diff --git a/Lib/glyphsLib/builder/builders.py b/Lib/glyphsLib/builder/builders.py
index e1d389661..d9fcb420e 100644
--- a/Lib/glyphsLib/builder/builders.py
+++ b/Lib/glyphsLib/builder/builders.py
@@ -326,7 +326,11 @@ def to_ufo_layers(self):
                 and ".background" not in layer.name
             ):
                 self.bracket_layers.append(layer)
-            elif self.minimal and layer.layerId not in master_layer_ids:
+            elif (
+                self.minimal
+                and layer.layerId not in master_layer_ids
+                and not layer._is_brace_layer()
+            ):
                 continue
             else:
                 ufo_layer = self.to_ufo_layer(glyph, layer)
diff --git a/tests/builder/designspace_gen_test.py b/tests/builder/designspace_gen_test.py
index 79dc43b05..be8161e6b 100644
--- a/tests/builder/designspace_gen_test.py
+++ b/tests/builder/designspace_gen_test.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def test_designspace_generation_same_weight_name(tmpdir, ufo_module):
 def test_designspace_generation_brace_layers(datadir, filename, ufo_module):
     with open(str(datadir.join(filename))) as f:
         font = glyphsLib.load(f)
-    designspace = to_designspace(font, ufo_module=ufo_module)
+    designspace = to_designspace(font, ufo_module=ufo_module, minimal=True)
 
     axes_order = [
         (a.name, a.minimum, a.default, a.maximum, a.map) for a in designspace.axes
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ def test_designspace_generation_brace_layers(datadir, filename, ufo_module):
             assert masters[source.filename] is source.font
         masters[source.filename] = source.font
 
+    # Check that brace layer glyph is created
+    assert len(designspace.sources[0].font.layers) == 2
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("filename", ["BraceTestFont.glyphs", "BraceTestFontV3.glyphs"])
 def test_designspace_generation_instances(datadir, filename, ufo_module):