diff --git a/src/pdf/SkPDFDevice.cpp b/src/pdf/SkPDFDevice.cpp
index 6be5ab7..c9a7426 100644
--- a/src/pdf/SkPDFDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/pdf/SkPDFDevice.cpp
@@ -1155,6 +1155,8 @@
     // PDF treats a shader as a color, so we only set one or the other.
     SkShader* shader = paint.getShader();
     if (shader) {
+        // note: we always present the alpha as 1 for the shader, knowing that it will be
+        //       accounted for when we create our newGraphicsState (below)
         if (SkShader::kColor_GradientType == shader->asAGradient(nullptr)) {
             // We don't have to set a shader just for a color.
             SkShader::GradientInfo gradientInfo;
@@ -1183,8 +1185,9 @@
             SkIRect bounds;
             clipStackBounds.roundOut(&bounds);
 
-            SkPDFIndirectReference pdfShader
-                = SkPDFMakeShader(doc, shader, transform, bounds, paint.getColor4f());
+            auto c = paint.getColor4f();
+            SkPDFIndirectReference pdfShader = SkPDFMakeShader(doc, shader, transform, bounds,
+                                                               {c.fR, c.fG, c.fB, 1.0f});
 
             if (pdfShader) {
                 // pdfShader has been canonicalized so we can directly compare pointers.