diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 8bd2ca19..4fb2cde9 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ Requires libvips v8.10.5
   [#2581](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/pull/2581)
   [@florian-busch](https://github.com/florian-busch)
 
+* Allow use of `recomb` operation with single channel input.
+  [#2584](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/2584)
+
 ### v0.27.1 - 27th January 2021
 
 * Ensure TIFF is cast when using float predictor.
diff --git a/src/operations.cc b/src/operations.cc
index bd3dfca4..4cf56d4a 100644
--- a/src/operations.cc
+++ b/src/operations.cc
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ namespace sharp {
    */
   VImage Recomb(VImage image, std::unique_ptr<double[]> const &matrix) {
     double *m = matrix.get();
+    image = image.colourspace(VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB);
     return image
-      .colourspace(VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB)
       .recomb(image.bands() == 3
         ? VImage::new_from_memory(
           m, 9 * sizeof(double), 3, 3, 1, VIPS_FORMAT_DOUBLE
diff --git a/test/unit/recomb.js b/test/unit/recomb.js
index 1f59d844..df880fe5 100644
--- a/test/unit/recomb.js
+++ b/test/unit/recomb.js
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const sharp = require('../../');
 const fixtures = require('../fixtures');
 
+const sepia = [
+  [0.3588, 0.7044, 0.1368],
+  [0.299, 0.587, 0.114],
+  [0.2392, 0.4696, 0.0912]
+];
+
 describe('Recomb', function () {
   it('applies a sepia filter using recomb', function (done) {
     const output = fixtures.path('output.recomb-sepia.jpg');
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpgWithLandscapeExif1)
-      .recomb([
-        [0.3588, 0.7044, 0.1368],
-        [0.299, 0.587, 0.114],
-        [0.2392, 0.4696, 0.0912]
-      ])
+      .recomb(sepia)
       .toFile(output, function (err, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual('jpeg', info.format);
@@ -31,11 +33,7 @@ describe('Recomb', function () {
   it('applies a sepia filter using recomb to an PNG with Alpha', function (done) {
     const output = fixtures.path('output.recomb-sepia.png');
     sharp(fixtures.inputPngAlphaPremultiplicationSmall)
-      .recomb([
-        [0.3588, 0.7044, 0.1368],
-        [0.299, 0.587, 0.114],
-        [0.2392, 0.4696, 0.0912]
-      ])
+      .recomb(sepia)
       .toFile(output, function (err, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual('png', info.format);
@@ -50,6 +48,20 @@ describe('Recomb', function () {
       });
   });
 
+  it('recomb with a single channel input', async () => {
+    const { info } = await sharp(Buffer.alloc(64), {
+      raw: {
+        width: 8,
+        height: 8,
+        channels: 1
+      }
+    })
+      .recomb(sepia)
+      .toBuffer({ resolveWithObject: true });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(3, info.channels);
+  });
+
   it('applies a different sepia filter using recomb', function (done) {
     const output = fixtures.path('output.recomb-sepia2.jpg');
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpgWithLandscapeExif1)