diff --git a/vips.go b/vips.go
index b464e9a..4d2a99d 100644
--- a/vips.go
+++ b/vips.go
@@ -60,8 +60,13 @@ func vipsFlip(image *C.struct__VipsImage, direction Direction) (*C.struct__VipsI
 
 func vipsRead(buf []byte) (*C.struct__VipsImage, error) {
 	var image *C.struct__VipsImage
+	imageType := vipsImageType(buf)
 
-	debug("Format: %s", vipsImageType(buf))
+	debug("Image format: %s", imageType)
+
+	if imageType == UNKNOWN {
+		return nil, errors.New("Input buffer contains unsupported image format")
+	}
 
 	// feed it
 	length := C.size_t(len(buf))
diff --git a/vips.h b/vips.h
index 9990c3d..1cffa24 100644
--- a/vips.h
+++ b/vips.h
@@ -2,12 +2,6 @@
 #include <vips/vips.h>
 #include <vips/vips7compat.h>
 
-int
-vips_initialize()
-{
-	return vips_init("bimg");
-};
-
 int
 vips_affine_interpolator(VipsImage *in, VipsImage **out, double a, double b, double c, double d, VipsInterpolate *interpolator)
 {