diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/BUILD.gn b/shell/platform/embedder/BUILD.gn
index b83364b8b099c..e4754f1d554c3 100644
--- a/shell/platform/embedder/BUILD.gn
+++ b/shell/platform/embedder/BUILD.gn
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ test_fixtures("fixtures") {
     "fixtures/dpr_noxform.png",
     "fixtures/dpr_xform.png",
     "fixtures/gradient.png",
-    "fixtures/impeller_gl_gradient.png",
+    "fixtures/impeller_gl_test.png",
     "fixtures/vk_dpr_noxform.png",
     "fixtures/vk_gradient.png",
     "fixtures/gradient_metal.png",
diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/embedder_surface_gl_impeller.cc b/shell/platform/embedder/embedder_surface_gl_impeller.cc
index cae8037083cb7..c7efa86de8168 100644
--- a/shell/platform/embedder/embedder_surface_gl_impeller.cc
+++ b/shell/platform/embedder/embedder_surface_gl_impeller.cc
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@ EmbedderSurfaceGLImpeller::GLContextFramebufferInfo() const {
 
 // |EmbedderSurface|
 std::unique_ptr<Surface> EmbedderSurfaceGLImpeller::CreateGPUSurface() {
+  // Ensure that the GL context is current before creating the GPU surface.
+  // GPUSurfaceGLImpeller initialization will set up shader pipelines, and the
+  // current thread needs to be able to execute reactor operations.
+  GLContextMakeCurrent();
+
   return std::make_unique<GPUSurfaceGLImpeller>(
       this,                     // GPU surface GL delegate
       impeller_context_,        // Impeller context
diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_gradient.png b/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_gradient.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 76fd5b12f1f12..0000000000000
Binary files a/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_gradient.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_test.png b/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_test.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ed1fdb37ef151
Binary files /dev/null and b/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/impeller_gl_test.png differ
diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/main.dart b/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/main.dart
index 35194f5fdcbb5..dffa430fbb520 100644
--- a/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/main.dart
+++ b/shell/platform/embedder/fixtures/main.dart
@@ -1364,3 +1364,21 @@ void render_gradient_retained() {
   };
   PlatformDispatcher.instance.scheduleFrame();
 }
+
+@pragma('vm:entry-point')
+void render_impeller_gl_test() {
+  PlatformDispatcher.instance.onBeginFrame = (Duration duration) {
+    final SceneBuilder builder = SceneBuilder();
+    builder.pushOffset(0.0, 0.0);
+    final Paint paint = Paint();
+    paint.color = Color.fromARGB(255, 0, 0, 255);
+    final PictureRecorder baseRecorder = PictureRecorder();
+    final Canvas canvas = Canvas(baseRecorder);
+    canvas.drawPaint(Paint()..color = Color.fromARGB(255, 255, 0, 0));
+    canvas.drawRect(Rect.fromLTRB(20.0, 20.0, 200.0, 150.0), paint);
+    builder.addPicture(Offset.zero, baseRecorder.endRecording());
+    builder.pop();
+    PlatformDispatcher.instance.views.first.render(builder.build());
+  };
+  PlatformDispatcher.instance.scheduleFrame();
+}
diff --git a/shell/platform/embedder/tests/embedder_gl_unittests.cc b/shell/platform/embedder/tests/embedder_gl_unittests.cc
index a050e70f8f2f0..f62985df3592d 100644
--- a/shell/platform/embedder/tests/embedder_gl_unittests.cc
+++ b/shell/platform/embedder/tests/embedder_gl_unittests.cc
@@ -4711,7 +4711,7 @@ TEST_F(EmbedderTest, CanRenderWithImpellerOpenGL) {
       });
 
   builder.AddCommandLineArgument("--enable-impeller");
-  builder.SetDartEntrypoint("render_gradient");
+  builder.SetDartEntrypoint("render_impeller_gl_test");
   builder.SetOpenGLRendererConfig(SkISize::Make(800, 600));
   builder.SetCompositor();
   builder.SetRenderTargetType(
@@ -4733,7 +4733,7 @@ TEST_F(EmbedderTest, CanRenderWithImpellerOpenGL) {
 
   ASSERT_TRUE(ImageMatchesFixture(
       FixtureNameForBackend(EmbedderTestContextType::kOpenGLContext,
-                            "impeller_gl_gradient.png"),
+                            "impeller_gl_test.png"),
       rendered_scene));
 
   // The scene will be rendered by the compositor, and the surface present