diff --git a/mapio.c b/mapio.c
index 799aaec01b..a55653fdd3 100644
--- a/mapio.c
+++ b/mapio.c
@@ -553,11 +553,7 @@ typedef struct {
     gdIOCtx        gd_io_ctx;
 #endif
     msIOContext    *ms_io_ctx;
-} msIO_gdIOCtx;
-
-#ifndef USE_GD
-#define gdIOCtx void
-#endif
+} msIO_IOCtx;
 
 
 #ifdef USE_GD
@@ -600,6 +596,7 @@ static int msIO_gd_putBuf( gdIOCtx *cbData, const void *data, int byteCount )
 /*      longer needed.                                                  */
 /************************************************************************/
 
+#ifdef USE_GD
 gdIOCtx *msIO_getGDIOCtx( FILE *fp )
 
 {
@@ -609,15 +606,14 @@ gdIOCtx *msIO_getGDIOCtx( FILE *fp )
     if( context == NULL )
         return NULL;
 
-    merged_context = (msIO_gdIOCtx *) calloc(1,sizeof(msIO_gdIOCtx));
-#ifdef USE_GD
+    merged_context = (msIO_IOCtx *) calloc(1,sizeof(msIO_IOCtx));
     merged_context->gd_io_ctx.putC = msIO_gd_putC;
     merged_context->gd_io_ctx.putBuf = msIO_gd_putBuf;
-#endif
     merged_context->ms_io_ctx = context;
 
     return (gdIOCtx *) merged_context;
 }
+#endif
 
 /* ==================================================================== */
 /* ==================================================================== */
diff --git a/mapscript/php/image.c b/mapscript/php/image.c
index 2c270a25cd..a9b8df7891 100644
--- a/mapscript/php/image.c
+++ b/mapscript/php/image.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(imageObj, saveImage)
         php_write(iptr, size TSRMLS_CC);
         status = MS_SUCCESS;
         /* status = size;  why should we return the size ?? */
-        gdFree(iptr);
+        msFree(iptr);
     }
 
     RETURN_LONG(status);
diff --git a/mapscript/python/pyextend.i b/mapscript/python/pyextend.i
index f0aa4fec1b..2262ae7607 100644
--- a/mapscript/python/pyextend.i
+++ b/mapscript/python/pyextend.i
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ def fromstring(data, mappath=None):
     imageObj(PyObject *arg1=Py_None, PyObject *arg2=Py_None, 
              PyObject *input_format=Py_None, PyObject *input_resolution=Py_None, PyObject *input_defresolution=Py_None)
     {
+#ifdef FORCE_BROKEN_GD_CODE
         imageObj *image=NULL;
         outputFormatObj *format=NULL;
         int width;
@@ -318,6 +319,10 @@ def fromstring(data, mappath=None):
                        "imageObj()");
             return NULL;
         }
+#else
+         msSetError(MS_IMGERR, "imageObj() is severely broken and should not be used","imageObj()");
+         return NULL;
+#endif
     }
   
     /* ======================================================================
diff --git a/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.c b/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.c
index 6b6e9ed70a..1206aa2b5e 100644
--- a/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.c
+++ b/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.c
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
  * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  * ***************************************************************************/
 
+#ifdef USE_GD
+
 #include "pygdioctx.h"
 
 int PyFileIfaceObj_IOCtx_GetC(gdIOCtx *ctx)
@@ -161,3 +163,5 @@ imageObj *createImageObjFromPyFile(PyObject *file, const char *driver)
     }
 }
 
+#endif
+
diff --git a/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.h b/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.h
index 13da345454..1825ad3c38 100644
--- a/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.h
+++ b/mapscript/python/pygdioctx/pygdioctx.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
  * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  * ***************************************************************************/
 
+#ifdef USE_GD
+
 #include <Python.h>
 #include <gd.h>
 #include <gdfonts.h>
@@ -74,3 +76,5 @@ struct PyFileIfaceObj_gdIOCtx * alloc_PyFileIfaceObj_IOCtx(PyObject *fileIfaceOb
 void free_PyFileIfaceObj_IOCtx(struct PyFileIfaceObj_gdIOCtx *pctx);
 imageObj *createImageObjFromPyFile(PyObject *file, const char *driver);
 
+#endif
+
diff --git a/mapscript/swiginc/image.i b/mapscript/swiginc/image.i
index ab8cdc359d..8dece883de 100644
--- a/mapscript/swiginc/image.i
+++ b/mapscript/swiginc/image.i
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@
     Tcl_Obj *saveToString() 
     {
 
+#ifdef FORCE_BROKEN_GD_CODE
         unsigned char *imgbytes;
         int size;
         Tcl_Obj *imgstring;
@@ -210,6 +211,11 @@
         gdFree(imgbytes);
 
         return imgstring;
+#else /* force_gd_broken_code */
+        msSetError(MS_MISCERR, "saveToString() is long deprecated and severley broken", "saveToString()", self->format->driver );
+        return(MS_FAILURE);
+#endif
+
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/mapserver.h b/mapserver.h
index eb4d8dad7c..f601ec97ec 100644
--- a/mapserver.h
+++ b/mapserver.h
@@ -2266,6 +2266,8 @@ MS_DLL_EXPORT imageObj *msImageLoadGD( const char *filename );
 MS_DLL_EXPORT imageObj *msImageLoadGDCtx( gdIOCtx *ctx, const char *driver );
 MS_DLL_EXPORT int msGDSetup();
 MS_DLL_EXPORT void msGDCleanup(int signal);
+#else
+//#define gdIOCtx void*
 #endif
 MS_DLL_EXPORT void msImageStartLayerIM(mapObj *map, layerObj *layer, imageObj *image);
 MS_DLL_EXPORT int msSaveImageIM(imageObj* img, char *filename, outputFormatObj *format);