diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/BackBufferable.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/BackBufferable.js
index f2f99a9ec5..524e76ce8f 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/BackBufferable.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/BackBufferable.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.BackBufferable = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
             // (3) we don't have a tile available that we could use as buffer
             noTile = !(tile && tile.childNodes.length > 0),
             // (4) no backbuffer is displayed for a tile that's still loading
-            noBackBuffer = !data.tile && this.isLoading;            
+            noBackBuffer = !backBuffer && this.isLoading;            
         if (notNeeded || noParent || noTile || noBackBuffer) {
             this.setBackBufferData();
             return;