diff --git a/src/mbgl/programs/program.hpp b/src/mbgl/programs/program.hpp
index 8cd6c0732..ca8434cf0 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/programs/program.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/programs/program.hpp
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ public:
             .concat(paintPropertyBinders.attributeBindings(currentProperties));
 
         for (auto& segment : segments) {
-            optional<gl::VertexArray>& vertexArray = segment.vertexArrays[layerID];
+            auto vertexArrayIt = segment.vertexArrays.find(layerID);
 
-            if (!vertexArray) {
-                vertexArray = context.createVertexArray();
+            if (vertexArrayIt == segment.vertexArrays.end()) {
+                vertexArrayIt = segment.vertexArrays.emplace(layerID, context.createVertexArray()).first;
             }
 
             program.draw(
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public:
                 std::move(stencilMode),
                 std::move(colorMode),
                 allUniformValues,
-                *vertexArray,
+                vertexArrayIt->second,
                 Attributes::offsetBindings(allAttributeBindings, segment.vertexOffset),
                 indexBuffer,
                 segment.indexOffset,
diff --git a/src/mbgl/programs/segment.hpp b/src/mbgl/programs/segment.hpp
index 74bf4a75c..937df4dec 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/programs/segment.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/programs/segment.hpp
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <mbgl/gl/context.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/gl/vertex_array.hpp>
-#include <mbgl/util/optional.hpp>
 
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <vector>
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ public:
     //     data-driven paint properties
     //   * when two fill layers have the same layout properties, but one
     //     uses fill-color and the other uses fill-pattern
-    mutable std::map<std::string, optional<gl::VertexArray>> vertexArrays;
+    mutable std::map<std::string, gl::VertexArray> vertexArrays;
 };
 
 template <class Attributes>
diff --git a/src/mbgl/programs/symbol_program.hpp b/src/mbgl/programs/symbol_program.hpp
index 3bf82009e..5fb0c4f15 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/programs/symbol_program.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/programs/symbol_program.hpp
@@ -371,10 +371,10 @@ public:
             .concat(paintPropertyBinders.attributeBindings(currentProperties));
 
         for (auto& segment : segments) {
-            optional<gl::VertexArray>& vertexArray = segment.vertexArrays[layerID];
+            auto vertexArrayIt = segment.vertexArrays.find(layerID);
 
-            if (!vertexArray) {
-                vertexArray = context.createVertexArray();
+            if (vertexArrayIt == segment.vertexArrays.end()) {
+                vertexArrayIt = segment.vertexArrays.emplace(layerID, context.createVertexArray()).first;
             }
 
             program.draw(
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ public:
                 std::move(stencilMode),
                 std::move(colorMode),
                 allUniformValues,
-                *vertexArray,
+                vertexArrayIt->second,
                 Attributes::offsetBindings(allAttributeBindings, segment.vertexOffset),
                 indexBuffer,
                 segment.indexOffset,