diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index d257ca27..498f2f25 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
 
+- it was quick ..
+
+	$ time vips-7.38 vips im_label_regions ~/pics/babe.jpg x.v
+	196640
+	real	0m0.189s
+	user	0m0.173s
+	sys	0m0.031s
+
+  now incredibly slow
+
+  add a operation-name -> gtype cache?
+
 - nip2 make check is failing
 
 - ink to vec etc. should work for complex .. output or accept a double-length 
@@ -52,6 +64,20 @@
 
   put description first
 
+  should be:
+
+	$ vips getpoint
+	read a point from an image
+	usage:
+	   getpoint in x y
+	prints:
+	   out-array
+	where:
+	   in           - Input image, input VipsImage
+	   out-array    - Array of output values, output VipsArrayDouble
+	   x            - Getpoint to read from, input gint
+	   y            - Getpoint to read from, input gint
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/libvips/morphology/labelregions.c b/libvips/morphology/labelregions.c
index 117c6ad8..08d8c3a2 100644
--- a/libvips/morphology/labelregions.c
+++ b/libvips/morphology/labelregions.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ static int
 vips_labelregions_build( VipsObject *object )
 {
 	VipsMorphology *morphology = VIPS_MORPHOLOGY( object );
+	VipsLabelregions *labelregions = (VipsLabelregions *) object;
 	VipsImage *in = morphology->in;
 	VipsImage **t = (VipsImage **) vips_object_local_array( object, 7 );
 
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ vips_labelregions_build( VipsObject *object )
 
 	/* Create the zero mask image.
 	 */
-	if( vips_black( &t[0], in->Xsize, in->Ysize, 1, NULL ) ||
+	if( vips_black( &t[0], in->Xsize, in->Ysize, NULL ) ||
 		vips_cast( t[0], &t[1], VIPS_FORMAT_INT, NULL ) ) 
 		return( -1 );
 
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ vips_labelregions_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( vips_image_inplace( t[1] ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
-	serial = 0;
+	serial = 1;
 	m = (int *) t[1]->data;
 	for( y = 0; y < t[1]->Ysize; y++ ) {
 		for( x = 0; x < t[1]->Xsize; x++ ) {
@@ -100,10 +101,13 @@ vips_labelregions_build( VipsObject *object )
 	}
 
 	g_object_set( object,
-		"mask", t[1],
+		"mask", vips_image_new(),
 		"segments", serial,
 		NULL ); 
 
+	if( vips_image_write( t[1], labelregions->mask ) )
+		return( -1 ); 
+
 	return( 0 );
 }
 
diff --git a/libvips/morphology/morphology.c b/libvips/morphology/morphology.c
index 795d60eb..61d83713 100644
--- a/libvips/morphology/morphology.c
+++ b/libvips/morphology/morphology.c
@@ -134,8 +134,10 @@ vips_morphology_operation_init( void )
 	extern int vips_morph_get_type( void ); 
 	extern int vips_rank_get_type( void ); 
 	extern int vips_countlines_get_type( void ); 
+	extern int vips_labelregions_get_type( void ); 
 
 	vips_morph_get_type(); 
 	vips_rank_get_type(); 
 	vips_countlines_get_type(); 
+	vips_labelregions_get_type(); 
 }