diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 0b40d528..7c4be654 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+- next version:
+  * WebPINewRGB/WebPINewYUVA accept being passed a NULL output buffer
+    and will perform auto-allocation.
+
 - 10/30/12: version 0.2.1
   * Various security related fixes
   * cwebp.exe: fix import errors on Windows XP
diff --git a/src/dec/idec.c b/src/dec/idec.c
index 1c833095..17810c83 100644
--- a/src/dec/idec.c
+++ b/src/dec/idec.c
@@ -595,12 +595,22 @@ void WebPIDelete(WebPIDecoder* idec) {
 
 WebPIDecoder* WebPINewRGB(WEBP_CSP_MODE mode, uint8_t* output_buffer,
                           size_t output_buffer_size, int output_stride) {
+  const int is_external_memory = (output_buffer != NULL);
   WebPIDecoder* idec;
+
   if (mode >= MODE_YUV) return NULL;
+  if (!is_external_memory) {    // Overwrite parameters to sane values.
+    output_buffer_size = 0;
+    output_stride = 0;
+  } else {  // A buffer was passed. Validate the other params.
+    if (output_stride == 0 || output_buffer_size == 0) {
+      return NULL;   // invalid parameter.
+    }
+  }
   idec = WebPINewDecoder(NULL);
   if (idec == NULL) return NULL;
   idec->output_.colorspace = mode;
-  idec->output_.is_external_memory = 1;
+  idec->output_.is_external_memory = is_external_memory;
   idec->output_.u.RGBA.rgba = output_buffer;
   idec->output_.u.RGBA.stride = output_stride;
   idec->output_.u.RGBA.size = output_buffer_size;
@@ -611,10 +621,30 @@ WebPIDecoder* WebPINewYUVA(uint8_t* luma, size_t luma_size, int luma_stride,
                            uint8_t* u, size_t u_size, int u_stride,
                            uint8_t* v, size_t v_size, int v_stride,
                            uint8_t* a, size_t a_size, int a_stride) {
-  WebPIDecoder* const idec = WebPINewDecoder(NULL);
+  const int is_external_memory = (luma != NULL);
+  WebPIDecoder* idec;
+  WEBP_CSP_MODE colorspace;
+
+  if (!is_external_memory) {    // Overwrite parameters to sane values.
+    luma_size = u_size = v_size = a_size = 0;
+    luma_stride = u_stride = v_stride = a_stride = 0;
+    u = v = a = NULL;
+    colorspace = MODE_YUVA;
+  } else {  // A luma buffer was passed. Validate the other parameters.
+    if (u == NULL || v == NULL) return NULL;
+    if (luma_size == 0 || u_size == 0 || v_size == 0) return NULL;
+    if (luma_stride == 0 || u_stride == 0 || v_stride == 0) return NULL;
+    if (a != NULL) {
+      if (a_size == 0 || a_stride == 0) return NULL;
+    }
+    colorspace = (a == NULL) ? MODE_YUV : MODE_YUVA;
+  }
+
+  idec = WebPINewDecoder(NULL);
   if (idec == NULL) return NULL;
-  idec->output_.colorspace = (a == NULL) ? MODE_YUV : MODE_YUVA;
-  idec->output_.is_external_memory = 1;
+
+  idec->output_.colorspace = colorspace;
+  idec->output_.is_external_memory = is_external_memory;
   idec->output_.u.YUVA.y = luma;
   idec->output_.u.YUVA.y_stride = luma_stride;
   idec->output_.u.YUVA.y_size = luma_size;
diff --git a/src/webp/decode.h b/src/webp/decode.h
index aabeae0f..d82daa0a 100644
--- a/src/webp/decode.h
+++ b/src/webp/decode.h
@@ -269,19 +269,27 @@ WEBP_EXTERN(WebPIDecoder*) WebPINewDecoder(WebPDecBuffer* output_buffer);
 // will output the RGB/A samples specified by 'csp' into a preallocated
 // buffer 'output_buffer'. The size of this buffer is at least
 // 'output_buffer_size' and the stride (distance in bytes between two scanlines)
-// is specified by 'output_stride'. Returns NULL if the allocation failed.
+// is specified by 'output_stride'.
+// Additionally, output_buffer can be passed NULL in which case the output
+// buffer will be allocated automatically when the decoding starts. The
+// colorspace 'csp' is taken into account for allocating this buffer. All other
+// parameters are ignored.
+// Returns NULL if the allocation failed, or if some parameters are invalid.
 WEBP_EXTERN(WebPIDecoder*) WebPINewRGB(
     WEBP_CSP_MODE csp,
     uint8_t* output_buffer, size_t output_buffer_size, int output_stride);
 
 // This function allocates and initializes an incremental-decoder object, which
-// will output the raw luma/chroma samples into a preallocated planes. The luma
-// plane is specified by its pointer 'luma', its size 'luma_size' and its stride
-// 'luma_stride'. Similarly, the chroma-u plane is specified by the 'u',
-// 'u_size' and 'u_stride' parameters, and the chroma-v plane by 'v'
-// and 'v_size'. And same for the alpha-plane. The 'a' pointer can be pass
-// NULL in case one is not interested in the transparency plane.
-// Returns NULL if the allocation failed.
+// will output the raw luma/chroma samples into a preallocated planes if
+// supplied. The luma plane is specified by its pointer 'luma', its size
+// 'luma_size' and its stride 'luma_stride'. Similarly, the chroma-u plane
+// is specified by the 'u', 'u_size' and 'u_stride' parameters, and the chroma-v
+// plane by 'v' and 'v_size'. And same for the alpha-plane. The 'a' pointer
+// can be pass NULL in case one is not interested in the transparency plane.
+// Conversely, 'luma' can be passed NULL if no preallocated planes are supplied.
+// In this case, the output buffer will be automatically allocated (using
+// MODE_YUVA) when decoding starts. All parameters are then ignored.
+// Returns NULL if the allocation failed or if a parameter is invalid.
 WEBP_EXTERN(WebPIDecoder*) WebPINewYUVA(
     uint8_t* luma, size_t luma_size, int luma_stride,
     uint8_t* u, size_t u_size, int u_stride,