diff --git a/NewHorizons/Builder/Props/ProjectionBuilder.cs b/NewHorizons/Builder/Props/ProjectionBuilder.cs
index 9f639774..e5eebbfc 100644
--- a/NewHorizons/Builder/Props/ProjectionBuilder.cs
+++ b/NewHorizons/Builder/Props/ProjectionBuilder.cs
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ namespace NewHorizons.Builder.Props
 
             if (useAtlasCache && cacheExists)
             {
+                NHLogger.LogVerbose($"The atlas cache for slide reel containing [{slides.FirstOrDefault(x => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(x.imagePath))?.imagePath}] is {atlasKey}");
                 // Load the atlas texture used to draw onto the physical slide reel object
                 atlasImageLoader.PathsToLoad.Add((0, Path.Combine(mod.ModHelper.Manifest.ModFolderPath, ATLAS_SLIDE_CACHE_FOLDER, $"{atlasKey}.png")));
             }
@@ -523,7 +524,12 @@ namespace NewHorizons.Builder.Props
 
                 if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(slideInfo.imagePath))
                 {
-                    imageLoader.imageLoadedEvent?.Invoke(Texture2D.blackTexture, i, null);
+                    // Delay at least one frame to let things subscribe to the event before it fires
+                    int index = i;
+                    Delay.FireOnNextUpdate(() =>
+                    {
+                        imageLoader.imageLoadedEvent?.Invoke(ImageUtilities.MakeSolidColorTexture(256, 256, Color.black), index, null);
+                    });
                 }
                 else
                 {
diff --git a/NewHorizons/Utility/Files/ImageUtilities.cs b/NewHorizons/Utility/Files/ImageUtilities.cs
index 939bcde2..c6ef49da 100644
--- a/NewHorizons/Utility/Files/ImageUtilities.cs
+++ b/NewHorizons/Utility/Files/ImageUtilities.cs
@@ -425,6 +425,9 @@ namespace NewHorizons.Utility.Files
         }
         public static Texture2D MakeSolidColorTexture(int width, int height, Color color)
         {
+            var key = $"{color} {width} {height}";
+            if (_textureCache.TryGetValue(key, out var existingTexture)) return (Texture2D)existingTexture;
+
             var pixels = new Color[width * height];
 
             for (int i = 0; i < pixels.Length; i++)
@@ -435,6 +438,9 @@ namespace NewHorizons.Utility.Files
             var newTexture = new Texture2D(width, height);
             newTexture.SetPixels(pixels);
             newTexture.Apply();
+
+            _textureCache.Add(key, newTexture);
+
             return newTexture;
         }