self.encode_path(shape, true);
-        self.begin_clip(blend);
-        self.layers.push(blend);
+        if self.encode_path(shape, true) {
+            self.begin_clip(blend);
+            self.layers.push((blend, true));
+        } else {
+            // When the layer has an empty path, record an entry to prevent
+            // the stack from becoming unbalanced. This is handled in
+            // pop_layer.
+            self.layers.push((blend, false));
+        }
     }
 
     /// Pops the current layer.
     pub fn pop_layer(&mut self) {
-        if let Some(layer) = self.layers.pop() {
-            self.end_clip(layer);
+        if let Some((blend, active)) = self.layers.pop() {
+            if active {
+                self.end_clip(blend);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -117,8 +125,8 @@ impl<'a> SceneBuilder<'a> {
 
     /// Completes construction and finalizes the underlying scene.
     pub fn finish(mut self) {
-        while let Some(layer) = self.layers.pop() {
-            self.end_clip(layer);
+        while !self.layers.is_empty() {
+            self.pop_layer();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/piet-wgsl/src/test_scene.rs b/piet-wgsl/src/test_scene.rs
index 899d05c..bb4c4ae 100644
--- a/piet-wgsl/src/test_scene.rs
+++ b/piet-wgsl/src/test_scene.rs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pub fn render_blend_grid(sb: &mut SceneBuilder) {
 fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affine) {
     // Inspired by https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/mix-blend-mode
     let rect = Rect::from_origin_size(Point::new(0., 0.), (200., 200.));
-    let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::BLACK, Color::WHITE]);
+    let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (200.0, 0.0)).stops([Color::BLACK, Color::WHITE]);
     sb.fill(Fill::NonZero, transform, &linear.into(), None, &rect);
     const GRADIENTS: &[(f64, f64, Color)] = &[
         (150., 0., Color::rgb8(255, 240, 64)),
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affin
     for (x, y, c) in GRADIENTS {
         let mut color2 = c.clone();
         color2.a = 0;
-        let radial = RadialGradient::new((*x, *y), 100.0).stops([c.clone(), color2]);
+        let radial = RadialGradient::new((*x, *y), 100.0).stops([*c, color2]);
         sb.fill(Fill::NonZero, transform, &radial.into(), None, &rect);
     }
     const COLORS: &[Color] = &[
@@ -153,17 +153,7 @@ fn render_blend_square(sb: &mut SceneBuilder, blend: BlendMode, transform: Affin
     ];
     sb.push_layer(Mix::Normal.into(), transform, &rect);
     for (i, c) in COLORS.iter().enumerate() {
-        // let stops = &[
-        //     GradientStop {
-        //         color: Color::rgb8(255, 255, 255),
-        //         offset: 0.0,
-        //     },
-        //     GradientStop {
-        //         color: c.clone(),
-        //         offset: 1.0,
-        //     },
-        // ][..];
-        let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::WHITE, c.clone()]);
+        let linear = LinearGradient::new((0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 200.0)).stops([Color::WHITE, *c]);
         sb.push_layer(blend, transform, &rect);
         // squash the ellipse
         let a = transform