diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/Image.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/Image.ts
index ee9c2a9405..b03922cb36 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/Image.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/Image.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
+import { LoggerManager } from "@here/harp-utils";
+import * as THREE from "three";
+
+import { MipMapGenerator } from "./MipMapGenerator";
+
 /** Any type supported by WebGLRenderingContext.texImage2D() for texture creation */
 export type TexturizableImage =
     | HTMLImageElement
@@ -12,28 +17,100 @@ export type TexturizableImage =
     | ImageData
     | ImageBitmap;
 
+const logger = LoggerManager.instance.create("loadImage");
+const mipMapGenerator = new MipMapGenerator();
+
 /**
  * `ImageItem` is used to identify an image in the {@link ImageCache}.
  */
-export interface ImageItem {
-    /** URL of the image, or unique identifier. */
-    url: string;
-    image?: TexturizableImage;
+export class ImageItem {
     /** Mip maps for image data */
     mipMaps?: ImageData[];
-    /** Turns to `true` when the data has finished loading. */
-    loaded: boolean;
     /** Turns to `true` if the loading has been cancelled. */
     cancelled?: boolean;
     /** `loadingPromise` is only used during loading/generating the image. */
-    loadingPromise?: Promise<ImageItem | undefined>;
-}
+    private loadingPromise?: Promise<ImageItem>;
 
-export namespace ImageItem {
     /**
-     * Missing Typedoc
+     * Create the `ImageItem`.
+     *
+     * @param url - URL of the image, or unique identifier.
+     * @param image - Optional image if already loaded.
      */
-    export function isLoading(imageItem: ImageItem): boolean {
-        return imageItem.loadingPromise !== undefined;
+    constructor(readonly url: string, public image?: TexturizableImage) {}
+
+    get loaded(): boolean {
+        return this.image !== undefined && this.mipMaps !== undefined;
+    }
+
+    get loading(): boolean {
+        return this.loadingPromise !== undefined;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Load an {@link ImageItem}.
+     *
+     * @remarks
+     * If the loading process is already running, it returns the current promise.
+     *
+     * @param imageItem - `ImageItem` containing the URL to load image from.
+     * @returns An {@link ImageItem} if the image has already been loaded, a promise otherwise.
+     */
+    loadImage(): Promise<ImageItem> {
+        if (this.loaded) {
+            return Promise.resolve(this);
+        }
+
+        if (this.loading) {
+            return this.loadingPromise!;
+        }
+
+        this.loadingPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+            if (this.image) {
+                const image = this.image;
+                if (image instanceof HTMLImageElement && !image.complete) {
+                    image.addEventListener("load", this.finalizeImage.bind(this, image, resolve));
+                    image.addEventListener("error", reject);
+                } else {
+                    this.finalizeImage(this.image, resolve);
+                }
+                return;
+            }
+
+            logger.debug(`Loading image: ${this.url}`);
+            if (this.cancelled === true) {
+                logger.debug(`Cancelled loading image: ${this.url}`);
+                resolve(undefined);
+            } else {
+                new THREE.ImageLoader().load(
+                    this.url,
+                    (image: HTMLImageElement) => {
+                        if (this.cancelled === true) {
+                            logger.debug(`Cancelled loading image: ${this.url}`);
+                            resolve(undefined);
+                            return;
+                        }
+
+                        this.finalizeImage(image, resolve);
+                    },
+                    undefined,
+                    errorEvent => {
+                        logger.error(`... loading image failed: ${this.url} : ${errorEvent}`);
+
+                        this.loadingPromise = undefined;
+                        reject(`... loading image failed: ${this.url} : ${errorEvent}`);
+                    }
+                );
+            }
+        });
+
+        return this.loadingPromise;
+    }
+
+    private finalizeImage(image: TexturizableImage, resolve: (item: ImageItem) => void) {
+        this.image = image;
+        this.mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap(this);
+        this.loadingPromise = undefined;
+        resolve(this);
     }
 }
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/ImageCache.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/ImageCache.ts
index 70c8bb700e..82775c2c40 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/ImageCache.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/ImageCache.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,7 @@
  * Licensed under Apache 2.0, see full license in LICENSE
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
-import { LoggerManager } from "@here/harp-utils";
-import * as THREE from "three";
-
 import { ImageItem, TexturizableImage } from "./Image";
-import { MipMapGenerator } from "./MipMapGenerator";
-
-const logger = LoggerManager.instance.create("ImageCache");
-const mipMapGenerator = new MipMapGenerator();
 
 /**
  * Combines an {@link ImageItem} with a list of owners (which can be any object) that reference it.
@@ -90,11 +83,7 @@ export class ImageCache {
         }
 
         imageCacheItem = {
-            imageItem: {
-                url,
-                image,
-                loaded: false
-            },
+            imageItem: new ImageItem(url, image),
             owners: [owner]
         };
 
@@ -155,74 +144,6 @@ export class ImageCache {
         return this.m_images.size;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Load an {@link ImageItem}.
-     *
-     * @remarks
-     * If the loading process is already running, it returns the current promise.
-     *
-     * @param imageItem - `ImageItem` containing the URL to load image from.
-     * @returns An {@link ImageItem} if the image has already been loaded, a promise otherwise.
-     */
-    loadImage(imageItem: ImageItem): ImageItem | Promise<ImageItem | undefined> {
-        const finalizeImage = (image: TexturizableImage, resolve: (item: ImageItem) => void) => {
-            imageItem.image = image;
-            imageItem.mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap(imageItem);
-            imageItem.loadingPromise = undefined;
-            imageItem.loaded = true;
-            resolve(imageItem);
-        };
-
-        if (imageItem.loaded) {
-            return imageItem;
-        }
-
-        if (imageItem.loadingPromise !== undefined) {
-            return imageItem.loadingPromise;
-        }
-
-        imageItem.loadingPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-            if (imageItem.image) {
-                const image = imageItem.image;
-                if (image instanceof HTMLImageElement && !image.complete) {
-                    image.addEventListener("load", finalizeImage.bind(this, image, resolve));
-                    image.addEventListener("error", reject);
-                } else {
-                    finalizeImage(imageItem.image, resolve);
-                }
-                return;
-            }
-
-            logger.debug(`Loading image: ${imageItem.url}`);
-            if (imageItem.cancelled === true) {
-                logger.debug(`Cancelled loading image: ${imageItem.url}`);
-                resolve(undefined);
-            } else {
-                new THREE.ImageLoader().load(
-                    imageItem.url,
-                    (image: HTMLImageElement) => {
-                        if (imageItem.cancelled === true) {
-                            logger.debug(`Cancelled loading image: ${imageItem.url}`);
-                            resolve(undefined);
-                            return;
-                        }
-
-                        finalizeImage(image, resolve);
-                    },
-                    undefined,
-                    errorEvent => {
-                        logger.error(`... loading image failed: ${imageItem.url} : ${errorEvent}`);
-
-                        imageItem.loadingPromise = undefined;
-                        reject(`... loading image failed: ${imageItem.url} : ${errorEvent}`);
-                    }
-                );
-            }
-        });
-
-        return imageItem.loadingPromise;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Find the cached {@link ImageItem} by URL.
      *
@@ -238,7 +159,7 @@ export class ImageCache {
      * @param imageItem - Item to cancel loading.
      */
     private cancelLoading(imageItem: ImageItem) {
-        if (imageItem.loadingPromise !== undefined) {
+        if (imageItem.loading) {
             // Notify that we are cancelling.
             imageItem.cancelled = true;
         }
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/MapViewImageCache.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/MapViewImageCache.ts
index 54728c1287..752ef70c18 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/MapViewImageCache.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/image/MapViewImageCache.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export class MapViewImageCache {
             const url = urlOrImage;
             const imageItem = this.registerImage(name, url);
 
-            return startLoading ? ImageCache.instance.loadImage(imageItem) : imageItem;
+            return startLoading ? imageItem.loadImage() : imageItem;
         }
 
         const image = urlOrImage;
@@ -119,15 +119,6 @@ export class MapViewImageCache {
         return ImageCache.instance.findImage(url);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Load an {@link ImageItem}. Returns a promise or a loaded {@link ImageItem}.
-     *
-     * @param imageItem - ImageItem to load.
-     */
-    loadImage(imageItem: ImageItem): ImageItem | Promise<ImageItem | undefined> {
-        return ImageCache.instance.loadImage(imageItem);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Remove all {@link ImageItem}s from the cache.
      *
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/poi/PoiRenderer.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/poi/PoiRenderer.ts
index 0797631c76..2971e8bcab 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/lib/poi/PoiRenderer.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/lib/poi/PoiRenderer.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import { assert, LoggerManager, Math2D } from "@here/harp-utils";
 import * as THREE from "three";
 
 import { ImageItem } from "../image/Image";
-import { MapViewImageCache } from "../image/MapViewImageCache";
 import { MipMapGenerator } from "../image/MipMapGenerator";
 import { MapView } from "../MapView";
 import { ScreenCollisions } from "../ScreenCollisions";
@@ -372,6 +371,41 @@ export class PoiBatchRegistry {
     }
 }
 
+// keep track of the missing textures, but only warn once
+const missingTextureName: Map<string, boolean> = new Map();
+
+function findImageItem(
+    poiInfo: PoiInfo,
+    mapView: MapView,
+    imageTexture?: ImageTexture
+): ImageItem | undefined {
+    const imageTextureName = poiInfo.imageTextureName;
+
+    if (imageTexture) {
+        const imageDefinition = imageTexture.image;
+        const imageItem = mapView.imageCache.findImageByName(imageDefinition);
+
+        if (!imageItem) {
+            logger.error(`init: No imageItem found with name '${imageDefinition}'`);
+            poiInfo.isValid = false;
+        }
+        return imageItem;
+    }
+
+    // No image texture found. Either this is a user image or it's missing.
+    const imageItem = mapView.userImageCache.findImageByName(imageTextureName);
+
+    if (!imageItem) {
+        // Warn about a missing texture, but only once.
+        if (missingTextureName.get(imageTextureName) === undefined) {
+            missingTextureName.set(imageTextureName, true);
+            logger.error(`preparePoi: No imageTexture with name '${imageTextureName}' found`);
+        }
+        poiInfo.isValid = false;
+    }
+    return imageItem;
+}
+
 /**
  * @internal
  * Manage POI rendering. Uses a [[PoiBatchRegistry]] to actually create the geometry that is being
@@ -417,9 +451,6 @@ export class PoiRenderer {
         return screenBox;
     }
 
-    // keep track of the missing textures, but only warn once
-    private static readonly m_missingTextureName: Map<string, boolean> = new Map();
-
     // the render buffer containing all batches, one batch per texture/material.
     private readonly m_poiBatchRegistry: PoiBatchRegistry;
 
@@ -537,7 +568,7 @@ export class PoiRenderer {
      */
     private preparePoi(pointLabel: TextElement, env: Env): void {
         const poiInfo = pointLabel.poiInfo;
-        if (poiInfo === undefined || !pointLabel.visible) {
+        if (!poiInfo || !pointLabel.visible) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -559,39 +590,10 @@ export class PoiRenderer {
         }
 
         const imageTextureName = poiInfo.imageTextureName;
-
         const imageTexture = this.mapView.poiManager.getImageTexture(imageTextureName);
-        let imageItem: ImageItem;
-        let imageCache: MapViewImageCache;
-        if (imageTexture) {
-            const imageDefinition = imageTexture.image;
-
-            const image = this.mapView.imageCache.findImageByName(imageDefinition);
-
-            if (!image) {
-                logger.error(`init: No imageItem found with name '${imageDefinition}'`);
-                poiInfo.isValid = false;
-                return;
-            }
-            imageItem = image;
-            imageCache = this.mapView.imageCache;
-        } else {
-            // No image texture found. Either this is a user image or it's missing.
-            const image = this.mapView.userImageCache.findImageByName(imageTextureName);
-
-            if (!image) {
-                // Warn about a missing texture, but only once.
-                if (PoiRenderer.m_missingTextureName.get(imageTextureName) === undefined) {
-                    PoiRenderer.m_missingTextureName.set(imageTextureName, true);
-                    logger.error(
-                        `preparePoi: No imageTexture with name '${imageTextureName}' found`
-                    );
-                }
-                poiInfo.isValid = false;
-                return;
-            }
-            imageItem = image;
-            imageCache = this.mapView.userImageCache;
+        const imageItem = findImageItem(poiInfo, this.mapView, imageTexture);
+        if (!imageItem) {
+            return;
         }
 
         if (imageItem.loaded) {
@@ -599,21 +601,18 @@ export class PoiRenderer {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (imageItem.loadingPromise) {
+        if (imageItem.loading) {
             // already being loaded, will be rendered once available
             return;
         }
 
-        const result = imageCache.loadImage(imageItem);
-        assert(result instanceof Promise);
-        const loadPromise = result as Promise<ImageItem | undefined>;
-        loadPromise
+        imageItem
+            .loadImage()
             .then(loadedImageItem => {
-                if (loadedImageItem === undefined) {
-                    logger.error(`preparePoi: Failed to load imageItem: '${imageItem.url}`);
-                    return;
+                // Skip setup if image was not loaded (cancelled).
+                if (loadedImageItem.image) {
+                    this.setupPoiInfo(poiInfo, loadedImageItem, env, imageTexture);
                 }
-                this.setupPoiInfo(poiInfo, loadedImageItem, env, imageTexture);
             })
             .catch(error => {
                 logger.error(`preparePoi: Failed to load imageItem: '${imageItem.url}`, error);
@@ -638,7 +637,7 @@ export class PoiRenderer {
     ) {
         assert(poiInfo.uvBox === undefined);
 
-        if (imageItem === undefined || imageItem.image === undefined) {
+        if (!imageItem.image) {
             logger.error("setupPoiInfo: No imageItem/imageData found");
             poiInfo.isValid = false;
             return;
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/test/ImageCacheTest.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/test/ImageCacheTest.ts
index 16e83682ec..ceac94474b 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/test/ImageCacheTest.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/test/ImageCacheTest.ts
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe("MapViewImageCache", function() {
             assert.isUndefined(imageItem.image);
             assert.isFalse(imageItem!.loaded);
 
-            const promise = cache.loadImage(imageItem);
+            const promise = imageItem.loadImage();
             assert.isTrue(promise instanceof Promise);
 
             if (promise instanceof Promise) {
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ describe("ImageCache", function() {
                 "test/resources/headshot.png"
             );
 
-            const promise = cache.loadImage(cache.registerImage(owner, imageUrl));
+            const promise = cache.registerImage(owner, imageUrl).loadImage();
 
             const testImage = cache.findImage(imageUrl);
             assert.exists(testImage);
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ describe("ImageCache", function() {
             assert.isUndefined(testImage!.image);
             assert.isFalse(testImage!.loaded);
 
-            const promise = cache.loadImage(cacheItem);
+            const promise = cacheItem.loadImage();
 
             assert.isTrue(promise instanceof Promise);
 
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ describe("ImageCache", function() {
                 assert.equal(testImage!.image!.width, 37);
                 assert.equal(testImage!.image!.height, 32);
 
-                const promise = cache.loadImage(testImage);
+                const promise = testImage.loadImage();
 
                 assert.isTrue(promise instanceof Promise);
 
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ describe("ImageCache", function() {
             assert.isUndefined(imageItem.image);
             assert.isFalse(imageItem!.loaded);
 
-            const promise = cache.loadImage(imageItem);
+            const promise = imageItem.loadImage();
 
             assert.isTrue(promise instanceof Promise);
 
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ describe("ImageCache", function() {
             assert.isDefined(testImage!.image);
             assert.isFalse(testImage!.loaded);
 
-            const result = cache.loadImage(testImage);
+            const result = testImage.loadImage();
 
             assert.isTrue(result instanceof Promise);
             const promise = result as Promise<ImageItem | undefined>;
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/test/MipMapGeneratorTest.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/test/MipMapGeneratorTest.ts
index 2607d5acf6..41271585dc 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/test/MipMapGeneratorTest.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/test/MipMapGeneratorTest.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import { getTestResourceUrl } from "@here/harp-test-utils";
 import { expect } from "chai";
 
+import { ImageItem } from "../lib/image/Image";
 import { MipMapGenerator } from "../lib/image/MipMapGenerator";
 
 const isNode = typeof window === "undefined";
@@ -59,11 +60,9 @@ describe("MipMapGenerator", function() {
         } else {
             it("creates mipmaps from ImageData", function() {
                 const mipMapGenerator = new MipMapGenerator();
-                const mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap({
-                    url: "/test.png",
-                    image: imageData,
-                    loaded: true
-                });
+                const mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap(
+                    new ImageItem("/test.png", imageData)
+                );
 
                 expect(mipMaps).to.have.length(7);
                 for (let level = 0; level < mipMaps.length; ++level) {
@@ -79,11 +78,9 @@ describe("MipMapGenerator", function() {
 
             it("creates mipmaps from ImageBitmap", function() {
                 const mipMapGenerator = new MipMapGenerator();
-                const mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap({
-                    url: "/test.png",
-                    image: imageBitmap,
-                    loaded: true
-                });
+                const mipMaps = mipMapGenerator.generateTextureAtlasMipMap(
+                    new ImageItem("/test.png", imageBitmap)
+                );
                 expect(mipMaps).to.have.length(7);
                 for (let level = 0; level < mipMaps.length; ++level) {
                     const size = Math.pow(2, 6 - level);
diff --git a/@here/harp-mapview/test/PoiInfoBuilder.ts b/@here/harp-mapview/test/PoiInfoBuilder.ts
index 66d79f8f63..b7c59d88d6 100644
--- a/@here/harp-mapview/test/PoiInfoBuilder.ts
+++ b/@here/harp-mapview/test/PoiInfoBuilder.ts
@@ -106,15 +106,12 @@ export class PoiInfoBuilder {
     }
 
     withImageItem(): PoiInfoBuilder {
-        this.m_imageItem = {
-            url: "dummy",
-            image: {
-                height: this.m_height,
-                width: this.m_width,
-                data: new Uint8ClampedArray(this.m_height * this.m_width * 4)
-            },
-            loaded: true
-        };
+        this.m_imageItem = new ImageItem("dummy", {
+            height: this.m_height,
+            width: this.m_width,
+            data: new Uint8ClampedArray(this.m_height * this.m_width * 4)
+        });
+
         return this;
     }