diff --git a/crates/gpu/src/context.rs b/crates/gpu/src/context.rs
index 51221abc..0c5763a7 100644
--- a/crates/gpu/src/context.rs
+++ b/crates/gpu/src/context.rs
@@ -919,6 +919,12 @@ impl GpuContext {
 
     /// Upload a (layer cache) buffer, reusing the texture while the same `Arc` is alive: static
     /// layers upload once, not every frame.
+    /// Entries in the layer upload cache.
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    pub(crate) fn upload_entries(&self) -> usize {
+        self.uploads.lock().map(|u| u.map.len()).unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn upload_buf(&self, buf: &Arc<Buf>) -> Option<GpuImage> {
         let key = Arc::as_ptr(buf) as usize;
         if let Ok(mut u) = self.uploads.lock() {
@@ -939,14 +945,14 @@ impl GpuContext {
                 u.bytes -= old.bytes;
             }
             u.bytes += bytes;
-            // Drop textures of freed buffers, then the least recently used over budget.
+            // Drop textures of freed buffers at once (a layer whose buffer changes every frame
+            // makes a new one each time, and nothing can hit the old one again), then the least
+            // recently used over budget.
             let budget = self.upload_budget();
-            if u.bytes > budget {
-                let dead: Vec<usize> = u.map.iter().filter(|(_, e)| e.buf.strong_count() == 0).map(|(k, _)| *k).collect();
-                for k in dead {
-                    if let Some(e) = u.map.remove(&k) {
-                        u.bytes -= e.bytes;
-                    }
+            let dead: Vec<usize> = u.map.iter().filter(|(_, e)| e.buf.strong_count() == 0).map(|(k, _)| *k).collect();
+            for k in dead {
+                if let Some(e) = u.map.remove(&k) {
+                    u.bytes -= e.bytes;
                 }
             }
             if u.bytes > budget && !self.upload_full_warned.swap(true, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::Relaxed) {
diff --git a/crates/gpu/src/tests.rs b/crates/gpu/src/tests.rs
index 696402d6..532e313f 100644
--- a/crates/gpu/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/gpu/src/tests.rs
@@ -1044,3 +1044,19 @@ fn static_effect_layers_draw_from_the_cache() {
     assert!(frames[1] == frames[2]);
     check("static effect layer vs CPU", compare_at(&s, opts(), t(2)), 0.0);
 }
+
+/// The layer upload cache drops the textures of freed buffers when it inserts, not only once
+/// it is over budget (an animated layer makes a new buffer every frame).
+#[test]
+fn upload_cache_drops_textures_of_freed_buffers() {
+    let Some(g) = gpu() else { return };
+    let img = effectcraft_raster::Image::new(256, 256);
+    let before = g.ctx.upload_entries();
+    for _ in 0..6 {
+        let buf = std::sync::Arc::new(effectcraft_effects::Buf { img: img.clone(), offset: [0.0; 2], scale: 1.0 });
+        let up = g.ctx.upload_buf(&buf).expect("upload");
+        drop((up, buf));
+    }
+    let kept = g.ctx.upload_entries();
+    assert!(kept <= before + 1, "the upload cache kept {kept} textures of freed buffers (had {before})");
+}