diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
index 691caf0..c35d863 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -42,13 +42,20 @@
         this.type = RENDERER_TYPE.CANVAS;
 
         /**
-         * The canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
+         * The root canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
          *
          * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
          */
         this.rootContext = this.view.getContext('2d', { alpha: this.transparent });
 
         /**
+         * The currently active canvas 2d context (could change with renderTextures)
+         *
+         * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
+         */
+        this.context = this.rootContext;
+
+        /**
          * Boolean flag controlling canvas refresh.
          *
          * @member {boolean}
@@ -94,7 +101,6 @@
         this.blendModes = mapCanvasBlendModesToPixi();
         this._activeBlendMode = null;
 
-        this.context = null;
         this.renderingToScreen = false;
 
         this.resize(this.options.width, this.options.height);

diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
index 691caf0..c35d863 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -42,13 +42,20 @@
         this.type = RENDERER_TYPE.CANVAS;
 
         /**
-         * The canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
+         * The root canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
          *
          * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
          */
         this.rootContext = this.view.getContext('2d', { alpha: this.transparent });
 
         /**
+         * The currently active canvas 2d context (could change with renderTextures)
+         *
+         * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
+         */
+        this.context = this.rootContext;
+
+        /**
          * Boolean flag controlling canvas refresh.
          *
          * @member {boolean}
@@ -94,7 +101,6 @@
         this.blendModes = mapCanvasBlendModesToPixi();
         this._activeBlendMode = null;
 
-        this.context = null;
         this.renderingToScreen = false;
 
         this.resize(this.options.width, this.options.height);
diff --git a/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ebf633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('PIXI.CanvasRenderer', function ()
+{
+    it('should default context to rootContext', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            expect(renderer.context).to.equal(renderer.rootContext);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('should allow clear() to work despite no containers added to the renderer', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            renderer.clear();
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+});

diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
index 691caf0..c35d863 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -42,13 +42,20 @@
         this.type = RENDERER_TYPE.CANVAS;
 
         /**
-         * The canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
+         * The root canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
          *
          * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
          */
         this.rootContext = this.view.getContext('2d', { alpha: this.transparent });
 
         /**
+         * The currently active canvas 2d context (could change with renderTextures)
+         *
+         * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
+         */
+        this.context = this.rootContext;
+
+        /**
          * Boolean flag controlling canvas refresh.
          *
          * @member {boolean}
@@ -94,7 +101,6 @@
         this.blendModes = mapCanvasBlendModesToPixi();
         this._activeBlendMode = null;
 
-        this.context = null;
         this.renderingToScreen = false;
 
         this.resize(this.options.width, this.options.height);
diff --git a/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ebf633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('PIXI.CanvasRenderer', function ()
+{
+    it('should default context to rootContext', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            expect(renderer.context).to.equal(renderer.rootContext);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('should allow clear() to work despite no containers added to the renderer', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            renderer.clear();
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+});
diff --git a/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js b/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
index 3d6cf98..4fe37a8 100644
--- a/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
+++ b/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
@@ -18,4 +18,18 @@
             renderer.destroy();
         }
     }));
+
+    it('should allow clear() to work despite no containers added to the renderer', withGL(function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.WebGLRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            renderer.clear();
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    }));
 });

diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
index 691caf0..c35d863 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -42,13 +42,20 @@
         this.type = RENDERER_TYPE.CANVAS;
 
         /**
-         * The canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
+         * The root canvas 2d context that everything is drawn with.
          *
          * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
          */
         this.rootContext = this.view.getContext('2d', { alpha: this.transparent });
 
         /**
+         * The currently active canvas 2d context (could change with renderTextures)
+         *
+         * @member {CanvasRenderingContext2D}
+         */
+        this.context = this.rootContext;
+
+        /**
          * Boolean flag controlling canvas refresh.
          *
          * @member {boolean}
@@ -94,7 +101,6 @@
         this.blendModes = mapCanvasBlendModesToPixi();
         this._activeBlendMode = null;
 
-        this.context = null;
         this.renderingToScreen = false;
 
         this.resize(this.options.width, this.options.height);
diff --git a/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ebf633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/CanvasRenderer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('PIXI.CanvasRenderer', function ()
+{
+    it('should default context to rootContext', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            expect(renderer.context).to.equal(renderer.rootContext);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('should allow clear() to work despite no containers added to the renderer', function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.CanvasRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            renderer.clear();
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    });
+});
diff --git a/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js b/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
index 3d6cf98..4fe37a8 100644
--- a/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
+++ b/test/core/WebGLRenderer.js
@@ -18,4 +18,18 @@
             renderer.destroy();
         }
     }));
+
+    it('should allow clear() to work despite no containers added to the renderer', withGL(function ()
+    {
+        const renderer = new PIXI.WebGLRenderer(1, 1);
+
+        try
+        {
+            renderer.clear();
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            renderer.destroy();
+        }
+    }));
 });
diff --git a/test/core/index.js b/test/core/index.js
index 28636ab..2138e7b 100755
--- a/test/core/index.js
+++ b/test/core/index.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 require('./Circle');
 require('./Graphics');
 require('./SpriteRenderer');
+require('./CanvasRenderer');
 require('./WebGLRenderer');
 require('./Ellipse');
 require('./BaseTexture');