diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c1a50ae4..d38393ee 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -940,6 +940,18 @@ if test x"$with_heif" = x"yes"; then
   LIBS="$save_LIBS"
 fi
 
+# heif_decoding_options.convert_hdr_to_8bit added in 1.7.0
+if test x"$with_heif" = x"yes"; then
+  save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $HEIF_CFLAGS"
+  AC_CHECK_MEMBER([struct heif_decoding_options.convert_hdr_to_8bit],[
+     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_HEIF_DECODING_OPTIONS_CONVERT_HDR_TO_8BIT,1,
+	       [define if you have heif_decoding_options.convert_hdr_to_8bit])
+   ],[],
+   [#include <libheif/heif.h>])
+  CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+fi
+
 # pdfium
 AC_ARG_WITH([pdfium],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--without-pdfium], [build without pdfium (default: test)]))
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/heifload.c b/libvips/foreign/heifload.c
index 2ac2dff2..49a90960 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/heifload.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/heifload.c
@@ -419,11 +419,11 @@ vips_foreign_load_heif_set_header( VipsForeignLoadHeif *heif, VipsImage *out )
 	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_HEIF_COLOR_PROFILE
-#ifdef DEBUG
-{
 	enum heif_color_profile_type profile_type = 
 		heif_image_handle_get_color_profile_type( heif->handle );
 
+#ifdef DEBUG
+{
 	printf( "profile type = " ); 
 	switch( profile_type ) {
 	case heif_color_profile_type_not_present: 
@@ -450,10 +450,10 @@ vips_foreign_load_heif_set_header( VipsForeignLoadHeif *heif, VipsImage *out )
 }
 #endif /*DEBUG*/
 
-	/* FIXME should probably check the profile type ... lcms seems to be
-	 * able to load at least rICC and prof.
+	/* lcms can load standard (prof) and reduced (rICC) profiles
 	 */
-	if( heif_image_handle_get_color_profile_type( heif->handle ) ) {
+	if( profile_type == heif_color_profile_type_prof ||
+		profile_type == heif_color_profile_type_rICC ) {
 		size_t length = heif_image_handle_get_raw_color_profile_size( 
 			heif->handle );
 
@@ -475,6 +475,9 @@ vips_foreign_load_heif_set_header( VipsForeignLoadHeif *heif, VipsImage *out )
 		vips_image_set_blob( out, VIPS_META_ICC_NAME, 
 			(VipsCallbackFn) NULL, data, length );
 	}
+	else if( profile_type == heif_color_profile_type_nclx ) {
+		g_warning( "heifload: ignoring nclx profile" );
+	}
 #endif /*HAVE_HEIF_COLOR_PROFILE*/
 
 	/* If we are using libheif's autorotate, remove the exif one. 
@@ -717,6 +720,11 @@ vips_foreign_load_heif_generate( VipsRegion *or,
 #ifdef HAVE_HEIF_IMAGE_HANDLE_GET_ISPE_WIDTH
 		options->ignore_transformations = !heif->autorotate;
 #endif /*HAVE_HEIF_IMAGE_HANDLE_GET_ISPE_WIDTH*/
+#ifdef HAVE_HEIF_DECODING_OPTIONS_CONVERT_HDR_TO_8BIT
+		/* VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR is assumed so downsample HDR to 8bpc
+		 */
+		options->convert_hdr_to_8bit = TRUE;
+#endif /*HAVE_HEIF_DECODING_OPTIONS_CONVERT_HDR_TO_8BIT*/
 		error = heif_decode_image( heif->handle, &heif->img, 
 			heif_colorspace_RGB, chroma, 
 			options );