diff --git a/src/tile.js b/src/tile.js
index 48f3503c..ad018ba7 100644
--- a/src/tile.js
+++ b/src/tile.js
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ $.Tile.prototype = /** @lends OpenSeadragon.Tile.prototype */{
             return;
         }
 
+        context.save();
+
         context.globalAlpha = this.opacity;
 
         //if we are supposed to be rendering fully opaque rectangle,
@@ -298,6 +300,8 @@ $.Tile.prototype = /** @lends OpenSeadragon.Tile.prototype */{
             size.x * $.pixelDensityRatio,
             size.y * $.pixelDensityRatio
         );
+
+        context.restore();
     },
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/tiledimage.js b/src/tiledimage.js
index 54f93241..a6943de4 100644
--- a/src/tiledimage.js
+++ b/src/tiledimage.js
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ $.TiledImage = function( options ) {
         lastResetTime:  0,     // Last time for which the tiledImage was reset.
         _midDraw:       false, // Is the tiledImage currently updating the viewport?
         _needsDraw:     true,  // Does the tiledImage need to update the viewport again?
+        _hasOpaqueTile: false,  // Do we have even one fully opaque tile? 
 
         //configurable settings
         springStiffness:      $.DEFAULT_SETTINGS.springStiffness,
@@ -1163,6 +1164,7 @@ function blendTile( tiledImage, tile, x, y, level, levelOpacity, currentTime ){
 
     if ( opacity == 1 ) {
         setCoverage( tiledImage.coverage, level, x, y, true );
+        tiledImage._hasOpaqueTile = true;
     } else if ( deltaTime < blendTimeMillis ) {
         return true;
     }
@@ -1311,7 +1313,7 @@ function drawTiles( tiledImage, lastDrawn ) {
         usedClip = true;
     }
 
-    if ( tiledImage.placeholderFillStyle && lastDrawn.length === 0 ) {
+    if ( tiledImage.placeholderFillStyle && tiledImage._hasOpaqueTile === false ) {
         var placeholderRect = tiledImage._drawer.viewportToDrawerRectangle(tiledImage.getBounds(true));
 
         var fillStyle = null;