diff --git a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
index 2785d5b6..8efe0cbb 100644
--- a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
@@ -333,3 +333,9 @@ function _display(plt::Plot{PGFPlotsBackend})
     # cleanup
     PGFPlots.cleanup(plt.o)
 end
+
+function prepared_object(plt::Plot{PGFPlotsBackend})
+    prepare_output(plt)
+    _make_pgf_plot!(plt)
+    plt.o
+end
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index aa42bd7a..49f174d2 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -251,11 +251,6 @@ function prepare_output(plt::Plot)
     _update_plot_object(plt)
 end
 
-function prepared_object(plt::Plot)
-    prepare_output(plt)
-    plt.o
-end
-
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------
 # plot to a Subplot