diff --git a/app/paint/gimpsmudge.c b/app/paint/gimpsmudge.c
index 3ad5b0ac82..003b70ede0 100644
--- a/app/paint/gimpsmudge.c
+++ b/app/paint/gimpsmudge.c
@@ -246,8 +246,6 @@ gimp_smudge_start (GimpPaintCore    *paint_core,
       dest_pickable_off_y = 0;
     }
 
-  pickable_buffer = gimp_pickable_get_buffer (dest_pickable);
-
   n_strokes = gimp_symmetry_get_size (sym);
   for (i = 0; i < n_strokes; i++)
     {
@@ -280,6 +278,11 @@ gimp_smudge_start (GimpPaintCore    *paint_core,
       if (! paint_buffer)
         continue;
 
+      /*  Fetch the buffer _after_ gimp_paint_core_get_paint_buffer() as it
+       *  may have expanded the drawable when "Expand Layers" is enabled.
+       */
+      pickable_buffer = gimp_pickable_get_buffer (dest_pickable);
+
       gimp_smudge_accumulator_coords (paint_core, &coords, 0, &x, &y);
 
       /*  If clipped, prefill the smudge buffer with the color at the