diff --git a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/colordialog.rkt b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/colordialog.rkt
index 1c26323d2a..c850fe4b75 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/colordialog.rkt
+++ b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/colordialog.rkt
@@ -7,14 +7,19 @@
          "stddialog.rkt")
 
 (provide 
- (protect-out get-color-from-user))
+ (protect-out get-color-from-user
+	      color-dialog-works?))
 
 (define-gtk gtk_color_selection_dialog_new (_fun _string -> _GtkWidget))
 
-(define-gtk gtk_color_selection_dialog_get_color_selection (_fun _GtkWidget -> _GtkWidget))
+(define-gtk gtk_color_selection_dialog_get_color_selection (_fun _GtkWidget -> _GtkWidget)
+  #:fail (lambda () #f))
 (define-gtk gtk_color_selection_get_current_color (_fun _GtkWidget (c : (_ptr o _GdkColor)) -> _void -> c))
 (define-gtk gtk_color_selection_set_current_color (_fun _GtkWidget _GdkColor-pointer -> _void))
 
+(define (color-dialog-works?)
+  (and gtk_color_selection_dialog_get_color_selection #t))
+
 (define (get-color-from-user message parent color)
   (let ([d (as-gtk-window-allocation
             (gtk_color_selection_dialog_new (or message "Choose Color")))]
diff --git a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/procs.rkt b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/procs.rkt
index c88d3a2266..86e06ef1b3 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/procs.rkt
+++ b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/procs.rkt
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@
 
 (define-unimplemented play-sound)
 
-(define (color-from-user-platform-mode) 'dialog)
+(define (color-from-user-platform-mode) 
+  (and (color-dialog-works?)
+       'dialog))
 
 (define (font-from-user-platform-mode) #f)
 (define-unimplemented get-font-from-user)
diff --git a/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/cairo.rkt b/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/cairo.rkt
index 50ce3cadc4..c94c375359 100644
--- a/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/cairo.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/cairo.rkt
@@ -195,7 +195,11 @@
   #:wrap (allocator cairo_surface_destroy))
 (define-cairo cairo_ps_surface_create (_fun _path _double* _double* -> _cairo_surface_t)
   #:wrap (allocator cairo_surface_destroy))
-(define-cairo cairo_ps_surface_set_eps (_fun _cairo_surface_t _bool -> _void))
+(define-cairo cairo_ps_surface_set_eps (_fun _cairo_surface_t _bool -> _void)
+  #:fail (lambda ()
+	   ;; cairo_ps_surface_set_eps is in version 1.6 and later;
+	   ;; if it's not available, we just do without
+	   (lambda (s b) (void))))
 (define-cairo cairo_ps_surface_dsc_begin_setup (_fun _cairo_surface_t -> _void))
 (define-cairo cairo_ps_surface_dsc_comment (_fun _cairo_surface_t _string -> _void))
 (define-cairo cairo_image_surface_get_data (_fun (s : _cairo_surface_t)
diff --git a/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/pango.rkt b/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/pango.rkt
index 7ee2bf0f28..2243f29ca3 100644
--- a/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/pango.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/draw/unsafe/pango.rkt
@@ -133,8 +133,14 @@
 (define-pangocairo pango_cairo_font_map_new (_fun -> PangoFontMap)
   #:wrap (allocator g_object_unref))
 
-(define-pango pango_font_map_create_context (_fun PangoFontMap -> PangoContext)
+(define-pango pango_context_new (_fun -> PangoContext)
   #:wrap (allocator g_object_unref))
+;; pango_font_map_create_context() is in 1.22 and later
+(provide pango_font_map_create_context)
+(define (pango_font_map_create_context fm)
+  (let ([c (pango_context_new)])
+    (pango_context_set_font_map c fm)
+    c))
 (define-pangocairo pango_cairo_update_context (_fun _cairo_t PangoContext -> _void))
 
 ;; The convenince function pango_cairo_create_context() is in 1.22 and later
@@ -180,6 +186,7 @@
 
 (define-pango pango_layout_set_font_description (_fun PangoLayout PangoFontDescription -> _void)) ;; makes a copy
 (define-pango pango_context_get_font_map (_fun PangoContext -> PangoFontMap)) ;; not an allocator
+(define-pango pango_context_set_font_map (_fun PangoContext PangoFontMap -> _void))
 (define-pango pango_font_family_get_name (_fun PangoFontFamily -> _string)) ;; not an allocator
 (define-pango pango_font_family_is_monospace (_fun PangoFontFamily -> _bool))