diff --git a/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp b/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
index 6ab480401..0b849ca7c 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,5 @@ void RasterTileData::parse() {
 }
 
 Bucket* RasterTileData::getBucket(StyleLayer const&) {
-    if (bucket.hasData()) {
-        return &bucket;
-    } else {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
+    return &bucket;
 }
diff --git a/src/mbgl/map/vector_tile_data.cpp b/src/mbgl/map/vector_tile_data.cpp
index 3dcbc0997..4c6c1150b 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/map/vector_tile_data.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/map/vector_tile_data.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,7 @@ Bucket* VectorTileData::getBucket(StyleLayer const& layer) {
         const auto it = buckets.find(layer.bucket->name);
         if (it != buckets.end()) {
             assert(it->second);
-            if (it->second->hasData()) {
-                return it->second.get();
-            }
+            return it->second.get();
         }
     }
     return nullptr;
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/bucket.hpp
index a7b0f61a3..2ea73f9b9 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/bucket.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ class TileID;
 class Bucket : private util::noncopyable {
 public:
     virtual void render(Painter&, const StyleLayer&, const TileID&, const mat4&) = 0;
-    virtual bool hasData() const = 0;
     virtual ~Bucket() {}
 
 };
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.cpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.cpp
index 0c5fc63a2..a8a8acc3d 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.cpp
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ void DebugBucket::render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer & /*layer_desc*/,
     painter.renderDebugText(*this, matrix);
 }
 
-bool DebugBucket::hasData() const {
-    return fontBuffer.index() > 0;
-}
-
 void DebugBucket::drawLines(PlainShader& shader) {
     array.bind(shader, fontBuffer, BUFFER_OFFSET(0));
     MBGL_CHECK_ERROR(glDrawArrays(GL_LINES, 0, (GLsizei)(fontBuffer.index())));
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.hpp
index 9f20051e4..24cc88b26 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/debug_bucket.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ public:
 
     void render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID &id,
                 const mat4 &matrix) override;
-    bool hasData() const override;
 
     void drawLines(PlainShader& shader);
     void drawPoints(PlainShader& shader);
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/fill_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/fill_bucket.hpp
index 18eb5886c..0d7d7ab93 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/fill_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/fill_bucket.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
 
     void render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID &id,
                 const mat4 &matrix) override;
-    bool hasData() const override;
+    bool hasData() const;
 
     void addGeometry(const GeometryCollection&);
     void tessellate();
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/line_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/line_bucket.hpp
index 64f353d7c..4a83fdace 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/line_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/line_bucket.hpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public:
 
     void render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID &id,
                 const mat4 &matrix) override;
-    bool hasData() const override;
+    bool hasData() const;
 
     void addGeometry(const GeometryCollection&);
     void addGeometry(const std::vector<Coordinate>& line);
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_fill.cpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_fill.cpp
index 459aa148a..1c5dd88b9 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_fill.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_fill.cpp
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
 using namespace mbgl;
 
 void Painter::renderFill(FillBucket& bucket, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID& id, const mat4 &matrix) {
-    // Abort early.
-    if (!bucket.hasData()) return;
-
     const FillProperties &properties = layer_desc.getProperties<FillProperties>();
     mat4 vtxMatrix = translatedMatrix(matrix, properties.translate, id, properties.translateAnchor);
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_line.cpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_line.cpp
index 1d18b7ded..929ba5c5d 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_line.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter_line.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ using namespace mbgl;
 void Painter::renderLine(LineBucket& bucket, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID& id, const mat4 &matrix) {
     // Abort early.
     if (pass == RenderPass::Opaque) return;
-    if (!bucket.hasData()) return;
 
     depthMask(false);
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
index d216404ca..26a216ae3 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public:
 
     void render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID &id,
                 const mat4 &matrix) override;
-    bool hasData() const override;
+    bool hasData() const;
 
     bool setImage(const std::string &data);
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/symbol_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/symbol_bucket.hpp
index 9ddd653c5..c54a59321 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/symbol_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/symbol_bucket.hpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
 
     void render(Painter &painter, const StyleLayer &layer_desc, const TileID &id,
                 const mat4 &matrix) override;
-    bool hasData() const override;
+    bool hasData() const;
     bool hasTextData() const;
     bool hasIconData() const;