diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/text.py b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
index e013aad60960..f6edd72d60c2 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/text.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
@@ -921,6 +921,8 @@ def get_window_extent(self, renderer=None, dpi=None):
 
         if renderer is not None:
             self._renderer = renderer
+        if self._renderer is None:
+            self._renderer = self.figure._cachedRenderer
         if self._renderer is None:
             raise RuntimeError('Cannot get window extent w/o renderer')