diff --git a/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/Marker.java b/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/Marker.java
index 470fe930a..79774b062 100644
--- a/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/Marker.java
+++ b/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/Marker.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public class Marker extends Annotation {
     LatLng position;
     private float rotation;
     private String snippet;
-    private String sprite = "default_marker";
+    String sprite = "default_marker";
     private String title;
     private InfoWindow infoWindow = null;
 
diff --git a/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/MarkerOptions.java b/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/MarkerOptions.java
index 70aec3b10..a62f7dbf5 100644
--- a/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/MarkerOptions.java
+++ b/android/java/MapboxGLAndroidSDK/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/annotations/MarkerOptions.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.mapbox.mapboxsdk.annotations;
 
 import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
+import android.text.TextUtils;
 import com.mapbox.mapboxsdk.geometry.LatLng;
 
 public class MarkerOptions extends AnnotationOptions {
@@ -98,7 +99,9 @@ public class MarkerOptions extends AnnotationOptions {
     }
 
     public MarkerOptions sprite(@Nullable String sprite) {
-        ((Marker)annotation).setSprite(sprite);
+        if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(sprite)) {
+            ((Marker)annotation).sprite = sprite;
+        }
         return this;
     }