diff --git a/android/tangram/src/main/java/com/mapzen/tangram/MapController.java b/android/tangram/src/main/java/com/mapzen/tangram/MapController.java
index 672623e8c9..8786315950 100644
--- a/android/tangram/src/main/java/com/mapzen/tangram/MapController.java
+++ b/android/tangram/src/main/java/com/mapzen/tangram/MapController.java
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ protected MapController(GLSurfaceView view) {
         mapView = view;
         view.setRenderer(this);
         view.setRenderMode(GLSurfaceView.RENDERMODE_WHEN_DIRTY);
+        view.setPreserveEGLContextOnPause(true);
 
         // Set a default HTTPHandler
         httpHandler = new HttpHandler();