diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 979fb164..820f139e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ OpenEXR images.
 ## OpenSlide
 
 If available, libvips can load OpenSlide-supported virtual slide
-files: Aperio, Hamamatsu VMS and VMU, Leica, MIRAX, and Trestle.
+files: Aperio, Hamamatsu, Leica, MIRAX, Sakura, Trestle, and Ventana.
 
 ## swig, python, python-dev
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3a079bd9..183fac93 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -497,12 +497,19 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([openslide],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--without-openslide], [build without OpenSlide (default: test)]))
 
 if test x"$with_openslide" != x"no"; then
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(OPENSLIDE, openslide >= 3.3.0,
-    [AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENSLIDE,1,[define if you have OpenSlide >= 3.3.0 installed.])
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(OPENSLIDE, [openslide >= 3.4.0],
+    [AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENSLIDE_3_4,1,[define if you have OpenSlide >= 3.4.0 installed.])
+     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENSLIDE,1,[define if you have OpenSlide >= 3.3.0 installed.])
      with_openslide=yes
      PACKAGES_USED="$PACKAGES_USED openslide"],
-    [AC_MSG_WARN([OpenSlide >= 3.3.0 not found; disabling virtual slide support])
-     with_openslide=no
+    [AC_MSG_NOTICE([OpenSlide >= 3.4.0 not found; checking for >= 3.3.0])
+     PKG_CHECK_MODULES(OPENSLIDE, [openslide >= 3.3.0],
+     [AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENSLIDE,1,[define if you have OpenSlide >= 3.3.0 installed.])
+      with_openslide=yes
+      PACKAGES_USED="$PACKAGES_USED openslide"],
+     [AC_MSG_WARN([OpenSlide >= 3.3.0 not found; disabling virtual slide support])
+      with_openslide=no
+     ])
     ])
 fi
 
diff --git a/libvips/deprecated/im_openslide2vips.c b/libvips/deprecated/im_openslide2vips.c
index a1c27d58..105ea762 100644
--- a/libvips/deprecated/im_openslide2vips.c
+++ b/libvips/deprecated/im_openslide2vips.c
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ static const char *openslide_suffs[] = {
 	".vms", ".vmu", ".ndpi",  /* Hamamatsu */
 	".scn",		/* Leica */
 	".mrxs", 	/* MIRAX */
+	".svslide",	/* Sakura */
 	".tif", 	/* Trestle */
+	".bif", 	/* Ventana */
 	NULL
 };
 
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/foreign.c b/libvips/foreign/foreign.c
index 09e262d9..eb91a9b8 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/foreign.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/foreign.c
@@ -2357,18 +2357,17 @@ vips_openexrload( const char *filename, VipsImage **out, ... )
  *
  * Optional arguments:
  *
- * @layer: load this layer
+ * @level: load this level
  * @associated: load this associated image
  *
  * Read a virtual slide supported by the OpenSlide library into a VIPS image.
- * OpenSlide supports images in Aperio, Hamamatsu VMS, Hamamatsu VMU, MIRAX,
- * and Trestle formats.  
+ * OpenSlide supports images in Aperio, Hamamatsu, MIRAX, Sakura, Trestle,
+ * and Ventana formats.
  *
  * To facilitate zooming, virtual slide formats include multiple scaled-down
  * versions of the high-resolution image.  These are typically called
- * "levels", though OpenSlide and im_openslide2vips() call them "layers".
- * By default, vips_openslideload() reads the highest-resolution layer
- * (layer 0).  Set @layer to the layer number you want.
+ * "levels".  By default, vips_openslideload() reads the highest-resolution
+ * level (level 0).  Set @level to the level number you want.
  *
  * In addition to the slide image itself, virtual slide formats sometimes
  * include additional images, such as a scan of the slide's barcode.
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c b/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
index 59ccd931..e68c6da8 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *
  * Benjamin Gilbert
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2011-2012 Carnegie Mellon University
+ * Copyright (c) 2011-2014 Carnegie Mellon University
  *
  * 26/11/11
  *	- initial version
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
  * 	- use threaded tile cache
  * 6/8/13
  * 	- always output solid (not transparent) pixels
+ * 25/1/14
+ * 	- use openslide_detect_vendor() on >= 3.4.0
  */
 
 /*
@@ -105,13 +107,28 @@ typedef struct {
 int
 vips__openslide_isslide( const char *filename )
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_OPENSLIDE_3_4
+	const char *vendor;
+	int ok;
+
+	vendor = openslide_detect_vendor( filename );
+
+	/* Generic tiled tiff images can be opened by openslide as well.
+	 * Only offer to load this file if it's not a generic tiff since
+	 * we want vips_tiffload() to handle these.
+	 */
+	ok = ( vendor &&
+		strcmp( vendor, "generic-tiff" ) != 0 );
+
+	VIPS_DEBUG_MSG( "vips__openslide_isslide: %s - %d\n", filename, ok );
+
+	return( ok );
+#else
 	openslide_t *osr;
 	int ok;
 
 	ok = 0;
-	vips_error_freeze();
 	osr = openslide_open( filename );
-	vips_error_thaw();
 
 	if( osr ) {
 		const char *vendor;
@@ -135,6 +152,7 @@ vips__openslide_isslide( const char *filename )
 	VIPS_DEBUG_MSG( "vips__openslide_isslide: %s - %d\n", filename, ok );
 
 	return( ok );
+#endif
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/openslideload.c b/libvips/foreign/openslideload.c
index 4d52301b..dc44d037 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/openslideload.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/openslideload.c
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ static const char *vips_foreign_openslide_suffs[] = {
 	".vms", ".vmu", ".ndpi",  /* Hamamatsu */
 	".scn",		/* Leica */
 	".mrxs", 	/* MIRAX */
+	".svslide",	/* Sakura */
 	".tif", 	/* Trestle */
+	".bif", 	/* Ventana */
 	NULL
 };