diff --git a/doc/examples/sprite_batch/lib/main.dart b/doc/examples/sprite_batch/lib/main.dart
index 2fd661271..2b4f941a7 100644
--- a/doc/examples/sprite_batch/lib/main.dart
+++ b/doc/examples/sprite_batch/lib/main.dart
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import 'package:flame/sprite_batch.dart';
 import 'package:flame/components/sprite_batch_component.dart';
 
 void main() async {
+  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
   final Size size = await Flame.util.initialDimensions();
   final game = MyGame(size);
   runApp(game.widget);
@@ -17,17 +18,12 @@ class MyGame extends BaseGame {
 
   MyGame(Size screenSize) {
     size = screenSize;
-  }
-
-  @override
-  void onAttach() {
-    super.onAttach();
 
     initData();
   }
 
-  void initData() {
-    spriteBatch = SpriteBatch('boom3.png');
+  void initData() async {
+    spriteBatch = await SpriteBatch.withAsset('boom3.png');
 
     spriteBatch.add(
       rect: const Rect.fromLTWH(128 * 4.0, 128 * 4.0, 64, 128),
diff --git a/lib/components/sprite_batch_component.dart b/lib/components/sprite_batch_component.dart
index 79df6de46..23dc590a3 100644
--- a/lib/components/sprite_batch_component.dart
+++ b/lib/components/sprite_batch_component.dart
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import '../sprite_batch.dart';
 import 'component.dart';
 
 class SpriteBatchComponent extends Component {
-  SpriteBatch spriteBatch;
+  final SpriteBatch spriteBatch;
   BlendMode blendMode;
   Rect cullRect;
   Paint paint;
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ class SpriteBatchComponent extends Component {
     );
   }
 
-  @override
-  bool loaded() => spriteBatch?.atlas != null;
-
   @override
   void update(double t) {}
 }
diff --git a/lib/sprite_batch.dart b/lib/sprite_batch.dart
index 202adfe26..dfeedcc13 100644
--- a/lib/sprite_batch.dart
+++ b/lib/sprite_batch.dart
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 
 import 'flame.dart';
 
+/// sprite atlas with an image and a set of rects and transforms
 class SpriteBatch {
-  Image atlas;
+  final Image atlas;
   List<Rect> rects = [];
   List<RSTransform> transforms = [];
   List<Color> colors = [];
@@ -16,17 +17,17 @@ class SpriteBatch {
   static final defaultTransform = RSTransform(1, 0, 0, 0);
   static const defaultColor = const Color(0x00000000); // transparent
 
-  SpriteBatch(String fileName) {
-    Flame.images.load(fileName).then((image) => atlas = image);
+  SpriteBatch(this.atlas);
+
+  static Future<SpriteBatch> withAsset(String imageName) async {
+    return SpriteBatch(await Flame.images.load(imageName));
   }
 
-  SpriteBatch.fromImage(this.atlas);
+  int get width => atlas.width;
 
-  int get width => atlas?.width;
+  int get height => atlas.height;
 
-  int get height => atlas?.height;
-
-  Size get size => atlas == null ? null : Size(width.toDouble(), height.toDouble());
+  Size get size => Size(width.toDouble(), height.toDouble());
 
   void addTransform({
     @required Rect rect,