diff --git a/src/tiledimage.js b/src/tiledimage.js
index 8851a933..b9c83838 100644
--- a/src/tiledimage.js
+++ b/src/tiledimage.js
@@ -1805,15 +1805,19 @@ function compareTiles( previousBest, tile ) {
  * @param {OpenSeadragon.Tile[]} lastDrawn - An unordered list of Tiles drawn last frame.
  */
 function drawTiles( tiledImage, lastDrawn ) {
-    if (tiledImage.opacity === 0 || lastDrawn.length === 0) {
+    if (tiledImage.opacity === 0 || (lastDrawn.length === 0 && !tiledImage.placeholderFillStyle)) {
         return;
     }
-    var tile = lastDrawn[0];
 
-    var useSketch = tiledImage.opacity < 1 ||
-        (tiledImage.compositeOperation &&
-            tiledImage.compositeOperation !== 'source-over') ||
-        (!tiledImage._isBottomItem() && tile._hasTransparencyChannel());
+    var tile = lastDrawn[0];
+    var useSketch;
+
+    if (tile) {
+        useSketch = tiledImage.opacity < 1 ||
+            (tiledImage.compositeOperation &&
+                tiledImage.compositeOperation !== 'source-over') ||
+            (!tiledImage._isBottomItem() && tile._hasTransparencyChannel());
+    }
 
     var sketchScale;
     var sketchTranslate;