diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-background-image.c b/src/compositor/meta-background-image.c
index 8ea6426bf..b06066422 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-background-image.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-background-image.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ file_loaded (GObject      *source_object,
   CoglError *catch_error = NULL;
   GTask *task;
   CoglTexture *texture;
-  GdkPixbuf *pixbuf;
+  GdkPixbuf *pixbuf, *rotated;
   int width, height, row_stride;
   guchar *pixels;
   gboolean has_alpha;
@@ -173,6 +173,13 @@ file_loaded (GObject      *source_object,
       goto out;
     }
 
+  rotated = gdk_pixbuf_apply_embedded_orientation (pixbuf);
+  if (rotated != NULL)
+    {
+      g_object_unref (pixbuf);
+      pixbuf = rotated;
+    }
+
   width = gdk_pixbuf_get_width (pixbuf);
   height = gdk_pixbuf_get_height (pixbuf);
   row_stride = gdk_pixbuf_get_rowstride (pixbuf);