diff --git a/src/gl/textures/gl_material.cpp b/src/gl/textures/gl_material.cpp
index b77920d57..ebfcbc002 100644
--- a/src/gl/textures/gl_material.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/textures/gl_material.cpp
@@ -671,12 +671,14 @@ FMaterial::FMaterial(FTexture * tx, bool forceexpand)
 
 	tx->gl_info.mExpanded = expanded;
 	FTexture *basetex = tx->GetRedirect(gl.shadermodel < 4);
-	if (!expanded && !basetex->gl_info.mExpanded)
+	if (!expanded && !basetex->gl_info.mExpanded && basetex->UseType != FTexture::TEX_Sprite)
 	{
 		// check if the texture is just a simple redirect to a patch
 		// If so we should use the patch for texture creation to
 		// avoid eventual redundancies. 
 		// This may only be done if both textures use the same expansion mode
+		// Redirects to sprites are not permitted because sprites get expanded, however, this won't have been set
+		// if the sprite hadn't been used yet.
 		mBaseLayer = ValidateSysTexture(basetex, false);
 	}
 	else if (!expanded)