diff --git a/lib/layout/clipline.c b/lib/layout/clipline.c
index cd05b00bf27e..6d4649a966ff 100644
--- a/lib/layout/clipline.c
+++ b/lib/layout/clipline.c
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ lo_ClipLines(MWContext *context, lo_DocState *state, int32 line)
 	}
 	while ((start_clipping != NULL)&&(start_clipping != end_clipping))
 	{
-		lo_ScrapeElement(context, start_clipping);
+		lo_ScrapeElement(context, start_clipping, TRUE);
 		start_clipping = start_clipping->lo_any.next;
 	}
 
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ lo_ClipLines(MWContext *context, lo_DocState *state, int32 line)
 		 */
 		if ((eptr->lo_any.y - dy) < 0)
 		{
-			lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr);
+			lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr, TRUE);
 			eptr = eptr->lo_any.next;
 			continue;
 		}
diff --git a/lib/layout/layfree.c b/lib/layout/layfree.c
index c71c7091f7ac..e07ca8250448 100644
--- a/lib/layout/layfree.c
+++ b/lib/layout/layfree.c
@@ -457,8 +457,12 @@ lo_remove_image(lo_DocLists *doc_lists, LO_Element *element)
 }
 
 
+/* freeTableOrCellState should should be set to TRUE to free the
+   associated lo_TableRec for the LO_TABLE layout element or the 
+   lo_TableCell for an LO_CELL layout element */
+
 void
-lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *element)
+lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *element, Bool freeTableOrCellState )
 {
 	if (element == NULL)
 	{
@@ -736,7 +740,7 @@ lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *element)
                             }
 
 			    /* Free the lo_TableCell record associated with this cell */
-			    if ( element->lo_cell.table_cell != NULL )
+			    if ( freeTableOrCellState && element->lo_cell.table_cell != NULL )
 			    {
 				lo_TopState *top_state;
 				lo_DocState *state;
@@ -752,7 +756,8 @@ lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *element)
 
 		case LO_TABLE:
 			{
-			lo_ScrapeTableElement( context, (LO_TableStruct *) element );
+			    if (freeTableOrCellState)
+				lo_ScrapeTableElement( context, (LO_TableStruct *) element );
 			}
 			break;
 
@@ -813,7 +818,7 @@ lo_FreeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *element, Bool do_scrape)
 
 	if (do_scrape != FALSE)
 	{
-		lo_ScrapeElement(context, element);
+		lo_ScrapeElement(context, element, FALSE);
 	}
 
 #ifdef MEMORY_ARENAS
diff --git a/lib/layout/layout.h b/lib/layout/layout.h
index 8f214712c2c0..379a9c232407 100644
--- a/lib/layout/layout.h
+++ b/lib/layout/layout.h
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ extern void lo_FreePartialCell(MWContext *context, lo_DocState *state,
 extern void lo_FreeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *, Bool);
 extern void lo_FreeElementList(MWContext *, LO_Element *);
 extern void lo_FreeImageAttributes(LO_ImageAttr *image_attr);
-extern void lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *);
+extern void lo_ScrapeElement(MWContext *context, LO_Element *, Bool);
 extern int32 lo_FreeRecycleList(MWContext *context, LO_Element *);
 extern void lo_FreeGridRec(lo_GridRec *);
 extern void lo_FreeGridCellRec(MWContext *, lo_GridRec *, lo_GridCellRec *);
diff --git a/lib/layout/layutil.c b/lib/layout/layutil.c
index ce751191a5ac..a60b875887bc 100644
--- a/lib/layout/layutil.c
+++ b/lib/layout/layutil.c
@@ -1941,10 +1941,10 @@ lo_RecycleElements(MWContext *context, lo_DocState *state, LO_Element *elements)
 	eptr = elements;
 	while(eptr->lo_any.next != NULL)
 	{
-		lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr);
+		lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr, TRUE);
 		eptr = eptr->lo_any.next;
 	}
-	lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr);
+	lo_ScrapeElement(context, eptr, TRUE);
 #ifdef MEMORY_ARENAS
     if ( EDT_IS_EDITOR(context) ) {
 	    eptr->lo_any.next = state->top_state->recycle_list;