diff --git a/src/mol-gl/webgl/texture.ts b/src/mol-gl/webgl/texture.ts
index b4b968bc98586d6eea4ff0543f034fc3f50eb52a..ea13fa6946eb1d725346e42d4403ff14e1117ed2 100644
--- a/src/mol-gl/webgl/texture.ts
+++ b/src/mol-gl/webgl/texture.ts
@@ -333,7 +333,6 @@ export function loadImageTexture(src: string, cell: ValueCell<Texture>, texture:
         ValueCell.update(cell, texture);
     };
     img.src = src;
-    document.body.appendChild(img);
 }
 
 //