diff --git a/libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c b/libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c
index 609604eb..52853ad6 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c
@@ -317,7 +317,6 @@ show_values( ExifData *data )
 #endif /*HAVE_EXIF*/
 
 #ifdef HAVE_EXIF
-
 static int
 vips_exif_get_int( ExifData *ed, 
 	ExifEntry *entry, unsigned long component, int *out )
@@ -499,7 +498,7 @@ get_entry_int( ExifData *ed, int ifd, ExifTag tag, int *out )
 }
 
 static void
-set_vips_resolution( VipsImage *im, ExifData *ed )
+res_from_exif( VipsImage *im, ExifData *ed )
 {
 	double xres, yres;
 	int unit;
@@ -516,7 +515,7 @@ set_vips_resolution( VipsImage *im, ExifData *ed )
 	}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "set_vips_resolution: seen exif tags "
+	printf( "res_from_exif: seen exif tags "
 		"xres = %g, yres = %g, unit = %d\n", xres, yres, unit );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
@@ -546,7 +545,7 @@ set_vips_resolution( VipsImage *im, ExifData *ed )
 	}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "set_vips_resolution: seen exif resolution %g, %g p/mm\n",
+	printf( "res_from_exif: seen exif resolution %g, %g p/mm\n",
 		       xres, yres );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
@@ -572,32 +571,8 @@ attach_thumbnail( VipsImage *im, ExifData *ed )
 #endif /*HAVE_EXIF*/
 
 static int
-read_exif( VipsImage *im, void *data, int data_length )
+parse_exif( VipsImage *im, void *data, int data_length )
 {
-	char *data_copy;
-
-	/* Only use the first one.
-	 */
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( im, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME ) ) {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "read_exif: second EXIF block, ignoring\n" );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-		return( 0 );
-	}
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "read_exif: attaching %d bytes of exif\n", data_length );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-	/* Always attach a copy of the unparsed exif data.
-	 */
-	if( !(data_copy = vips_malloc( NULL, data_length )) )
-		return( -1 );
-	memcpy( data_copy, data, data_length );
-	vips_image_set_blob( im, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME, 
-		(VipsCallbackFn) vips_free, data_copy, data_length );
-
 #ifdef HAVE_EXIF
 {
 	ExifData *ed;
@@ -628,7 +603,7 @@ read_exif( VipsImage *im, void *data, int data_length )
 	/* Look for resolution fields and use them to set the VIPS 
 	 * xres/yres fields.
 	 */
-	set_vips_resolution( im, ed );
+	res_from_exif( im, ed );
 
 	attach_thumbnail( im, ed );
 
@@ -640,22 +615,22 @@ read_exif( VipsImage *im, void *data, int data_length )
 }
 
 static int
-read_xmp( VipsImage *im, void *data, size_t data_length )
+attach_blob( VipsImage *im, const char *field, void *data, int data_length )
 {
 	char *data_copy;
 
-	/* XMP sections start "http". Only use the first one.
+	/* Only use the first one.
 	 */
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( im, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME ) ) {
+	if( vips_image_get_typeof( im, field ) ) {
 #ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "read_xmp: second XMP block, ignoring\n" );
+		printf( "attach_blob: second %s block, ignoring\n", field );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
 		return( 0 );
 	}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "read_xmp: attaching %zd bytes of XMP\n", data_length );
+	printf( "attach_blob: attaching %d bytes of %s\n", data_length, field );
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
 	/* Always attach a copy of the unparsed exif data.
@@ -663,35 +638,7 @@ read_xmp( VipsImage *im, void *data, size_t data_length )
 	if( !(data_copy = vips_malloc( NULL, data_length )) )
 		return( -1 );
 	memcpy( data_copy, data, data_length );
-	vips_image_set_blob( im, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME, 
-		(VipsCallbackFn) vips_free, data_copy, data_length );
-
-	return( 0 );
-}
-
-static int
-read_ipct( VipsImage *im, void *data, size_t data_length )
-{
-	char *data_copy;
-
-	/* Only use the first one.
-	 */
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( im, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME ) ) {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "read_ipct: second IPCT block, ignoring\n" );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-		return( 0 );
-	}
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	printf( "read_ipct: attaching %zd bytes of IPCT\n", data_length );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-	if( !(data_copy = vips_malloc( NULL, data_length )) )
-		return( -1 );
-	memcpy( data_copy, data, data_length );
-	vips_image_set_blob( im, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME, 
+	vips_image_set_blob( im, field, 
 		(VipsCallbackFn) vips_free, data_copy, data_length );
 
 	return( 0 );
@@ -826,19 +773,24 @@ read_jpeg_header( ReadJpeg *jpeg, VipsImage *out )
 			/* Possible EXIF or XMP data.
 			 */
 			if( p->data_length > 4 &&
-				vips_isprefix( "Exif", (char *) p->data ) &&
-				read_exif( out, p->data, p->data_length ) )
+				vips_isprefix( "Exif", (char *) p->data ) ) {
+				if( parse_exif( out, 
+					p->data, p->data_length ) ||
+					attach_blob( out, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME, 
+						p->data, p->data_length ) )
 				return( -1 );
+			}
 
 			if( p->data_length > 4 &&
 				vips_isprefix( "http", (char *) p->data ) &&
-				read_xmp( out, p->data, p->data_length ) )
+				attach_blob( out, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME, 
+					p->data, p->data_length ) )
 				return( -1 );
 
 			break;
 
 		case JPEG_APP0 + 2:
-			/* ICC profile.
+			/* Possible ICC profile.
 			 */
 			if( p->data_length > 14 &&
 				vips_isprefix( "ICC_PROFILE", 
@@ -862,7 +814,8 @@ read_jpeg_header( ReadJpeg *jpeg, VipsImage *out )
 			 */
 			if( p->data_length > 5 &&
 				vips_isprefix( "Photo", (char *) p->data ) &&
-				read_ipct( out, p->data, p->data_length ) )
+				attach_blob( out, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME,
+					p->data, p->data_length ) )
 				return( -1 );
 			break;
 
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c b/libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c
index f8576972..21146c77 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c
@@ -607,17 +607,37 @@ vips_exif_update( ExifData *ed, VipsImage *image )
 	exif_data_foreach_content( ed, 
 		(ExifDataForeachContentFunc) vips_exif_update_content, &ve );
 }
-
-
 #endif /*HAVE_EXIF*/
 
+static int
+write_blob( Write *write, const char *field, int app )
+{
+	unsigned char *data;
+	size_t data_length;
+
+	if( vips_image_get_typeof( write->in, field ) ) {
+		if( vips_image_get_blob( write->in, field, 
+			(void *) &data, &data_length ) )
+			return( -1 );
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+		printf( "write_blob: attaching %zd bytes of %s\n", 
+			data_length, field );
+#endif /*DEBUG*/
+
+		jpeg_write_marker( &write->cinfo, app, data, data_length );
+	}
+
+	return( 0 );
+}
+
 static int
 write_exif( Write *write )
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_EXIF
 	unsigned char *data;
 	size_t data_length;
 	unsigned int idl;
-#ifdef HAVE_EXIF
 	ExifData *ed;
 
 	/* Either parse from the embedded EXIF, or if there's none, make
@@ -683,70 +703,13 @@ write_exif( Write *write )
 #else /*!HAVE_EXIF*/
 	/* No libexif ... just copy the embedded EXIF over.
 	 */
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( write->in, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME ) ) {
-		if( vips_image_get_blob( write->in, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME, 
-			(void *) &data, &data_length ) )
-			return( -1 );
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "write_exif: attaching %zd bytes of EXIF\n", 
-			data_length  );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-		jpeg_write_marker( &write->cinfo, JPEG_APP0 + 1, 
-			data, data_length );
-	}
+	if( write_blob( write, VIPS_META_EXIF_NAME, JPEG_APP0 + 1 ) )
+		return( -1 );
 #endif /*!HAVE_EXIF*/
 
 	return( 0 );
 }
 
-static int
-write_xmp( Write *write )
-{
-	unsigned char *data;
-	size_t data_length;
-
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( write->in, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME ) ) {
-		if( vips_image_get_blob( write->in, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME, 
-			(void *) &data, &data_length ) )
-			return( -1 );
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "write_xmp: attaching %zd bytes of XMP\n", 
-			data_length  );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-		jpeg_write_marker( &write->cinfo, JPEG_APP0 + 1, 
-			data, data_length );
-	}
-
-	return( 0 );
-}
-
-static int
-write_ipct( Write *write )
-{
-	unsigned char *data;
-	size_t data_length;
-
-	if( vips_image_get_typeof( write->in, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME ) ) {
-		if( vips_image_get_blob( write->in, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME, 
-			(void *) &data, &data_length ) )
-			return( -1 );
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		printf( "write_ipct: attaching %zd bytes of IPCT\n", 
-			data_length  );
-#endif /*DEBUG*/
-
-		jpeg_write_marker( &write->cinfo, JPEG_APP0 + 13, 
-			data, data_length );
-	}
-
-	return( 0 );
-}
-
 /* ICC writer from lcms, slight tweaks.
  */
 
@@ -943,8 +906,8 @@ write_vips( Write *write, int qfac, const char *profile )
 	/* Write any APP markers we need.
 	 */
 	if( write_exif( write ) ||
-		write_xmp( write ) ||
-		write_ipct( write ) )
+		write_blob( write, VIPS_META_XMP_NAME, JPEG_APP0 + 1 ) ||
+		write_blob( write, VIPS_META_IPCT_NAME, JPEG_APP0 + 13 ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	/* A profile supplied as an argument overrides an embedded profile.
diff --git a/po/vips7.pot b/po/vips7.pot
index 7d76960a..df05d736 100644
--- a/po/vips7.pot
+++ b/po/vips7.pot
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
 msgid ""
 msgstr ""
 "Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSION\n"
-"Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: \n"
-"POT-Creation-Date: 2012-11-16 21:34+0000\n"
+"Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/enter_bug.cgi?"
+"product=glib&keywords=I18N+L10N&component=general\n"
+"POT-Creation-Date: 2012-11-21 21:39+0000\n"
 "PO-Revision-Date: YEAR-MO-DA HO:MI+ZONE\n"
 "Last-Translator: FULL NAME <EMAIL@ADDRESS>\n"
 "Language-Team: LANGUAGE <LL@li.org>\n"
@@ -628,117 +629,117 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "calculate dE00"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:194 ../libvips/colour/XYZ2sRGB.c:160
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:193 ../libvips/colour/XYZ2sRGB.c:160
 msgid "depth must be 8 or 16"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:229
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:228
 #, c-format
 msgid "unimplemented input color space 0x%x"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:271
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:270
 #, c-format
 msgid "unimplemented output color space 0x%x"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:283
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:282
 msgid "no device profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:314
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:313
 msgid "transform using ICC profiles"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:318
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:317
 msgid "Intent"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:319
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:318
 msgid "Rendering intent"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:362
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:361
 #, c-format
 msgid ""
 "intent %d (%s) not supported by %s profile; falling back to default intent"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:366 ../libvips/iofuncs/operation.c:98
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:365 ../libvips/iofuncs/operation.c:98
 msgid "input"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:366 ../libvips/iofuncs/operation.c:98
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:365 ../libvips/iofuncs/operation.c:98
 msgid "output"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:400 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:601
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:812
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:399 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:600
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:811
 msgid "unable to load embedded profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:408 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:609
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:820 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:834
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:407 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:608
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:819 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:833
 #, c-format
 msgid "unable to open profile \"%s\""
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:414 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:826
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:413 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:825
 msgid "no input profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:498
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:497
 msgid "import from device with ICC profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:504 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:896
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:503 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:895
 msgid "Embedded"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:505 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:897
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:504 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:896
 msgid "Use embedded input profile, if available"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:511 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:903
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:510 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:902
 msgid "Input profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:512 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:904
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:511 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:903
 msgid "Filename to load input profile from"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:617
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:616
 msgid "no output profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:711
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:710
 msgid "output to device with ICC profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:717 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:889
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:716 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:888
 msgid "Output profile"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:718 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:890
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:717 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:889
 msgid "Filename to load output profile from"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:724 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:910
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:723 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:909
 #: ../libvips/colour/XYZ2sRGB.c:187 ../libvips/foreign/dzsave.c:1193
 msgid "Depth"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:725 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:911
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:724 ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:910
 #: ../libvips/colour/XYZ2sRGB.c:188
 msgid "Output device space depth in bits"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:883
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:882
 msgid "transform between devices with ICC profiles"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:999
-#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:1013
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:998
+#: ../libvips/colour/icc_transform.c:1012
 msgid "unable to get media white point"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -1409,20 +1410,20 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "parameters would result in zero size output image"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:171
+#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:174
 #, c-format
 msgid "read gave %ld warnings"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:511
+#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:514
 msgid "error reading resolution"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:541 ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:479
+#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:544 ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:481
 msgid "unknown EXIF resolution unit"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:754
+#: ../libvips/foreign/jpeg2vips.c:782
 msgid "unknown JFIF resolution unit"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -1434,20 +1435,20 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "read error"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:139
+#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:141
 #, c-format
 msgid "%s"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:493
+#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:495
 msgid "error setting JPEG resolution"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:513
+#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:515
 msgid "error setting JPEG dimensions"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:668
+#: ../libvips/foreign/vips2jpeg.c:670
 msgid "error saving EXIF"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -2184,21 +2185,21 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "unable to read pixels"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:658
+#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:662
 #, c-format
 msgid ""
 "unable to read file \"%s\"\n"
 "libMagick error: %s %s"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:692
+#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:700
 #, c-format
 msgid ""
 "unable to ping file \"%s\"\n"
 "libMagick error: %s %s"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:703
+#: ../libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c:711
 msgid "bad image size"
 msgstr ""