diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 665b3b7a..002bc384 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 - support TIFF CIELAB images with alpha [angelmixu]
 - support TIFF with premultiplied alpha in any band 
 - block metadata changes on shared images [pvdz]
+- RGB and sRGB are synonmous
 
 17/9/19 started 8.8.4
 - improve compatibility with older imagemagick versions
diff --git a/libvips/colour/colourspace.c b/libvips/colour/colourspace.c
index 3779ce6f..1b05545d 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/colourspace.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/colourspace.c
@@ -493,9 +493,7 @@ static VipsColourRoute vips_colour_routes[] = {
  * vips_colourspace_issupported:
  * @image: input image
  *
- * Test if @image is in a colourspace that vips_colourspace() can process. For
- * example, #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB images are not in a well-defined 
- * colourspace, but #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB ones are.
+ * Test if @image is in a colourspace that vips_colourspace() can process. 
  *
  * Returns: %TRUE if @image is in a supported colourspace.
  */
diff --git a/libvips/colour/icc_transform.c b/libvips/colour/icc_transform.c
index 9dab23c5..1caa8a58 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/icc_transform.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/icc_transform.c
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ vips_icc_build( VipsObject *object )
 		case cmsSigRgbData:
 			colour->interpretation = 
 				icc->depth == 8 ? 
-				VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB : 
+				VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB : 
 					VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
 			colour->format = 
 				icc->depth == 8 ? 
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/fits.c b/libvips/foreign/fits.c
index b3a74df7..73c9a584 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/fits.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/fits.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ vips_fits_get_header( VipsFits *fits, VipsImage *out )
 		if( format == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
 			type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
 		else
-			type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
+			type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB;
 	}
 	else
 		type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_MULTIBAND;
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c b/libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c
index 3338dc26..d97b1c1f 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/magick2vips.c
@@ -377,14 +377,8 @@ parse_header( Read *read )
 			im->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_B_W;
 		break;
 
-	case RGBColorspace:
-		if( im->BandFmt == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
-			im->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
-		else
-			im->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
-		break;
-
 	case sRGBColorspace:
+	case RGBColorspace:
 		if( im->BandFmt == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
 			im->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
 		else
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c b/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
index 5c0ceb76..d729db9b 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/magick7load.c
@@ -477,14 +477,8 @@ vips_foreign_load_magick7_parse( VipsForeignLoadMagick7 *magick7,
 			out->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_B_W;
 		break;
 
-	case RGBColorspace:
-		if( out->BandFmt == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
-			out->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
-		else
-			out->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
-		break;
-
 	case sRGBColorspace:
+	case RGBColorspace:
 		if( out->BandFmt == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
 			out->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
 		else
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c b/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
index 5a5a8c9f..0bae2657 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/openslide2vips.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ readslide_attach_associated( ReadSlide *rslide, VipsImage *image )
 		openslide_get_associated_image_dimensions( rslide->osr,
 			*associated_name, &w, &h );
 		vips_image_init_fields( associated, w, h, 4, VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR,
-			VIPS_CODING_NONE, VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB, 1.0, 1.0 );
+			VIPS_CODING_NONE, VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB, 1.0, 1.0 );
 		vips_image_pipelinev( associated, 
 			VIPS_DEMAND_STYLE_THINSTRIP, NULL );
 
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ readslide_parse( ReadSlide *rslide, VipsImage *image )
 	}
 
 	vips_image_init_fields( image, w, h, 4, VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR,
-		VIPS_CODING_NONE, VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB, 1.0, 1.0 );
+		VIPS_CODING_NONE, VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB, 1.0, 1.0 );
 
 	for( properties = openslide_get_property_names( rslide->osr );
 		*properties != NULL; properties++ )
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/ppmload.c b/libvips/foreign/ppmload.c
index dbadb67c..adcfbaca 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/ppmload.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/ppmload.c
@@ -313,8 +313,6 @@ vips_foreign_load_ppm_parse_header( VipsForeignLoadPpm *ppm )
 	else {
 		if( ppm->format == VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT )
 			ppm->interpretation = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB16;
-		else if( ppm->format == VIPS_FORMAT_UINT )
-			ppm->interpretation = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
 		else 
 			ppm->interpretation = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB;
 	}
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/header.c b/libvips/iofuncs/header.c
index c02f6326..6c77497a 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/header.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/header.c
@@ -443,12 +443,12 @@ vips_image_guess_format( const VipsImage *image )
 		break;
 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB: 
+	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB: 
 		format = VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR;
 		break;
 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_XYZ: 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LAB: 
-	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB: 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_CMC: 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LCH: 
 	case VIPS_INTERPRETATION_HSV: 
@@ -519,8 +519,7 @@ vips_image_get_interpretation( const VipsImage *image )
 	return( image->Type );
 }
 
-/* Try to pick a sane value for interpretation, assuming Type has been set
- * incorrectly.
+/* Try to guess a sane value for interpretation.
  */
 static VipsInterpretation
 vips_image_default_interpretation( const VipsImage *image )
@@ -529,7 +528,7 @@ vips_image_default_interpretation( const VipsImage *image )
 	case VIPS_CODING_LABQ:
 		return( VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LABQ );
 	case VIPS_CODING_RAD:
-		return( VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB );
+		return( VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB );
 	default:
 		break;
 	}
@@ -578,7 +577,7 @@ vips_image_guess_interpretation( const VipsImage *image )
 		break;
 
 	case VIPS_CODING_RAD:
-		if( image->Type != VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB )
+		if( image->Type != VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB )
 			sane = FALSE;
 		break;
 
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/image.c b/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
index e8fdec3c..d4836f06 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
@@ -230,9 +230,8 @@
  * three-band float image of type #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LAB should have its 
  * pixels interpreted as coordinates in CIE Lab space.
  *
- * These values are set by operations as hints to user-interfaces built on top 
- * of VIPS to help them show images to the user in a meaningful way. 
- * Operations do not use these values to decide their action.
+ * RGB and sRGB are treated in the same way. Use the colourspace functions if
+ * you want some other behaviour.
  *
  * The gaps in numbering are historical and must be maintained. Allocate 
  * new numbers from the end.
@@ -959,7 +958,7 @@ vips_image_build( VipsObject *object )
 		if( image->Bands == 1 )
 			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_B_W;
 		else if( image->Bands == 3 )
-			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
+			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB;
 		else 
 			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_MULTIBAND;
 
@@ -992,7 +991,7 @@ vips_image_build( VipsObject *object )
 		if( image->Bands == 1 )
 			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_B_W;
 		else if( image->Bands == 3 )
-			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB;
+			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB;
 		else 
 			image->Type = VIPS_INTERPRETATION_MULTIBAND;
 
@@ -3093,7 +3092,7 @@ vips_image_ispartial( VipsImage *image )
  * @image: image to check
  *
  * Look at an image's interpretation and see if it has extra alpha bands. For
- * example, a 4-band #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_RGB would, but a six-band 
+ * example, a 4-band #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_sRGB would, but a six-band 
  * #VIPS_INTERPRETATION_MULTIBAND would not. 
  *
  * Return %TRUE if @image has an alpha channel.