diff --git a/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c b/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
index b5bbbdf1f..f1ab08023 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-texture-2d.c
@@ -286,6 +286,9 @@ _cogl_texture_2d_new_from_bitmap (CoglHandle       bmp_handle,
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (bmp_handle != COGL_INVALID_HANDLE, COGL_INVALID_HANDLE);
 
+  internal_format = _cogl_texture_determine_internal_format (bmp->format,
+                                                             internal_format);
+
   if (!_cogl_texture_2d_can_create (bmp->width, bmp->height, internal_format))
     return COGL_INVALID_HANDLE;