diff --git a/cogl/cogl-material-private.h b/cogl/cogl-material-private.h
index c70ea304f..a9cf77a17 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-material-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-material-private.h
@@ -204,6 +204,12 @@ typedef enum _CoglMaterialLayerFlags
  */
 gulong _cogl_material_layer_get_flags (CoglHandle layer_handle);
 
+/*
+ * Ensures the mipmaps are available for the texture in the layer if
+ * the filter settings would require it
+ */
+void _cogl_material_layer_ensure_mipmaps (CoglHandle layer_handler);
+
 /*
  * CoglMaterialFlushFlag:
  * @COGL_MATERIAL_FLUSH_FALLBACK_MASK: The fallback_layers member is set to
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-material.c b/cogl/cogl-material.c
index 48de2a77d..35e898f77 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-material.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-material.c
@@ -1326,6 +1326,19 @@ _cogl_material_layer_flush_gl_sampler_state (CoglMaterialLayer  *layer,
   _cogl_matrix_stack_flush_to_gl (unit->matrix_stack, COGL_MATRIX_TEXTURE);
 }
 
+void
+_cogl_material_layer_ensure_mipmaps (CoglHandle layer_handle)
+{
+  CoglMaterialLayer *layer;
+
+  layer = _cogl_material_layer_pointer_from_handle (layer_handle);
+
+  if (layer->texture &&
+      (is_mipmap_filter (layer->min_filter) ||
+       is_mipmap_filter (layer->mag_filter)))
+    _cogl_texture_ensure_mipmaps (layer->texture);
+}
+
 /*
  * _cogl_material_flush_layers_gl_state:
  * @fallback_mask: is a bitmask of the material layers that need to be
@@ -1397,6 +1410,8 @@ _cogl_material_flush_layers_gl_state (CoglMaterial *material,
 #endif
       CoglTextureUnit   *unit;
 
+      _cogl_material_layer_ensure_mipmaps (layer_handle);
+
       new_gl_layer_info.layer0_overridden =
         layer0_override_texture ? TRUE : FALSE;
       new_gl_layer_info.fallback =
@@ -1407,10 +1422,6 @@ _cogl_material_flush_layers_gl_state (CoglMaterial *material,
       tex_handle = layer->texture;
       if (tex_handle != COGL_INVALID_HANDLE)
         {
-          if (is_mipmap_filter (layer->min_filter)
-              || is_mipmap_filter (layer->mag_filter))
-            _cogl_texture_ensure_mipmaps (tex_handle);
-
           _cogl_texture_set_filters (tex_handle,
                                      layer->min_filter,
                                      layer->mag_filter);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-primitives.c b/cogl/cogl-primitives.c
index 1215725ec..726cebaf4 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-primitives.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-primitives.c
@@ -401,6 +401,12 @@ _cogl_rectangles_with_multitexture_coords (
 	  != COGL_MATERIAL_LAYER_TYPE_TEXTURE)
 	continue;
 
+      /* We need to ensure the mipmaps are ready before deciding
+         anything else about the texture because it could become
+         something completely different if it needs to be migrated out
+         of the atlas */
+      _cogl_material_layer_ensure_mipmaps (layer);
+
       tex_handle = cogl_material_layer_get_texture (layer);
 
       /* COGL_INVALID_HANDLE textures are handled by