diff --git a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-texture-2d-gl.c b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-texture-2d-gl.c
index cee284c0c..749c9941f 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-texture-2d-gl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/driver/gl/cogl-texture-2d-gl.c
@@ -567,6 +567,8 @@ _cogl_texture_2d_gl_copy_from_bitmap (CoglTexture2D *tex_2d,
                                           &gl_format,
                                           &gl_type);
 
+  _cogl_texture_gl_maybe_update_max_level (tex, level);
+
   status = ctx->texture_driver->upload_subregion_to_gl (ctx,
                                                         tex,
                                                         src_x, src_y,
@@ -580,8 +582,6 @@ _cogl_texture_2d_gl_copy_from_bitmap (CoglTexture2D *tex_2d,
 
   cogl_object_unref (upload_bmp);
 
-  _cogl_texture_gl_maybe_update_max_level (tex, level);
-
   return status;
 }