diff --git modules/image/image.module modules/image/image.module
index 23f2e9b..282a8dc 100644
--- modules/image/image.module
+++ modules/image/image.module
@@ -1091,9 +1091,6 @@ function theme_image_style($variables) {
   // The derivative image is not created until it has been requested so the file
   // may not yet exist, in this case we just fallback to the URL.
   $style_path = image_style_path($style_name, $path);
-  if (!file_exists($style_path)) {
-    $style_path = image_style_url($style_name, $path);
-  }
   $variables['path'] = $style_path;
   return theme('image', $variables);
 }