diff --git a/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_client.c b/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_client.c
index 24401558..63a5988f 100644
--- a/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_client.c
+++ b/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_client.c
@@ -153,15 +153,11 @@ void guac_vnc_cursor(rfbClient* client, int x, int y, int w, int h, int bpp) {
     free(client->rcMask);
 }
 
-const cairo_user_data_key_t __GUAC_VNC_BUFFER;
-
-void guac_vnc_cairo_free(void* data) {
-    free(data);
-}
 
 void guac_vnc_update(rfbClient* client, int x, int y, int w, int h) {
 
     guac_client* gc = rfbClientGetClientData(client, __GUAC_CLIENT);
+    GUACIO* io = gc->io;
 
     int dx, dy;
 
@@ -238,21 +234,23 @@ void guac_vnc_update(rfbClient* client, int x, int y, int w, int h) {
 
     /* For now, only use default layer */
     surface = cairo_image_surface_create_for_data(buffer, CAIRO_FORMAT_RGB24, w, h, stride);
-    guac_client_queue_png(gc, GUAC_COMP_OVER, GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, x, y, surface);
+    guac_send_png(io, GUAC_COMP_OVER, GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, x, y, surface);
 
-    /* Free buffer when surface is destroyed */
-    cairo_surface_set_user_data(surface, &__GUAC_VNC_BUFFER, buffer, guac_vnc_cairo_free);
+    /* Free surface */
+    cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
+    free(buffer);
 
 }
 
 void guac_vnc_copyrect(rfbClient* client, int src_x, int src_y, int w, int h, int dest_x, int dest_y) {
 
     guac_client* gc = rfbClientGetClientData(client, __GUAC_CLIENT);
+    GUACIO* io = gc->io;
 
     /* For now, only use default layer */
-    guac_client_queue_copy(gc,
-                    GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, src_x,  src_y, w, h,
-                    GUAC_COMP_OVER, GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, dest_x, dest_y);
+    guac_send_copy(io,
+                            GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, src_x,  src_y, w, h,
+            GUAC_COMP_OVER, GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, dest_x, dest_y);
 
     ((vnc_guac_client_data*) gc->data)->copy_rect_used = 1;
 
@@ -305,7 +303,6 @@ int vnc_guac_client_handle_messages(guac_client* client) {
 
     }
 
-    guac_client_queue_flush(client);
     return 0;
 
 }