diff --git a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/read.hpp b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/read.hpp
index e8a3f39c1..e3d9f5ff2 100644
--- a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/read.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/read.hpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ public:
                     {
                         this->_scanline_length = this->_info._width * ( this->_info._bits_per_pixel / 8 );
 
-                        if( this->_info._descriptor & 0x20 )
+                        if( this->_info._screen_origin_bit )
                         {
                             read_data< bgr8_view_t >( flipped_up_down_view( dst_view ) );
                         }
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public:
                     {
                         this->_scanline_length = this->_info._width * ( this->_info._bits_per_pixel / 8 );
 
-                        if( this->_info._descriptor & 0x20 )
+                        if( this->_info._screen_origin_bit )
                         {
                             read_data< bgra8_view_t >( flipped_up_down_view( dst_view ) );
                         }
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ public:
                 {
                     case 24:
                     {
-                        if( this->_info._descriptor & 0x20 )
+                        if( this->_info._screen_origin_bit )
                         {
                             read_rle_data< bgr8_view_t >( flipped_up_down_view( dst_view ) );
                         }
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public:
                     }
                     case 32:
                     {
-                        if( this->_info._descriptor & 0x20 )
+                        if( this->_info._screen_origin_bit )
                         {
                             read_rle_data< bgra8_view_t >( flipped_up_down_view( dst_view ) );
                         }
diff --git a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/reader_backend.hpp b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/reader_backend.hpp
index 750bc1455..251c90d92 100644
--- a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/reader_backend.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/reader_backend.hpp
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ public:
         }
         
         _info._descriptor = _io_dev.read_uint8();
-        targa_descriptor::type pixel_type = _info._descriptor & 0xdf;
 
         // According to TGA specs, http://www.gamers.org/dEngine/quake3/TGA.txt,
         // the image descriptor byte is:
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ public:
         {
             io_error("Unsupported descriptor for targa file");
         }
-        else if (_info._bits_per_pixel == 24 && pixel_type != 0)
+        else if (_info._bits_per_pixel == 24)
         {
             // Bits 3-0 - For the Targa 24, it should be 0.
             if ((_info._descriptor & 0x0FU) != 0)
@@ -112,24 +111,23 @@ public:
                 io_error("Unsupported descriptor for targa file");
             }
         }
-        else if (_info._bits_per_pixel == 32 && pixel_type != 0)
+        else if (_info._bits_per_pixel == 32)
         {
             // Bits 3-0 - For Targa 32, it should be 8.
             if (_info._descriptor != 8 && _info._descriptor != 40)
             {
                 io_error("Unsupported descriptor for targa file");
             }
-
-            if (_info._descriptor & 32)
-            {
-                _info._screen_origin_bit = true;
-            }
         }
         else
         {
             io_error("Unsupported descriptor for targa file");
         }
 
+        if (_info._descriptor & 32)
+        {
+            _info._screen_origin_bit = true;
+        }
        
         _info._valid = true;
     }
diff --git a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/scanline_read.hpp b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/scanline_read.hpp
index 78426e017..014c46b2e 100644
--- a/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/scanline_read.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/gil/extension/io/formats/targa/scanline_read.hpp
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ private:
                 {
                     io_error( "Non-indexed targa files containing a palette are not supported." );
                 }
+
+                if( this->_info._screen_origin_bit )
+                {
+                    io_error( "scanline reader cannot read targa files which have screen origin bit set." );
+                }
                 
                 switch( this->_info._bits_per_pixel )
                 {
diff --git a/io/test/targa_read_test.cpp b/io/test/targa_read_test.cpp
index 02dc44592..e8386432b 100644
--- a/io/test/targa_read_test.cpp
+++ b/io/test/targa_read_test.cpp
@@ -75,10 +75,17 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( read_reference_images_test )
     // 24BPP_compressed.tga
     {
         rgb8_image_t img;
-        
         read_image( targa_in + "24BPP_compressed.tga", img, tag_t() );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).width() , 124 );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).height(), 124 );
+
+        typename rgb8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgb8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
 
         write( img, "24BPP_compressed_out.tga" );
     }
@@ -86,10 +93,17 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( read_reference_images_test )
     // 24BPP_uncompressed.tga
     {
         rgb8_image_t img;
-        
         read_image( targa_in + "24BPP_uncompressed.tga", img, tag_t() );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).width() , 124 );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).height(), 124 );
+
+        typename rgb8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgb8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
 
         write( img, "24BPP_uncompressed_out.tga" );
 
@@ -99,10 +113,17 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( read_reference_images_test )
     // 32BPP_compressed.tga
     {
         rgba8_image_t img;
-        
         read_image( targa_in + "32BPP_compressed.tga", img, tag_t() );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).width() , 124 );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).height(), 124 );
+
+        typename rgba8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgba8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
 
         write( img, "32BPP_compressed_out.tga" );
     }
@@ -110,15 +131,94 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( read_reference_images_test )
     // 32BPP_uncompressed.tga
     {
         rgba8_image_t img;
-        
         read_image( targa_in + "32BPP_uncompressed.tga", img, tag_t() );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).width() , 124 );
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( view( img ).height(), 124 );
+
+        typename rgba8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgba8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
 
         write( img, "32BPP_uncompressed_out.tga" );
 
         test_targa_scanline_reader< bgra8_image_t >( "32BPP_uncompressed.tga" );
     }
+
+    // 24BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga
+    {
+        rgb8_image_t img;
+        read_image( targa_in + "24BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga", img, tag_t() );
+
+        typename rgb8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgb8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+
+        write( img, "24BPP_compressed_ul_origin_out.tga" );
+    }
+
+    // 24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga
+    {
+        rgb8_image_t img;
+        read_image( targa_in + "24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga", img, tag_t() );
+
+        typename rgb8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgb8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgb8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgb8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248) );
+
+        write( img, "24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin_out.tga" );
+    }
+
+    // 32BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga
+    {
+        rgba8_image_t img;
+        read_image( targa_in + "32BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga", img, tag_t() );
+
+        typename rgba8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgba8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+
+        write( img, "32BPP_compressed_ul_origin_out.tga" );
+    }
+
+    // 32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga
+    {
+        rgba8_image_t img;
+        read_image( targa_in + "32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga", img, tag_t() );
+
+        typename rgba8_image_t::x_coord_t width  = view( img ).width();
+        typename rgba8_image_t::y_coord_t height = view( img ).height();
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( width , 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( height, 124 );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, 0) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 248, 255) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(0, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(0, 0, 0, 0) );
+        BOOST_CHECK( view( img )(width-1, height-1) == rgba8_pixel_t(248, 0, 248, 255) );
+
+        write( img, "32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin_out.tga" );
+    }
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( partial_image_test )
diff --git a/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga b/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98988a751
Binary files /dev/null and b/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga differ
diff --git a/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga b/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5cab05c0
Binary files /dev/null and b/io/test_images/targa/24BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga differ
diff --git a/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga b/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fa4c636e
Binary files /dev/null and b/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_compressed_ul_origin.tga differ
diff --git a/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga b/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..65e807408
Binary files /dev/null and b/io/test_images/targa/32BPP_uncompressed_ul_origin.tga differ