diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/image.c b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/image.c
index 344f8500075..a199c1cf738 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/image.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/image.c
@@ -2139,10 +2139,15 @@ ImBuf *BKE_image_acquire_ibuf(Image *ima, ImageUser *iuser, void **lock_r)
 						BLI_lock_thread(LOCK_VIEWER);
 						*lock_r= ima;
 
-						/* Composite Viewer, all handled in compositor */
-						/* fake ibuf, will be filled in compositor */
-						ibuf= IMB_allocImBuf(256, 256, 32, IB_rect, 0);
-						image_assign_ibuf(ima, ibuf, 0, frame);
+						frame= iuser?iuser->framenr:0;
+						ibuf= image_get_ibuf(ima, 0, frame);
+
+						if(!ibuf) {
+							/* Composite Viewer, all handled in compositor */
+							/* fake ibuf, will be filled in compositor */
+							ibuf= IMB_allocImBuf(256, 256, 32, IB_rect, 0);
+							image_assign_ibuf(ima, ibuf, 0, frame);
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}