diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
index 6ab58f3714..70b572c861 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
@@ -1010,18 +1010,44 @@ ShowImageView::OutputFormatForType(BBitmap* bitmap, const char* type, translatio
 }
 
 void
-ShowImageView::SaveToFile(BDirectory* dir, const char* name, BBitmap* bitmap, translation_format* format)
+ShowImageView::SaveToFile(BDirectory* dir, const char* name, BBitmap* bitmap, const translation_format* format)
 {
-	BTranslatorRoster *roster = BTranslatorRoster::Default();
-	BBitmapStream stream(bitmap); // destructor deletes bitmap
-	// write data
-	BFile file(dir, name, B_WRITE_ONLY);
-	roster->Translate(&stream, NULL, NULL, &file, format->type);
-	// set mime type
-	BNodeInfo info(&file);
-	if (info.InitCheck() == B_OK) {
-		info.SetType(format->MIME);
+	if (!bitmap)
+		// If no bitmap is supplied, write out the whole image
+		bitmap = fBitmap;
+
+	BBitmapStream stream(bitmap);
+		
+	bool loop = true;
+	while (loop) {
+		BTranslatorRoster *roster = BTranslatorRoster::Default();
+		if (!roster)
+			break;
+		// write data
+		BFile file(dir, name, B_WRITE_ONLY | B_CREATE_FILE | B_ERASE_FILE);
+		if (file.InitCheck() != B_OK)
+			break;
+		if (roster->Translate(&stream, NULL, NULL, &file, format->type) < B_OK)
+			break;
+		// set mime type
+		BNodeInfo info(&file);
+		if (info.InitCheck() == B_OK)
+			info.SetType(format->MIME);
+			
+		loop = false;
+			// break out of loop gracefully (indicates no errors)
 	}
+	if (loop) {
+		// If loop terminated because of a break, there was an error
+		BString errText;
+		errText << "Sorry, the file '" << name << "' could not be written.";
+		BAlert *palert = new BAlert(NULL, errText.String(), "Ok");
+		palert->Go();
+	}
+	
+	stream.DetachBitmap(&bitmap);
+		// Don't allow the bitmap to be deleted, this is
+		// especially important when using fBitmap as the bitmap
 }
 
 void
@@ -1065,6 +1091,7 @@ ShowImageView::HandleDrop(BMessage* msg)
 	if (saveToFile) {
 		BDirectory dir(&dirRef);
 		SaveToFile(&dir, name.String(), bitmap, &format);
+		delete bitmap;
 	} else if (sendInMessage) {
 		SendInMessage(msg, bitmap, &format);
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
index cf24bf4aa4..a8a3f11f6a 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public:
 	void Pulse();
 	
 	status_t SetImage(const entry_ref *pref);
+	void SaveToFile(BDirectory* dir, const char* name, BBitmap* bitmap, const translation_format* format);
 	void SetDither(bool dither);
 	bool GetDither() const { return fDither; }
 	void SetShowCaption(bool show);
@@ -166,7 +167,6 @@ private:
 	BBitmap* CopySelection(uchar alpha = 255, bool imageSize = true);
 	bool AddSupportedTypes(BMessage* msg, BBitmap* bitmap);
 	void BeginDrag(BPoint sourcePoint);
-	void SaveToFile(BDirectory* dir, const char* name, BBitmap* bitmap, translation_format* format);
 	void SendInMessage(BMessage* msg, BBitmap* bitmap, translation_format* format);
 	bool OutputFormatForType(BBitmap* bitmap, const char* type, translation_format* format);
 	void HandleDrop(BMessage* msg);
diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
index b9c064a98d..fb64c0297f 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
@@ -816,26 +816,26 @@ ShowImageWindow::SaveToFile(BMessage *pmsg)
 		reinterpret_cast<int32 *>(&outType)) != B_OK)
 		return;
 	
-	// Create the output file
-	BDirectory dir(&dirref);
-	BFile file(&dir, filename, B_WRITE_ONLY | B_CREATE_FILE | B_ERASE_FILE);
-	if (file.InitCheck() != B_OK)
+	// Find the translator_format information needed to
+	// write a MIME attribute for the image file
+	BTranslatorRoster *roster = BTranslatorRoster::Default();
+	const translation_format *pouts = NULL;
+	int32 outsCount = 0;
+	if (roster->GetOutputFormats(outTranslator, &pouts, &outsCount) != B_OK)
+		return;
+	if (outsCount < 1)
+		return;
+	int32 i;
+	for (i = 0; i < outsCount; i++) {
+		if (pouts[i].group == B_TRANSLATOR_BITMAP && pouts[i].type == outType)
+			break;
+	}
+	if (i == outsCount)
 		return;
 	
-	// Translate the image and write it out to the output file
-	BBitmapStream stream(fImageView->GetBitmap());	
-	BTranslatorRoster *proster = BTranslatorRoster::Default();
-	if (proster->Translate(outTranslator, &stream, NULL,
-		&file, outType) != B_OK) {
-		BAlert *palert = new BAlert(NULL, "Error writing image file.", "Ok");
-		palert->Go();
-	} else
-		fModified = false;
-	
-	BBitmap *pout = NULL;
-	stream.DetachBitmap(&pout);
-		// bitmap used by stream still belongs to the view,
-		// detach so it doesn't get deleted
+	// Write out the image file
+	BDirectory dir(&dirref);
+	fImageView->SaveToFile(&dir, filename, NULL, &pouts[i]);
 }
 
 bool