diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 107925ec..aafde26a 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,10 +1,3 @@
-- can't read all frames of a gif, we get n_frames = 1
-
-  if all_frames is set, we need to set image_info->number_scenes to something
-  big
-
-  would -1 work for all frames?
-
 - add tests:
 
 	load 1 page of a pdf/gif
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c b/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
index 06e6968b..0e94718f 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
@@ -605,12 +605,15 @@ vips_foreign_load_magick7_fill_region( VipsRegion *or,
 			r->left, line, r->width, 1, 
 			magick7->exception );
 		g_mutex_unlock( magick7->lock );
-		q = VIPS_REGION_ADDR( or, r->left, top ); 
 
-		if( !p ) {
-			vips_foreign_load_magick7_error( magick7 ); 
-			return( -1 );
-		}
+		if( !p ) 
+			/* This can happen if, for example, some frames of a
+			 * gif are shorter than others. It's not always
+			 * an error.
+			 */
+			continue;
+
+		q = VIPS_REGION_ADDR( or, r->left, top ); 
 
 		switch( im->BandFmt ) {
 		case VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR: