diff --git a/src/sna/sna.h b/src/sna/sna.h
index 110eae9d..1e6a803a 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna.h
+++ b/src/sna/sna.h
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@ memcpy_blt(const void *src, void *dst, int bpp,
 
 #define SNA_CREATE_FB 0x10
 #define SNA_CREATE_SCRATCH 0x11
+#define SNA_CREATE_GLYPH 0x12
 
 inline static bool is_power_of_two(unsigned x)
 {
diff --git a/src/sna/sna_glyphs.c b/src/sna/sna_glyphs.c
index 95836feb..209b199b 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_glyphs.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_glyphs.c
@@ -307,7 +307,12 @@ glyph_cache(ScreenPtr screen,
 
 	if (glyph->info.width > GLYPH_MAX_SIZE ||
 	    glyph->info.height > GLYPH_MAX_SIZE) {
-		((PixmapPtr)glyph_picture->pDrawable)->usage_hint = 0;
+		PixmapPtr pixmap = (PixmapPtr)glyph_picture->pDrawable;
+		assert(glyph_picture->pDrawable->type == DRAWABLE_PIXMAP);
+		if (pixmap->drawable.depth >= 8) {
+			pixmap->usage_hint = SNA_CREATE_GLYPH;
+			sna_pixmap_force_to_gpu(pixmap, MOVE_READ);
+		}
 		return FALSE;
 	}