diff --git a/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.cc b/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.cc
index e570ce8ba..35a73fd8f 100644
--- a/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.cc
+++ b/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.h"
 
 #include <memory>
+#include <utility>
 
 #include "absl/strings/str_cat.h"
 #include "absl/strings/str_join.h"
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ std::string GpuBuffer::DebugString() const {
                       "]");
 }
 
-internal::GpuBufferStorage& GpuBuffer::GetStorageForView(
+internal::GpuBufferStorage* GpuBuffer::GetStorageForView(
     TypeId view_provider_type, bool for_writing) const {
   const std::shared_ptr<internal::GpuBufferStorage>* chosen_storage = nullptr;
 
@@ -45,38 +46,48 @@ internal::GpuBufferStorage& GpuBuffer::GetStorageForView(
   // TODO: choose best conversion.
   if (!chosen_storage) {
     for (const auto& s : storages_) {
-      auto converter = internal::GpuBufferStorageRegistry::Get()
-                           .StorageConverterForViewProvider(view_provider_type,
-                                                            s->storage_type());
-      if (converter) {
-        storages_.push_back(converter(s));
-        chosen_storage = &storages_.back();
+      if (auto converter = internal::GpuBufferStorageRegistry::Get()
+                               .StorageConverterForViewProvider(
+                                   view_provider_type, s->storage_type())) {
+        if (auto new_storage = converter(s)) {
+          storages_.push_back(new_storage);
+          chosen_storage = &storages_.back();
+          break;
+        }
       }
     }
   }
 
   if (for_writing) {
-    if (!chosen_storage) {
-      // Allocate a new storage supporting the requested view.
-      auto factory = internal::GpuBufferStorageRegistry::Get()
-                         .StorageFactoryForViewProvider(view_provider_type);
-      if (factory) {
-        storages_ = {factory(width(), height(), format())};
-        chosen_storage = &storages_.back();
-      }
-    } else {
+    if (chosen_storage) {
       // Discard all other storages.
       storages_ = {*chosen_storage};
       chosen_storage = &storages_.back();
+    } else {
+      // Allocate a new storage supporting the requested view.
+      if (auto factory =
+              internal::GpuBufferStorageRegistry::Get()
+                  .StorageFactoryForViewProvider(view_provider_type)) {
+        if (auto new_storage = factory(width(), height(), format())) {
+          storages_ = {std::move(new_storage)};
+          chosen_storage = &storages_.back();
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
+  return chosen_storage ? chosen_storage->get() : nullptr;
+}
 
+internal::GpuBufferStorage& GpuBuffer::GetStorageForViewOrDie(
+    TypeId view_provider_type, bool for_writing) const {
+  auto* chosen_storage =
+      GpuBuffer::GetStorageForView(view_provider_type, for_writing);
   CHECK(chosen_storage) << "no view provider found for requested view "
                         << view_provider_type.name() << "; storages available: "
                         << absl::StrJoin(storages_, ", ",
                                          StorageTypeFormatter());
-  DCHECK((*chosen_storage)->can_down_cast_to(view_provider_type));
-  return **chosen_storage;
+  DCHECK(chosen_storage->can_down_cast_to(view_provider_type));
+  return *chosen_storage;
 }
 
 #if !MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU
diff --git a/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.h b/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.h
index 57e077151..ad5c130b5 100644
--- a/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.h
+++ b/mediapipe/gpu/gpu_buffer.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class GpuBuffer {
   // specific view type; see the corresponding ViewProvider.
   template <class View, class... Args>
   decltype(auto) GetReadView(Args... args) const {
-    return GetViewProvider<View>(false)->GetReadView(
+    return GetViewProviderOrDie<View>(false).GetReadView(
         internal::types<View>{}, std::make_shared<GpuBuffer>(*this),
         std::forward<Args>(args)...);
   }
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class GpuBuffer {
   // specific view type; see the corresponding ViewProvider.
   template <class View, class... Args>
   decltype(auto) GetWriteView(Args... args) {
-    return GetViewProvider<View>(true)->GetWriteView(
+    return GetViewProviderOrDie<View>(true).GetWriteView(
         internal::types<View>{}, std::make_shared<GpuBuffer>(*this),
         std::forward<Args>(args)...);
   }
@@ -147,13 +147,17 @@ class GpuBuffer {
     GpuBufferFormat format_ = GpuBufferFormat::kUnknown;
   };
 
-  internal::GpuBufferStorage& GetStorageForView(TypeId view_provider_type,
+  internal::GpuBufferStorage* GetStorageForView(TypeId view_provider_type,
                                                 bool for_writing) const;
 
+  internal::GpuBufferStorage& GetStorageForViewOrDie(TypeId view_provider_type,
+                                                     bool for_writing) const;
+
   template <class View>
-  internal::ViewProvider<View>* GetViewProvider(bool for_writing) const {
+  internal::ViewProvider<View>& GetViewProviderOrDie(bool for_writing) const {
     using VP = internal::ViewProvider<View>;
-    return GetStorageForView(kTypeId<VP>, for_writing).template down_cast<VP>();
+    return *GetStorageForViewOrDie(kTypeId<VP>, for_writing)
+                .template down_cast<VP>();
   }
 
   std::shared_ptr<internal::GpuBufferStorage>& no_storage() const {