diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/navigationbar/NavigationBarView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/navigationbar/NavigationBarView.java
index 1026693972839..593b278c82785 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/navigationbar/NavigationBarView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/navigationbar/NavigationBarView.java
@@ -774,7 +774,8 @@ public class NavigationBarView extends FrameLayout implements
         updateRecentsIcon();
 
         boolean isImeRenderingNavButtons = isGesturalMode(mNavBarMode)
-                && mImeCanRenderGesturalNavButtons;
+                && mImeCanRenderGesturalNavButtons
+                && (mNavigationIconHints & StatusBarManager.NAVIGATION_HINT_IME_SHOWN) != 0;
 
         // Update IME button visibility, a11y and rotate button always overrides the appearance
         boolean disableImeSwitcher =