diff --git a/src/shapes/image.class.js b/src/shapes/image.class.js
index 02998d8f767..0b737a5a367 100644
--- a/src/shapes/image.class.js
+++ b/src/shapes/image.class.js
@@ -200,14 +200,14 @@
      * @return {Object} Object representation of an instance
      */
     toObject: function(propertiesToInclude) {
-      var filters = [ ];
+      var filters = [ ], element = this._originalElement;
       this.filters.forEach(function(filterObj) {
         if (filterObj) {
           filters.push(filterObj.toObject());
         }
       });
       var object = extend(this.callSuper('toObject', propertiesToInclude), {
-        src: this._originalElement.src || this._originalElement._src,
+        src: element ? element.src || element._src : '',
         filters: filters,
         crossOrigin: this.crossOrigin,
         alignX: this.alignX,
diff --git a/test/unit/image.js b/test/unit/image.js
index f4173650f3b..d75ec21b2d3 100644
--- a/test/unit/image.js
+++ b/test/unit/image.js
@@ -118,6 +118,23 @@
     });
   });
 
+  asyncTest('toObject with no element', function() {
+    createImageObject(function(image) {
+      image._originalElement = null;
+      ok(typeof image.toObject == 'function');
+      var toObject = image.toObject();
+      // workaround for node-canvas sometimes producing images with width/height and sometimes not
+      if (toObject.width === 0) {
+        toObject.width = IMG_WIDTH;
+      }
+      if (toObject.height === 0) {
+        toObject.height = IMG_HEIGHT;
+      }
+      deepEqual(toObject, fabric.util.object.extend(REFERENCE_IMG_OBJECT, {src: ''}));
+      start();
+    });
+  });
+
   asyncTest('toObject with resize filter', function() {
     createImageObject(function(image) {
       ok(typeof image.toObject == 'function');