diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE
index 978897a7e..551aa275c 100644
--- a/ANNOUNCE
+++ b/ANNOUNCE
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ Version 1.5.10beta01 [February 21, 2012]
   Removed two useless #ifdef directives from pngread.c and one from pngrutil.c
   Always put the CMAKE_LIBRARY in "lib" (removed special WIN32 case).
   Removed empty vstudio/pngstest directory (Clifford Yapp).
+  Eliminated redundant png_push_read_tEXt|zTXt|iTXt|unknown code from
+    pngpread.c and use the sequential png_handle_tEXt, etc., in pngrutil.c;
+    now that png_ptr->buffer is inaccessible to applications, the special
+    handling is no longer useful.
+  Fixed bug with png_handle_hIST with odd chunk length (Frank Busse).
 
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diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index ea36dd989..4058701e3 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -3814,6 +3814,11 @@ Version 1.5.10beta01 [February 21, 2012]
   Removed two useless #ifdef directives from pngread.c and one from pngrutil.c
   Always put the CMAKE_LIBRARY in "lib" (removed special WIN32 case).
   Removed empty vstudio/pngstest directory (Clifford Yapp).
+  Eliminated redundant png_push_read_tEXt|zTXt|iTXt|unknown code from
+    pngpread.c and use the sequential png_handle_tEXt, etc., in pngrutil.c;
+    now that png_ptr->buffer is inaccessible to applications, the special
+    handling is no longer useful.
+  Fixed bug with png_handle_hIST with odd chunk length (Frank Busse).
 
 Send comments/corrections/commendations to png-mng-implement at lists.sf.net
 (subscription required; visit
diff --git a/pngrutil.c b/pngrutil.c
index 1a6250340..74822a92b 100644
--- a/pngrutil.c
+++ b/pngrutil.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 /* pngrutil.c - utilities to read a PNG file
  *
- * Last changed in libpng 1.5.9 [(PENDING RELEASE)]
+ * Last changed in libpng 1.5.10 [(PENDING RELEASE)]
  * Copyright (c) 1998-2012 Glenn Randers-Pehrson
  * (Version 0.96 Copyright (c) 1996, 1997 Andreas Dilger)
  * (Version 0.88 Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 Guy Eric Schalnat, Group 42, Inc.)
@@ -1793,16 +1793,16 @@ png_handle_hIST(png_structp png_ptr, png_infop info_ptr, png_uint_32 length)
       return;
    }
 
-   num = length / 2 ;
-
-   if (num != (unsigned int)png_ptr->num_palette || num >
-       (unsigned int)PNG_MAX_PALETTE_LENGTH)
+   if (length > 2*PNG_MAX_PALETTE_LENGTH ||
+       length != (unsigned int) (2*png_ptr->num_palette))
    {
       png_warning(png_ptr, "Incorrect hIST chunk length");
       png_crc_finish(png_ptr, length);
       return;
    }
 
+   num = length / 2 ;
+
    for (i = 0; i < num; i++)
    {
       png_byte buf[2];