diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE
index 4a59d1e4e..f62790b57 100644
--- a/ANNOUNCE
+++ b/ANNOUNCE
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Libpng 1.6.17beta01 - December 23, 2014
+Libpng 1.6.17beta01 - December 25, 2014
 
 This is not intended to be a public release.  It will be replaced
 within a few weeks by a public version or by another test version.
@@ -25,9 +25,11 @@ Other information:
 
 Changes since the last public release (1.6.16):
 
-Version 1.6.17beta01 [December 23, 2014]
+Version 1.6.17beta01 [December 25, 2014]
   Removed duplicate PNG_SAFE_LIMITS_SUPPORTED handling from pngconf.h
   Corrected the width limit calculation in png_check_IHDR().
+  Removed user limits from pngfix. Also pass NULL pointers to
+    png_read_row to skip the unnecessary row de-interlace stuff.
 
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net
 (subscription required; visit
diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index fb7ffd796..a885b93a0 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -5125,9 +5125,11 @@ Version 1.6.16rc03 [December 21, 2014]
 Version 1.6.16 [December 22, 2014]
   No changes.
 
-Version 1.6.17beta01 [December 23, 2014]
+Version 1.6.17beta01 [December 25, 2014]
   Removed duplicate PNG_SAFE_LIMITS_SUPPORTED handling from pngconf.h
   Corrected the width limit calculation in png_check_IHDR().
+  Removed user limits from pngfix. Also pass NULL pointers to
+    png_read_row to skip the unnecessary row de-interlace stuff.
 
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net
 (subscription required; visit
diff --git a/contrib/tools/pngfix.c b/contrib/tools/pngfix.c
index 65422f600..5b5d1888a 100644
--- a/contrib/tools/pngfix.c
+++ b/contrib/tools/pngfix.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2014 John Cunningham Bowler
  *
- * Last changed in libpng 1.6.14 [October 23, 2014]
+ * Last changed in libpng 1.6.17 [(PENDING RELEASE)]
  *
  * This code is released under the libpng license.
  * For conditions of distribution and use, see the disclaimer
@@ -3577,10 +3577,9 @@ read_png(struct control *control)
 {
    png_structp png_ptr;
    png_infop info_ptr = NULL;
-   volatile png_bytep row = NULL, display = NULL;
    volatile int rc;
 
-   png_ptr = png_create_read_struct(png_get_libpng_ver(NULL), control,
+   png_ptr = png_create_read_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, control,
       error_handler, warning_handler);
 
    if (png_ptr == NULL)
@@ -3594,6 +3593,16 @@ read_png(struct control *control)
    rc = setjmp(control->file.jmpbuf);
    if (rc == 0)
    {
+#     ifdef PNG_SET_USER_LIMITS_SUPPORTED
+         /* Remove any limits on the size of PNG files that can be read,
+          * without this we may reject files based on built-in safety
+          * limits.
+          */
+         png_set_user_limits(png_ptr, 0x7fffffff, 0x7fffffff);
+         png_set_chunk_cache_max(png_ptr, 0);
+         png_set_chunk_malloc_max(png_ptr, 0);
+#     endif
+
       png_set_read_fn(png_ptr, control, read_callback);
 
       info_ptr = png_create_info_struct(png_ptr);
@@ -3606,32 +3615,22 @@ read_png(struct control *control)
       png_read_info(png_ptr, info_ptr);
 
       {
-         png_size_t rowbytes = png_get_rowbytes(png_ptr, info_ptr);
+        png_uint_32 height = png_get_image_height(png_ptr, info_ptr);
+        int passes = png_set_interlace_handling(png_ptr);
+        int pass;
 
-         row = png_voidcast(png_byte*, malloc(rowbytes));
-         display = png_voidcast(png_byte*, malloc(rowbytes));
+        png_start_read_image(png_ptr);
 
-         if (row == NULL || display == NULL)
-            png_error(png_ptr, "OOM allocating row buffers");
+        for (pass = 0; pass < passes; ++pass)
+        {
+           png_uint_32 y = height;
 
-         {
-            png_uint_32 height = png_get_image_height(png_ptr, info_ptr);
-            int passes = png_set_interlace_handling(png_ptr);
-            int pass;
-
-            png_start_read_image(png_ptr);
-
-            for (pass = 0; pass < passes; ++pass)
-            {
-               png_uint_32 y = height;
-
-               /* NOTE: this trashes the row each time; interlace handling won't
-                * work, but this avoids memory thrashing for speed testing.
-                */
-               while (y-- > 0)
-                  png_read_row(png_ptr, row, display);
-            }
-         }
+           /* NOTE: this skips asking libpng to return either version of
+            * the image row, but libpng still reads the rows.
+            */
+           while (y-- > 0)
+              png_read_row(png_ptr, NULL, NULL);
+        }
       }
 
       if (control->file.global->verbose)
@@ -3642,8 +3641,6 @@ read_png(struct control *control)
    }
 
    png_destroy_read_struct(&png_ptr, &info_ptr, NULL);
-   if (row != NULL) free(row);
-   if (display != NULL) free(display);
    return rc;
 }