diff --git a/jme3-blender/src/main/java/com/jme3/scene/plugins/blender/textures/TextureHelper.java b/jme3-blender/src/main/java/com/jme3/scene/plugins/blender/textures/TextureHelper.java
index 2d83dcde60..6593226fdc 100644
--- a/jme3-blender/src/main/java/com/jme3/scene/plugins/blender/textures/TextureHelper.java
+++ b/jme3-blender/src/main/java/com/jme3/scene/plugins/blender/textures/TextureHelper.java
@@ -252,11 +252,8 @@ public Texture loadImageAsTexture(Structure imageStructure, int imaflag, Blender
                     blenderContext.getInputStream().setPosition(dataFileBlock.getBlockPosition());
 
                     // Should the texture be flipped? It works for sinbad ..
-                    Image img = new ImageLoader().loadImage(blenderContext.getInputStream(), dataFileBlock.getBlockPosition(), true);
-                    
-                    if (img != null) {
-                        result = new Texture2D(img);
-                    } else {
+                    result = new ImageLoader().loadTexture(blenderContext.getAssetManager(), blenderContext.getInputStream(), dataFileBlock.getBlockPosition(), true);
+                    if (result == null) {
                         result = new Texture2D(PlaceholderAssets.getPlaceholderImage(blenderContext.getAssetManager()));
                         LOGGER.fine("ImageLoader returned null. It probably failed to load the packed texture, using placeholder asset");
                     }