diff --git a/src/app/rom.cc b/src/app/rom.cc
index 939566a4..83692dd3 100644
--- a/src/app/rom.cc
+++ b/src/app/rom.cc
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ absl::Status Rom::LoadLinkGraphics() {
   return absl::OkStatus();
 }
 
-absl::Status Rom::LoadAllGraphicsData() {
+absl::Status Rom::LoadAllGraphicsData(bool defer_render) {
   std::vector<uint8_t> sheet;
   bool bpp3 = false;
 
@@ -121,7 +121,10 @@ absl::Status Rom::LoadAllGraphicsData() {
               palette_groups_.dungeon_main[0], 0));
         }
       }
-      graphics_sheets_[i].CreateTexture(Renderer::GetInstance().renderer());
+
+      if (!defer_render) {
+        graphics_sheets_[i].CreateTexture(Renderer::GetInstance().renderer());
+      }
 
       for (int j = 0; j < graphics_sheets_[i].size(); ++j) {
         graphics_buffer_.push_back(graphics_sheets_[i].at(j));
diff --git a/src/app/rom.h b/src/app/rom.h
index 60ae946e..3eeb660b 100644
--- a/src/app/rom.h
+++ b/src/app/rom.h
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class Rom : public core::ExperimentFlags {
    * | 218-222 | Compressed 2bpp | 0x800 chars | Decompressed each |
    *
    */
-  absl::Status LoadAllGraphicsData();
+  absl::Status LoadAllGraphicsData(bool defer_render = false);
 
   /**
    * Load Rom data from a file.
diff --git a/src/test/zelda3/overworld_test.cc b/src/test/zelda3/overworld_test.cc
index 27d61553..fac567c2 100644
--- a/src/test/zelda3/overworld_test.cc
+++ b/src/test/zelda3/overworld_test.cc
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
 #include "app/rom.h"
+#include "app/zelda3/overworld/overworld.h"
 #include "app/zelda3/overworld/overworld_map.h"
 #include "test/core/testing.h"
 
@@ -39,13 +40,17 @@ TEST_F(OverworldTest, OverworldLoadNoRomDataError) {
 TEST_F(OverworldTest, OverworldLoadRomDataOk) {
   // Arrange
   EXPECT_OK(rom()->LoadFromFile("zelda3.sfc"));
-  EXPECT_OK(rom()->LoadAllGraphicsData());
+  EXPECT_OK(rom()->LoadAllGraphicsData(/*defer_render=*/true));
 
   // Act
   auto status = overworld_.Load(*rom());
 
   // Assert
   EXPECT_TRUE(status.ok());
+  EXPECT_EQ(overworld_.overworld_maps().size(),
+            app::zelda3::overworld::kNumOverworldMaps);
+  EXPECT_EQ(overworld_.tiles16().size(),
+            app::zelda3::overworld::kNumTile16Individual);
 }
 
 }  // namespace zelda3