diff --git a/src/canvasdrawer.js b/src/canvasdrawer.js
index a637fb39..37b8c3bb 100644
--- a/src/canvasdrawer.js
+++ b/src/canvasdrawer.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class CanvasDrawer extends $.DrawerBase{
         this._prepareNewFrame(); // prepare to draw a new frame
 
         for(const tiledImage of tiledImages){
-            if (tiledImage.opacity !== 0 || tiledImage._preload) {
+            if (tiledImage.opacity !== 0) {
                 this._drawTiles(tiledImage);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/htmldrawer.js b/src/htmldrawer.js
index a9030702..6e154095 100644
--- a/src/htmldrawer.js
+++ b/src/htmldrawer.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class HTMLDrawer extends $.DrawerBase{
         var _this = this;
         this._prepareNewFrame(); // prepare to draw a new frame
         tiledImages.forEach(function(tiledImage){
-            if (tiledImage.opacity !== 0 || tiledImage._preload) {
+            if (tiledImage.opacity !== 0) {
                 _this._drawTiles(tiledImage);
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/tiledimage.js b/src/tiledimage.js
index 0b1862a7..a1c3054b 100644
--- a/src/tiledimage.js
+++ b/src/tiledimage.js
@@ -1020,9 +1020,14 @@ $.extend($.TiledImage.prototype, $.EventSource.prototype, /** @lends OpenSeadrag
     /**
      * Get the region of this tiled image that falls within the viewport.
      * @returns {OpenSeadragon.Rect} the region of this tiled image that falls within the viewport.
+     * Returns false for images with opacity==0 unless preload==true
      */
     getDrawArea: function(){
 
+        if( this._opacity === 0 && !this._preload){
+            return false;
+        }
+
         var drawArea = this._viewportToTiledImageRectangle(
             this.viewport.getBoundsWithMargins(true));
 
diff --git a/src/webgldrawer.js b/src/webgldrawer.js
index a3cda706..046c33e4 100644
--- a/src/webgldrawer.js
+++ b/src/webgldrawer.js
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@
 
                 let tilesToDraw = tiledImage.getTilesToDraw();
 
-                if(tilesToDraw.length === 0){
+                if(tilesToDraw.length === 0 || tiledImage.getOpacity() === 0){
                     return;
                 }
                 let firstTile = tilesToDraw[0];