diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fc09f58..7ac9c7f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ docker run -it --gpus all -v $HOME/.cache/huggingface:/root/.cache/huggingface -
 
 ## ChangeLog
 
+- fix: raw control images are now properly loaded. fixes #296
 - fix: filenames start numbers after latest image, even if some previous images were deleted
 
 **11.1.1**
diff --git a/imaginairy/schema.py b/imaginairy/schema.py
index 4612b3c..05d9ff6 100644
--- a/imaginairy/schema.py
+++ b/imaginairy/schema.py
@@ -172,6 +172,12 @@ class ImaginePrompt:
             if not self.control_image.startswith("*prev."):
                 self.control_image = LazyLoadingImage(filepath=self.control_image)
 
+        if isinstance(self.control_image_raw, str):
+            if not self.control_image_raw.startswith("*prev."):
+                self.control_image_raw = LazyLoadingImage(
+                    filepath=self.control_image_raw
+                )
+
         if isinstance(self.init_image, str):
             if not self.init_image.startswith("*prev."):
                 self.init_image = LazyLoadingImage(filepath=self.init_image)