diff --git a/src/mesa/main/texobj.c b/src/mesa/main/texobj.c
index b703da01bef..1978898b8b9 100644
--- a/src/mesa/main/texobj.c
+++ b/src/mesa/main/texobj.c
@@ -471,16 +471,19 @@ _mesa_copy_texture_object( struct gl_texture_object *dest,
 
 
 /**
- * Free all texture images of the given texture object.
+ * Free all texture images of the given texture objectm, except for
+ * \p retainTexImage.
  *
  * \param ctx GL context.
- * \param t texture object.
+ * \param texObj texture object.
+ * \param retainTexImage a texture image that will \em not be freed.
  *
  * \sa _mesa_clear_texture_image().
  */
 void
 _mesa_clear_texture_object(struct gl_context *ctx,
-                           struct gl_texture_object *texObj)
+                           struct gl_texture_object *texObj,
+                           struct gl_texture_image *retainTexImage)
 {
    GLuint i, j;
 
@@ -490,7 +493,7 @@ _mesa_clear_texture_object(struct gl_context *ctx,
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_FACES; i++) {
       for (j = 0; j < MAX_TEXTURE_LEVELS; j++) {
          struct gl_texture_image *texImage = texObj->Image[i][j];
-         if (texImage)
+         if (texImage && texImage != retainTexImage)
             _mesa_clear_texture_image(ctx, texImage);
       }
    }
diff --git a/src/mesa/main/texobj.h b/src/mesa/main/texobj.h
index 71cc8ffba2e..e67ce3ff9df 100644
--- a/src/mesa/main/texobj.h
+++ b/src/mesa/main/texobj.h
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ _mesa_copy_texture_object( struct gl_texture_object *dest,
 
 extern void
 _mesa_clear_texture_object(struct gl_context *ctx,
-                           struct gl_texture_object *obj);
+                           struct gl_texture_object *obj,
+                           struct gl_texture_image *retainTexImage);
 
 extern void
 _mesa_reference_texobj_(struct gl_texture_object **ptr,
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_eglimage.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_eglimage.c
index cca2c026097..e15b32ff199 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_eglimage.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_eglimage.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ st_bind_egl_image(struct gl_context *ctx,
 
    /* switch to surface based */
    if (!stObj->surface_based) {
-      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj);
+      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj, NULL);
       stObj->surface_based = GL_TRUE;
    }
 
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_texture.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_texture.c
index b5006b05a7b..b0a95ecbc79 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_texture.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_cb_texture.c
@@ -693,7 +693,8 @@ prep_teximage(struct gl_context *ctx, struct gl_texture_image *texImage,
       const GLuint level = texImage->Level;
       mesa_format texFormat;
 
-      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj);
+      assert(!st_texture_image(texImage)->pt);
+      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj, texImage);
       pipe_resource_reference(&stObj->pt, NULL);
 
       /* oops, need to init this image again */
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_manager.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_manager.c
index 50bc3c33c62..aef87ea8b75 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_manager.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_manager.c
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ st_context_teximage(struct st_context_iface *stctxi,
    stObj = st_texture_object(texObj);
    /* switch to surface based */
    if (!stObj->surface_based) {
-      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj);
+      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj, NULL);
       stObj->surface_based = GL_TRUE;
    }
 
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_vdpau.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_vdpau.c
index 02738153085..bb4070eec34 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_vdpau.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_vdpau.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ st_vdpau_map_surface(struct gl_context *ctx, GLenum target, GLenum access,
 
    /* switch to surface based */
    if (!stObj->surface_based) {
-      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj);
+      _mesa_clear_texture_object(ctx, texObj, NULL);
       stObj->surface_based = GL_TRUE;
    }