diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/renderState.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/renderState.cxx
index 2c44f3d839..32483aeccf 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/renderState.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/renderState.cxx
@@ -852,6 +852,7 @@ do_invert_compose(const RenderState *other) const {
 void RenderState::
 determine_billboard() {
   const RenderAttrib *attrib = get_attrib(BillboardAttrib::get_class_type());
+  _billboard = (const BillboardAttrib *)NULL;
   if (attrib != (const RenderAttrib *)NULL) {
     _billboard = DCAST(BillboardAttrib, attrib);
   }