diff --git a/libvips/foreign/vipspng.c b/libvips/foreign/vipspng.c
index 4145131a..0dee03d9 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/vipspng.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/vipspng.c
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ read_new( VipsImage *out, gboolean readbehind )
 		user_error_function, user_warning_function )) ) 
 		return( NULL );
 
+#ifdef PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE
+	/* Prevent libpng (>=1.6.11) verifying sRGB profiles.
+	 */
+	png_set_option( read->pPng, PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE, PNG_OPTION_ON );
+#endif /*PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE*/
+
 	/* Catch PNG errors from png_create_info_struct().
 	 */
 	if( setjmp( png_jmpbuf( read->pPng ) ) ) 
@@ -717,6 +723,12 @@ write_new( VipsImage *in )
 		user_error_function, user_warning_function )) ) 
 		return( NULL );
 
+#ifdef PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE
+	/* Prevent libpng (>=1.6.11) verifying sRGB profiles.
+	 */
+	png_set_option( write->pPng, PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE, PNG_OPTION_ON );
+#endif /*PNG_SKIP_sRGB_CHECK_PROFILE*/
+
 	/* Catch PNG errors from png_create_info_struct().
 	 */
 	if( setjmp( png_jmpbuf( write->pPng ) ) )