diff --git a/Tests/images/imagedraw_stroke_descender.png b/Tests/images/imagedraw_stroke_descender.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..93462334ae4
Binary files /dev/null and b/Tests/images/imagedraw_stroke_descender.png differ
diff --git a/Tests/test_imagedraw.py b/Tests/test_imagedraw.py
index 4535a4838e2..67936e0c52d 100644
--- a/Tests/test_imagedraw.py
+++ b/Tests/test_imagedraw.py
@@ -850,6 +850,21 @@ def test_stroke(self):
                 im, Image.open("Tests/images/imagedraw_stroke_" + suffix + ".png"), 3.1
             )
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(HAS_FREETYPE, "ImageFont not available")
+    def test_stroke_descender(self):
+        # Arrange
+        im = Image.new("RGB", (120, 130))
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(im)
+        font = ImageFont.truetype("Tests/fonts/FreeMono.ttf", 120)
+
+        # Act
+        draw.text((10, 0), "y", "#f00", font, stroke_width=2, stroke_fill="#0f0")
+
+        # Assert
+        self.assert_image_similar(
+            im, Image.open("Tests/images/imagedraw_stroke_descender.png"), 6.76
+        )
+
     @unittest.skipUnless(HAS_FREETYPE, "ImageFont not available")
     def test_stroke_multiline(self):
         # Arrange
diff --git a/src/_imagingft.c b/src/_imagingft.c
index 62a4c283e71..c9d489e8ee1 100644
--- a/src/_imagingft.c
+++ b/src/_imagingft.c
@@ -782,9 +782,6 @@ font_render(FontObject* self, PyObject* args)
     im = (Imaging) id;
     /* Note: bitmap fonts within ttf fonts do not work, see #891/pr#960 */
     load_flags = FT_LOAD_NO_BITMAP;
-    if (stroker == NULL) {
-        load_flags |= FT_LOAD_RENDER;
-    }
     if (mask) {
         load_flags |= FT_LOAD_TARGET_MONO;
     }
@@ -792,7 +789,7 @@ font_render(FontObject* self, PyObject* args)
     ascender = 0;
     for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
         index = glyph_info[i].index;
-        error = FT_Load_Glyph(self->face, index, load_flags);
+        error = FT_Load_Glyph(self->face, index, load_flags | FT_LOAD_RENDER);
         if (error) {
             return geterror(error);
         }
@@ -806,6 +803,10 @@ font_render(FontObject* self, PyObject* args)
             ascender = temp;
     }
 
+    if (stroker == NULL) {
+        load_flags |= FT_LOAD_RENDER;
+    }
+
     x = y = 0;
     horizontal_dir = dir && strcmp(dir, "ttb") == 0 ? 0 : 1;
     for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {