diff --git a/Source/cairo/CairoGState.m b/Source/cairo/CairoGState.m
index 8d34d510..c976ff12 100644
--- a/Source/cairo/CairoGState.m
+++ b/Source/cairo/CairoGState.m
@@ -1584,10 +1584,26 @@ - (void) drawGradient: (NSGradient*)gradient
           [gradient getColor: &color
                     location: &location
                      atIndex: i];
-          red = [color redComponent];
-          green = [color greenComponent];
-          blue = [color blueComponent];
-          alpha = [color alphaComponent];
+          /* Ensure color is in an RGB-compatible colorspace to avoid
+             -redComponent/-greenComponent/-blueComponent raising
+             for non-RGB colors (patterns, color lists, etc.). Try
+             device RGB first, then calibrated RGB, and finally
+             fall back to a safe opaque black if conversion fails. */
+          NSColor *rgbColor = [color colorUsingColorSpaceName: NSDeviceRGBColorSpace];
+          if (!rgbColor) rgbColor = [color colorUsingColorSpaceName: NSCalibratedRGBColorSpace];
+          if (!rgbColor) rgbColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedWhite:0.0 alpha:1.0];
+
+          @try {
+            red = [rgbColor redComponent];
+            green = [rgbColor greenComponent];
+            blue = [rgbColor blueComponent];
+            alpha = [rgbColor alphaComponent];
+          } @catch (NSException *ex) {
+            /* Last-resort safe defaults */
+            red = green = blue = 0.0;
+            alpha = 1.0;
+          }
+
           cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgba(cpattern, location,
                                             red, green, blue, alpha);
         }
@@ -1629,39 +1645,28 @@ - (void) drawGradient: (NSGradient*)gradient
           double green;
           double blue;
           double alpha;
-          NSString *colorSpaceName;
-	  
+
           [gradient getColor: &color
                     location: &location
                      atIndex: i];
 
-	  colorSpaceName = [color colorSpaceName];
-	  if([NSCalibratedRGBColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName] ||
-	     [NSDeviceRGBColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName])
-	    {
-	      red = [color redComponent];
-	      green = [color greenComponent];
-	      blue = [color blueComponent];
-	      alpha = [color alphaComponent];
-	      cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgba(cpattern, location,
-						red, green, blue, alpha);
-	    }
-	  else if([NSCalibratedWhiteColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName] ||
-		  [NSDeviceWhiteColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName] ||
-		  [NSCalibratedBlackColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName] ||
-		  [NSDeviceBlackColorSpace isEqualToString: colorSpaceName])
-	    {
-	      red = [color whiteComponent];
-	      green = [color whiteComponent];
-	      blue = [color whiteComponent];
-	      alpha = [color alphaComponent];
-	      cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgba(cpattern, location,
-						red, green, blue, alpha);
-	    }
-	  else
-	    {
-	      NSLog(@"Cannot draw gradient for %@",colorSpaceName); 
-	    }
+          /* Normalize to RGB-compatible color before extracting components */
+          NSColor *rgbColor = [color colorUsingColorSpaceName: NSDeviceRGBColorSpace];
+          if (!rgbColor) rgbColor = [color colorUsingColorSpaceName: NSCalibratedRGBColorSpace];
+          if (!rgbColor) rgbColor = [NSColor colorWithCalibratedWhite:0.0 alpha:1.0];
+
+          @try {
+            red = [rgbColor redComponent];
+            green = [rgbColor greenComponent];
+            blue = [rgbColor blueComponent];
+            alpha = [rgbColor alphaComponent];
+          } @catch (NSException *ex) {
+            red = green = blue = 0.0;
+            alpha = 1.0;
+          }
+
+          cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgba(cpattern, location,
+                                            red, green, blue, alpha);
         }
       
       cairo_save(_ct);
diff --git a/Tests/gradient/GNUmakefile b/Tests/gradient/GNUmakefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..67e5d5a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/gradient/GNUmakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+include $(GNUSTEP_MAKEFILES)/common.make
+
+TOOL_NAME = testgradient
+
+testgradient_OBJC_FILES = gradient_test.m
+
+testgradient_TOOL_LIBS = -lgnustep-gui -lgnustep-base
+
+include $(GNUSTEP_MAKEFILES)/tool.make
diff --git a/Tests/gradient/gradient_test.m b/Tests/gradient/gradient_test.m
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf510c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/gradient/gradient_test.m
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
+#import <AppKit/AppKit.h>
+
+int main (int argc, const char * argv[]) {
+    NSAutoreleasePool *pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
+
+    // Create a small pattern image and make a pattern color (non-RGB)
+    NSImage *pat = [[NSImage alloc] initWithSize:NSMakeSize(4,4)];
+    [pat lockFocus];
+    [[NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:1.0 green:0.0 blue:0.0 alpha:1.0] setFill];
+    NSRectFill(NSMakeRect(0,0,4,4));
+    [pat unlockFocus];
+
+    NSColor *pattern = [NSColor colorWithPatternImage:pat];
+
+    NSGradient *g = [[NSGradient alloc] initWithStartingColor:pattern endingColor:[NSColor colorWithCalibratedWhite:1.0 alpha:1.0]];
+
+    NSImage *img = [[NSImage alloc] initWithSize:NSMakeSize(100,100)];
+    @try {
+        [img lockFocus];
+        [g drawInRect:NSMakeRect(0,0,100,100) angle:90.0];
+        [img unlockFocus];
+        NSLog(@"OK: gradient drawn without exception");
+    } @catch (NSException *ex) {
+        NSLog(@"FAIL: exception: %@", ex);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    [pool drain];
+    return 0;
+}