diff --git a/ext/handle_pixel/theme.php b/ext/handle_pixel/theme.php
index 565375cb..a3604831 100644
--- a/ext/handle_pixel/theme.php
+++ b/ext/handle_pixel/theme.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class PixelFileHandlerTheme extends Themelet {
 
 		$u_ilink = $image->get_image_link();
 		$html = "<img alt='main image' id='main_image' src='$u_ilink'>";
-		if($config->get_bool("image_show_meta")) {
+		if($config->get_bool("image_show_meta") && function_exists("exif_read_data")) {
 			# FIXME: only read from jpegs?
 			$exif = @exif_read_data($image->get_image_filename(), 0, true);
 			if($exif) {
diff --git a/ext/image/main.php b/ext/image/main.php
index 255b6242..8c5c47b5 100644
--- a/ext/image/main.php
+++ b/ext/image/main.php
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ class ImageIO extends Extension {
 		$config->set_default_int('thumb_mem_limit', parse_shorthand_int('8MB'));
 		$config->set_default_string('thumb_convert_path', 'convert.exe');
 
-		$config->set_default_bool('image_show_meta', false);
+		if(function_exists("exif_read_data")) {
+			$config->set_default_bool('image_show_meta', false);
+		}
 		$config->set_default_bool('image_jquery_confirm', true);
 		$config->set_default_string('image_ilink', '');
 		$config->set_default_string('image_tlink', '');