diff --git a/include/mapnik/marker.hpp b/include/mapnik/marker.hpp
index 63fe16c18..160ff0fd3 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/marker.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/marker.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 // mapnik
 #include <mapnik/image_data.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/svg/svg_storage.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/svg/svg_path_attributes.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/svg/svg_path_adapter.hpp>
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ public:
     marker()
     {
         // create default OGC 4x4 black pixel
-        bitmap_data_ = boost::optional<mapnik::image_ptr>(std::make_shared<image_data_rgba8>(4,4));
+        bitmap_data_ = boost::optional<mapnik::image_ptr>(std::make_shared<image_data_rgba8>(4,4,true,true));
         (*bitmap_data_)->set(0xff000000);
     }
 
diff --git a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_raster_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_raster_symbolizer.hpp
index 911f1b309..5e171b9b2 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_raster_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/renderer_common/process_raster_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ struct image_data_dispatcher
     void operator() (image_data_null const& data_in) const {}  //no-op
     void operator() (image_data_rgba8 const& data_in) const
     {
-        image_data_rgba8 data_out(width_, height_);
+        image_data_rgba8 data_out(width_, height_, true, true);
         scale_image_agg(data_out, data_in,  method_, scale_x_, scale_y_, 0.0, 0.0, filter_factor_);
         composite_(data_out, comp_op_, opacity_, start_x_, start_y_);
     }
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ struct image_data_dispatcher
         image_data_rgba8 dst(width_, height_);
         raster_colorizer_ptr colorizer = get<raster_colorizer_ptr>(sym_, keys::colorizer);
         if (colorizer) colorizer->colorize(dst, data_out, nodata_, feature_);
+        premultiply_alpha(dst);
         composite_(dst, comp_op_, opacity_, start_x_, start_y_);
     }
 private:
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ struct image_data_warp_dispatcher
 
     void operator() (image_data_rgba8 const& data_in) const
     {
-        image_data_rgba8 data_out(width_, height_);
+        image_data_rgba8 data_out(width_, height_, true, true);
         warp_image(data_out, data_in, prj_trans_, target_ext_, source_ext_, offset_x_, offset_y_, mesh_size_, scaling_method_, filter_factor_);
         composite_(data_out, comp_op_, opacity_, start_x_, start_y_);
     }
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ struct image_data_warp_dispatcher
         image_data_rgba8 dst(width_, height_);
         raster_colorizer_ptr colorizer = get<raster_colorizer_ptr>(sym_, keys::colorizer);
         if (colorizer) colorizer->colorize(dst, data_out, nodata_, feature_);
+        premultiply_alpha(dst);
         composite_(dst, comp_op_, opacity_, start_x_, start_y_);
     }
 private:
diff --git a/src/agg/agg_renderer.cpp b/src/agg/agg_renderer.cpp
index fd15b646d..f11a02330 100644
--- a/src/agg/agg_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/agg/agg_renderer.cpp
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ agg_renderer<T0,T1>::agg_renderer(Map const& m, T0 & pixmap, std::shared_ptr<T1>
 template <typename T0, typename T1>
 void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::setup(Map const &m)
 {
+    mapnik::set_premultiplied_alpha(pixmap_.data(), true);
     boost::optional<color> const& bg = m.background();
     if (bg)
     {
@@ -145,8 +146,6 @@ void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::setup(Map const &m)
                 {
                     for (unsigned y=0;y<y_steps;++y)
                     {
-                        premultiply_alpha(*bg_image);
-                        premultiply_alpha(pixmap_.data());
                         composite(pixmap_.data(),*bg_image, m.background_image_comp_op(), m.background_image_opacity(), x*w, y*h);
                     }
                 }
@@ -255,6 +254,7 @@ void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::start_style_processing(feature_type_style const& st)
             ras_ptr->clip_box(0,0,common_.width_,common_.height_);
         }
         current_buffer_ = internal_buffer_.get();
+        set_premultiplied_alpha(current_buffer_->data(),true);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -279,8 +279,6 @@ void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::end_style_processing(feature_type_style const& st)
                 util::apply_visitor(visitor, filter_tag);
             }
         }
-        mapnik::premultiply_alpha(pixmap_.data());
-        mapnik::premultiply_alpha(current_buffer_->data());
         if (st.comp_op())
         {
             composite(pixmap_.data(), current_buffer_->data(),
@@ -374,8 +372,6 @@ void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::render_marker(pixel_position const& pos,
         {
             double cx = 0.5 * width;
             double cy = 0.5 * height;
-            mapnik::premultiply_alpha(current_buffer_->data());
-            mapnik::premultiply_alpha(**marker.get_bitmap_data());
             composite(current_buffer_->data(), **marker.get_bitmap_data(),
                       comp_op, opacity,
                       std::floor(pos.x - cx + .5),
diff --git a/src/agg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp b/src/agg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
index 099462b6f..3bfb6c20a 100644
--- a/src/agg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/agg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ void agg_renderer<T0,T1>::process(raster_symbolizer const& sym,
         sym, feature, prj_trans, common_,
         [&](image_data_rgba8 & target, composite_mode_e comp_op, double opacity,
             int start_x, int start_y) {
-            premultiply_alpha(target);
-            premultiply_alpha(current_buffer_->data());
             composite(current_buffer_->data(), target,
                       comp_op, opacity, start_x, start_y);
         }