diff --git a/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp b/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
index b0fa4d171..a8a1ab03d 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/map/raster_tile_data.cpp
@@ -44,15 +44,18 @@ void RasterTileData::request(float pixelRatio,
 
         state = State::loaded;
 
-        workRequest = worker.parseRasterTile(bucket, res.data, [this, callback] (bool result) {
+        workRequest = worker.parseRasterTile(bucket, res.data, [this, callback] (TileParseResult result) {
             if (state != State::loaded) {
                 return;
             }
 
-            if (result) {
-                state = State::parsed;
+            if (result.is<State>()) {
+                state = result.get<State>();
             } else {
-                state = State::invalid;
+                std::stringstream message;
+                message << "Failed to parse [" << std::string(id) << "]: " << result.get<std::string>();
+                error = message.str();
+                state = State::obsolete;
             }
 
             callback();
diff --git a/src/mbgl/map/tile_data.hpp b/src/mbgl/map/tile_data.hpp
index 476172ce5..e78d88841 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/map/tile_data.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/map/tile_data.hpp
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ public:
     //   the TileData object is not effectively on the 'invalid' state and will
     //   cause tiles on 'invalid' state to get reloaded.
     //
-    //   Raster tiles (only) are changing to 'invalid' on error, which will cause a
-    //   re-request of the tile.
-    //
     // loading:
     //   A request to the FileSource was made for the actual tile data and TileData
     //   is waiting for it to arrive.
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.cpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.cpp
index c8a42f46a..70cc1065d 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ void RasterBucket::render(Painter& painter,
     painter.renderRaster(*this, layer_desc, id, matrix);
 }
 
-bool RasterBucket::setImage(const std::string &data) {
-    return raster.load(data);
+bool RasterBucket::setImage(std::unique_ptr<util::Image> image) {
+    return raster.load(std::move(image));
 }
 
 void RasterBucket::drawRaster(RasterShader& shader, StaticVertexBuffer &vertices, VertexArrayObject &array) {
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
index 70434b7d6..3c8730e61 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/raster_bucket.hpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public:
     void render(Painter&, const StyleLayer&, const TileID&, const mat4&) override;
     bool hasData() const;
 
-    bool setImage(const std::string &data);
+    bool setImage(std::unique_ptr<util::Image> image);
 
     const StyleLayoutRaster &layout;
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/util/raster.cpp b/src/mbgl/util/raster.cpp
index b6b5df27f..9b8254089 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/util/raster.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/util/raster.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ bool Raster::isLoaded() const {
     return loaded;
 }
 
-bool Raster::load(const std::string &data) {
-    img = std::make_unique<util::Image>(data);
+bool Raster::load(std::unique_ptr<util::Image> image) {
+    img = std::move(image);
     width = img->getWidth();
     height = img->getHeight();
 
diff --git a/src/mbgl/util/raster.hpp b/src/mbgl/util/raster.hpp
index 1789ae87f..39ab26ffc 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/util/raster.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/util/raster.hpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include <mbgl/util/ptr.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/util/chrono.hpp>
 
-#include <string>
 #include <mutex>
 
 typedef struct uv_loop_s uv_loop_t;
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ public:
     ~Raster();
 
     // load image data
-    bool load(const std::string &img);
+    bool load(std::unique_ptr<util::Image> image);
 
     // bind current texture
     void bind(bool linear = false);
diff --git a/src/mbgl/util/worker.cpp b/src/mbgl/util/worker.cpp
index cc9fa1566..9277daccc 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/util/worker.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/util/worker.cpp
@@ -20,8 +20,17 @@ public:
         util::ThreadContext::setFileSource(fs);
     }
 
-    void parseRasterTile(RasterBucket* bucket, std::string data, std::function<void (bool)> callback) {
-        callback(bucket->setImage(data));
+    void parseRasterTile(RasterBucket* bucket, std::string data, std::function<void (TileParseResult)> callback) {
+        std::unique_ptr<util::Image> image(new util::Image(data));
+        if (!(*image)) {
+            callback(TileParseResult("error parsing raster image"));
+        }
+
+        if (!bucket->setImage(std::move(image))) {
+            callback(TileParseResult("error setting raster image to bucket"));
+        }
+
+        callback(TileParseResult(TileData::State::parsed));
     }
 
     void parseVectorTile(TileWorker* worker, std::string data, std::function<void (TileParseResult)> callback) {
@@ -56,7 +65,7 @@ Worker::Worker(std::size_t count) {
 
 Worker::~Worker() = default;
 
-std::unique_ptr<WorkRequest> Worker::parseRasterTile(RasterBucket& bucket, std::string data, std::function<void (bool)> callback) {
+std::unique_ptr<WorkRequest> Worker::parseRasterTile(RasterBucket& bucket, std::string data, std::function<void (TileParseResult)> callback) {
     current = (current + 1) % threads.size();
     return threads[current]->invokeWithCallback(&Worker::Impl::parseRasterTile, callback, &bucket, data);
 }
diff --git a/src/mbgl/util/worker.hpp b/src/mbgl/util/worker.hpp
index 1c302d585..08fd56497 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/util/worker.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/util/worker.hpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public:
     Request parseRasterTile(
         RasterBucket&,
         std::string data,
-        std::function<void (bool)> callback);
+        std::function<void (TileParseResult)> callback);
 
     Request parseVectorTile(
         TileWorker&,