diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
index b281aef..735079b 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@
         this.canvas = canvas;
         canvas.addDisposeListener(new DisposeListener() {
             public void widgetDisposed(final DisposeEvent de) {
-                if (image != null) {
-                    image.dispose();
-                }
+                disposeImage();
             }
         });
     }
@@ -126,6 +124,12 @@
         firePropertyChange(PImage.PROPERTY_CODE_IMAGE, PImage.PROPERTY_IMAGE, old, image);
     }
 
+    protected void disposeImage() {
+        if (image != null) {
+            image.dispose();
+        }
+    }
+
     protected void paint(final PPaintContext paintContext) {
         if (getImage() != null) {
             final Rectangle r = image.getBounds();