diff --git a/src/ol/renderer/webgl/PointsLayer.js b/src/ol/renderer/webgl/PointsLayer.js
index 718968ffe2..62a50f4160 100644
--- a/src/ol/renderer/webgl/PointsLayer.js
+++ b/src/ol/renderer/webgl/PointsLayer.js
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ class WebGLPointsLayerRenderer extends WebGLLayerRenderer {
 
     const features = vectorSource.getFeatures();
     const totalInstructionsCount = POINT_INSTRUCTIONS_COUNT * features.length;
-    if (this.renderInstructions_.length !== totalInstructionsCount) {
+    if (!this.renderInstructions_ || this.renderInstructions_.length !== totalInstructionsCount) {
       this.renderInstructions_ = new Float32Array(totalInstructionsCount);
     }
 
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ class WebGLPointsLayerRenderer extends WebGLLayerRenderer {
     message['projectionTransform'] = projectionTransform;
 
     this.worker_.postMessage(message, [this.renderInstructions_.buffer]);
+    this.renderInstructions_ = null;
   }
 
 
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/renderer/webgl/pointslayer.test.js b/test/spec/ol/renderer/webgl/pointslayer.test.js
index cdf8b3e6e3..a08f9c2a9c 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/renderer/webgl/pointslayer.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/renderer/webgl/pointslayer.test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import VectorSource from '../../../../../src/ol/source/Vector.js';
 import WebGLPointsLayerRenderer from '../../../../../src/ol/renderer/webgl/PointsLayer.js';
 import {get as getProjection} from '../../../../../src/ol/proj.js';
 import ViewHint from '../../../../../src/ol/ViewHint.js';
+import {POINT_VERTEX_STRIDE, WebGLWorkerMessageType} from '../../../../../src/ol/renderer/webgl/Layer.js';
 
 
 describe('ol.renderer.webgl.PointsLayer', function() {
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ describe('ol.renderer.webgl.PointsLayer', function() {
       expect(spy.called).to.be(true);
     });
 
-    it('fills up a buffer with 2 triangles per point', function() {
+    it('fills up a buffer with 2 triangles per point', function(done) {
       layer.getSource().addFeature(new Feature({
         geometry: new Point([10, 20])
       }));
@@ -73,16 +74,23 @@ describe('ol.renderer.webgl.PointsLayer', function() {
       renderer.prepareFrame(frameState);
 
       const attributePerVertex = POINT_VERTEX_STRIDE;
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(2 * 4 * attributePerVertex);
-      expect(renderer.indicesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(2 * 6);
 
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[0]).to.eql(10);
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[1]).to.eql(20);
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[4 * attributePerVertex + 0]).to.eql(30);
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[4 * attributePerVertex + 1]).to.eql(40);
+      renderer.worker_.addEventListener('message', function(event) {
+        if (event.data.type !== WebGLWorkerMessageType.GENERATE_BUFFERS) {
+          return;
+        }
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(2 * 4 * attributePerVertex);
+        expect(renderer.indicesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(2 * 6);
+
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[0]).to.eql(10);
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[1]).to.eql(20);
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[4 * attributePerVertex + 0]).to.eql(30);
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray()[4 * attributePerVertex + 1]).to.eql(40);
+        done();
+      });
     });
 
-    it('clears the buffers when the features are gone', function() {
+    it('clears the buffers when the features are gone', function(done) {
       const source = layer.getSource();
       source.addFeature(new Feature({
         geometry: new Point([10, 20])
@@ -93,9 +101,15 @@ describe('ol.renderer.webgl.PointsLayer', function() {
       }));
       renderer.prepareFrame(frameState);
 
-      const attributePerVertex = 12;
-      expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(4 * attributePerVertex);
-      expect(renderer.indicesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(6);
+      renderer.worker_.addEventListener('message', function(event) {
+        if (event.data.type !== WebGLWorkerMessageType.GENERATE_BUFFERS) {
+          return;
+        }
+        const attributePerVertex = 12;
+        expect(renderer.verticesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(4 * attributePerVertex);
+        expect(renderer.indicesBuffer_.getArray().length).to.eql(6);
+        done();
+      });
     });
 
     it('rebuilds the buffers only when not interacting or animating', function() {