diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/imageops/imageops.sip b/src/calibre/utils/imageops/imageops.sip
index 4d01f707f8..00d871566e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/imageops/imageops.sip
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/imageops/imageops.sip
@@ -8,10 +8,8 @@
 %ModuleCode
 #include <imageops.h>
 #define IMAGEOPS_PREFIX \
-            QImage ans; \
             try {
 #define IMAGEOPS_SUFFIX \
-            sipRes = new QImage(ans); \
         } catch (std::out_of_range &exc) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, exc.what()); return NULL; \
         } catch (std::bad_alloc &) { PyErr_NoMemory(); return NULL; \
         } catch (std::exception &exc) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, exc.what()); return NULL; \
@@ -21,27 +19,27 @@
 QImage* remove_borders(const QImage &image, double fuzz);
 %MethodCode
         IMAGEOPS_PREFIX
-			ans = remove_borders(*a0, a1);
+			sipRes = new QImage(remove_borders(*a0, a1));
         IMAGEOPS_SUFFIX
 %End
 
 QImage* grayscale(const QImage &image);
 %MethodCode
         IMAGEOPS_PREFIX
-			ans = grayscale(*a0);
+			sipRes = new QImage(grayscale(*a0));
         IMAGEOPS_SUFFIX
 %End
 
 QImage gaussian_sharpen(const QImage &img, const float radius, const float sigma, const bool high_quality=true);
 %MethodCode
         IMAGEOPS_PREFIX
-			ans = gaussian_sharpen(*a0, a1, a2, a3);
+			sipRes = new QImage(gaussian_sharpen(*a0, a1, a2, a3));
         IMAGEOPS_SUFFIX
 %End
 
 QImage gaussian_blur(const QImage &img, const float radius, const float sigma);
 %MethodCode
         IMAGEOPS_PREFIX
-			ans = gaussian_blur(*a0, a1, a2);
+			sipRes = new QImage(gaussian_blur(*a0, a1, a2));
         IMAGEOPS_SUFFIX
 %End