     override public function animationStart(animation:Animation):void
     {
         super.animationStart(animation);
+        
+        if (!hasBitmaps)
+            return;
+        
         previousFilters = target.filters;
         previousPlusShaderFilters = [shaderFilter].concat(previousFilters);
         target.filters = previousPlusShaderFilters;

     */
    override protected function getCurrentValue(property:String):*
    {
        return shader[property];
    }

    /**
     * Override FXAnimate's setupStyleMapEntry to avoid the need to 
     * validate our properties against the 'target' (since we actually
     * set properties on our associated filter instance).
     *  

     */
    override protected function setValue(property:String, value:Object):void
    {
        if (!hasBitmaps)
            return;
        
        shader.data.progress.value = [value];
        target.filters = previousPlusShaderFilters;
    }
