diff --git a/src/grdimage.c b/src/grdimage.c
index fbb587813c2..bd668f53992 100644
--- a/src/grdimage.c
+++ b/src/grdimage.c
@@ -1970,7 +1970,7 @@ tr_image:		GMT_Report (API, GMT_MSG_INFORMATION, "Project the input image\n");
 			gmt_set_grddim (GMT, Img_proj->header);	/* Recalculate projected image dimensions */
 			if (GMT_Create_Data (API, GMT_IS_IMAGE, GMT_IS_SURFACE, GMT_DATA_ONLY, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, Img_proj) == NULL)
 				Return (API->error);	/* Failed to allocate memory for the projected image */
-			if (gmt_img_project (GMT, I, Img_proj, false)) Return (GMT_RUNTIME_ERROR);	/* Now project the image onto the projected rectangle */
+			if (need_to_project && gmt_img_project (GMT, I, Img_proj, false)) Return (GMT_RUNTIME_ERROR);	/* Now project the image onto the projected rectangle */
 			if (!API->external && (GMT_Destroy_Data (API, &I) != GMT_NOERROR)) {	/* Free the original image now we have projected.  Use Img_proj from now on */
 				Return (API->error);	/* Failed to free the image */
 			}