diff --git a/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMap.java b/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMap.java
index 9256bd1..6f49f13 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMap.java
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ public class TileMap extends TileContainer implements Disposable {
 		if (!isUpdating())
 			return true;   // done updating (or we were never updating in the first place ...)
 
-		TileChunk chunkNeedingVboCreation = updater.chunkNeedingVboCreation;
-		if (chunkNeedingVboCreation != null) {
+		if (updater.isWaitingForVboCreation()) {
+			TileChunk chunkNeedingVboCreation = updater.chunkNeedingVboCreation;
 			ChunkVertexGenerator.GeneratedChunkMeshes meshes = vertexGenerator.createMeshFromVertices();
 			chunkNeedingVboCreation.setMeshes(meshes);
 			updater.signalDoneVboCreation();
diff --git a/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMapUpdater.java b/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMapUpdater.java
index c6ec474..a81df64 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMapUpdater.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ca/blarg/gdx/tilemap3d/TileMapUpdater.java
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ public class TileMapUpdater implements Runnable {
 		return chunkNeedingVboCreation;
 	}
 
+	public boolean isWaitingForVboCreation() {
+		return waitingForVboCreation;
+	}
+
 	public synchronized void signalDoneVboCreation() {
 		waitingForVboCreation = false;
 	}