diff --git a/include/mapnik/image_util.hpp b/include/mapnik/image_util.hpp
index f6bb1ca21..a02826f6a 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/image_util.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/image_util.hpp
@@ -266,20 +266,20 @@ extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_data_rgba8>(image_data_rgba8
                                                       std::string const&);
 
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                     std::string const&,
                                                                     std::string const&,
                                                                     rgba_palette const&);
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                     std::string const&,
                                                                     std::string const&);
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                     std::string const&,
                                                                     rgba_palette const&);
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_file<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                     std::string const&);
 
 extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_data_rgba8>(image_data_rgba8 const&,
@@ -289,10 +289,10 @@ extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_data_rgba8>(image_d
                                                                std::string const&,
                                                                rgba_palette const&);
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                              std::string const&);
 
-extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const&,
+extern template MAPNIK_DECL std::string save_to_string<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const&,
                                                                              std::string const&,
                                                                              rgba_palette const&);
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
@@ -310,15 +310,15 @@ template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_stream<image_data_rgba8>(
     std::string const& type
 );
 
-template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_stream<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (
-    image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image,
+template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_stream<image_view_rgba8> (
+    image_view_rgba8 const& image,
     std::ostream & stream,
     std::string const& type,
     rgba_palette const& palette
 );
 
-template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_stream<image_view<image_data_rgba8> > (
-    image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image,
+template MAPNIK_DECL void save_to_stream<image_view_rgba8> (
+    image_view_rgba8 const& image,
     std::ostream & stream,
     std::string const& type
 );
diff --git a/include/mapnik/image_util_jpeg.hpp b/include/mapnik/image_util_jpeg.hpp
index 091ce2566..5f77f56f0 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/image_util_jpeg.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/image_util_jpeg.hpp
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@
 #ifndef MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_JPEG_HPP
 #define MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_JPEG_HPP
 
-// mapnik
-#include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
-
 // stl
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-struct jpeg_saver : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<> 
+struct jpeg_saver
 {
-    jpeg_saver(std::ostream &, std::string &);
+    jpeg_saver(std::ostream &, std::string const&);
     template <typename T>
     void operator() (T const&) const;
   private:
diff --git a/include/mapnik/image_util_png.hpp b/include/mapnik/image_util_png.hpp
index a48c02bef..06dcde894 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/image_util_png.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/image_util_png.hpp
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@
 #ifndef MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_PNG_HPP
 #define MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_PNG_HPP
 
-// mapnik
-#include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
-
 // stl
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-struct png_saver_pal : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<> 
+struct png_saver_pal
 {
-    png_saver_pal(std::ostream &, std::string &, rgba_palette const&);
+    png_saver_pal(std::ostream &, std::string const&, rgba_palette const&);
     template <typename T>
     void operator() (T const&) const;
   private:
@@ -43,9 +40,9 @@ struct png_saver_pal : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<>
     rgba_palette const& pal_; 
 };
 
-struct png_saver : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<> 
+struct png_saver
 {
-    png_saver(std::ostream &, std::string &);
+    png_saver(std::ostream &, std::string const&);
     template <typename T>
     void operator() (T const&) const;
   private:
diff --git a/include/mapnik/image_util_tiff.hpp b/include/mapnik/image_util_tiff.hpp
index 6a2861b2a..5cacc6781 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/image_util_tiff.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/image_util_tiff.hpp
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@
 #ifndef MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_TIFF_HPP
 #define MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_TIFF_HPP
 
-// mapnik
-#include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
-
 // stl
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-struct tiff_saver : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<> 
+struct tiff_saver
 {
-    tiff_saver(std::ostream &, std::string &);
+    tiff_saver(std::ostream &, std::string const&);
     template <typename T>
     void operator() (T const&) const;
   private:
diff --git a/include/mapnik/image_util_webp.hpp b/include/mapnik/image_util_webp.hpp
index 8ba687082..14a218309 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/image_util_webp.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/image_util_webp.hpp
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@
 #ifndef MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_WEBP_HPP
 #define MAPNIK_IMAGE_UTIL_WEBP_HPP
 
-// mapnik
-#include <mapnik/util/variant.hpp>
-
 // stl
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
-struct webp_saver : public mapnik::util::static_visitor<> 
+struct webp_saver
 {
-    webp_saver(std::ostream &, std::string &);
+    webp_saver(std::ostream &, std::string const&);
     template <typename T>
     void operator() (T const&) const;
   private:
diff --git a/include/mapnik/png_io.hpp b/include/mapnik/png_io.hpp
index 14b9edc44..7034ca293 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/png_io.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/png_io.hpp
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ void save_as_png8(T1 & file,
             mapnik::image_data_gray8::pixel_type  * row_out = reduced_image.getRow(y);
             for (unsigned x = 0; x < width; ++x)
             {
-                row_out[x] = tree->quantize(row[x]);
+                row_out[x] = tree.quantize(row[x]);
             }
         }
         save_as_png(file, palette, reduced_image, width, height, 8, alphaTable, opts);
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ void save_as_png8(T1 & file,
             for (unsigned x = 0; x < width; ++x)
             {
 
-                index = tree->quantize(row[x]);
+                index = tree.quantize(row[x]);
                 if (x%2 == 0)
                 {
                     index = index<<4;
diff --git a/src/build.py b/src/build.py
index 0f32bce0b..044659f94 100644
--- a/src/build.py
+++ b/src/build.py
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ source = Split(
     parse_path.cpp
     image_reader.cpp
     image_util.cpp
+    image_util_jpeg.cpp
+    image_util_png.cpp
+    image_util_tiff.cpp
+    image_util_webp.cpp
     layer.cpp
     map.cpp
     load_map.cpp
diff --git a/src/image_util.cpp b/src/image_util.cpp
index b54e75a8a..22a431b7d 100644
--- a/src/image_util.cpp
+++ b/src/image_util.cpp
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ void save_to_file(T const& image,
     else throw ImageWriterException("Could not write file to " + filename );
 }
 
-template <>
-void save_to_stream<image_data_any>(image_data_any const& image,
+template <typename T>
+void save_to_stream(T const& image,
                     std::ostream & stream,
                     std::string const& type,
                     rgba_palette const& palette)
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ void save_to_stream<image_data_any>(image_data_any const& image,
         std::transform(t.begin(), t.end(), t.begin(), ::tolower);
         if (t == "png" || boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "png"))
         {
-            mapnik::util::apply_visitor(png_saver_pal(stream, t, palette), image);
+            png_saver_pal visitor(stream, t, palette);
+            visitor(image);
+            //mapnik::util::apply_visitor(visitor, image);
         }
         else if (boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "tif"))
         {
@@ -137,7 +139,8 @@ void save_to_stream<image_data_any>(image_data_any const& image,
     else throw ImageWriterException("Could not write to empty stream" );
 }
 
-void save_to_stream(image_data_any const& image,
+template <typename T>
+void save_to_stream(T const& image,
                     std::ostream & stream,
                     std::string const& type)
 {
@@ -147,19 +150,27 @@ void save_to_stream(image_data_any const& image,
         std::transform(t.begin(), t.end(), t.begin(), ::tolower);
         if (t == "png" || boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "png"))
         {
-            util::apply_visitor(png_saver(stream, t), image);
+            png_saver visitor(stream, t);
+            visitor(image);
+            //util::apply_visitor(visitor, image);
         }
         else if (boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "tif"))
         {
-            util::apply_visitor(tiff_saver(stream, t), image);
+            tiff_saver visitor(stream, t);  
+            visitor(image);
+            //util::apply_visitor(visitor, image);
         }
         else if (boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "jpeg"))
         {
-            util::apply_visitor(jpeg_saver(stream, t), image);
+            jpeg_saver visitor(stream, t);
+            visitor(image);
+            //util::apply_visitor(visitor, image);
         }
         else if (boost::algorithm::starts_with(t, "webp"))
         {
-            util::apply_visitor(webp_saver(stream, t), image);
+            webp_saver visitor(stream, t);
+            visitor(image);
+            //util::apply_visitor(visitor, image);
         }
         else throw ImageWriterException("unknown file type: " + type);
     }
diff --git a/src/image_util_jpeg.cpp b/src/image_util_jpeg.cpp
index 74a3c5aa5..d44c13974 100644
--- a/src/image_util_jpeg.cpp
+++ b/src/image_util_jpeg.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@
 #include <mapnik/jpeg_io.hpp>
 #endif
 
+#include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_util_jpeg.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_data.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_data_any.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_view.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/util/conversions.hpp>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>
@@ -41,13 +45,8 @@ namespace mapnik
 jpeg_saver::jpeg_saver(std::ostream & stream, std::string const& t):
     stream_(stream), t_(t) {}
 
-void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_data_null const& image) const
-{
-    throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported");
-}
-
 template <typename T>
-void jpeg_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
+void process_rgba8_jpeg(T const& image, std::string const& t, std::ostream & stream)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_JPEG)
     int quality = 85;
@@ -65,13 +64,29 @@ void jpeg_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
 #endif
 }
 
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_data_gray8> (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_data_gray16> (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_data_gray32f> (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_rgba8>> (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray8>> (image_view<image_data_gray8> const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray16>> (image_view<image_data_gray16> const& image) const;
-template void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray32f>> (image_view<image_data_gray32f> const& image) const;
+template<>
+void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
+{
+    process_rgba8_jpeg(image, t_, stream_);
+}
+
+template<>
+void jpeg_saver::operator()<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const& image) const
+{
+    process_rgba8_jpeg(image, t_, stream_);
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+void jpeg_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
+{
+    throw ImageWriterException("Mapnik does not support jpeg grayscale images");
+}
+
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_view_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_view_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void jpeg_saver::operator() (image_view_gray32f const& image) const;
 
 } // end ns
diff --git a/src/image_util_png.cpp b/src/image_util_png.cpp
index cd3527e8a..b4b102798 100644
--- a/src/image_util_png.cpp
+++ b/src/image_util_png.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,12 @@ extern "C"
 #include <mapnik/png_io.hpp>
 #endif
 
+#include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_util_png.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_data.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_data_any.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_view.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/util/conversions.hpp>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>
@@ -179,37 +183,47 @@ png_saver::png_saver(std::ostream & stream, std::string const& t):
 png_saver_pal::png_saver_pal(std::ostream & stream, std::string const& t, rgba_palette const& pal):
     stream_(stream), t_(t), pal_(pal) {}
 
-void png_saver::operator() (image_data_null const& image) const
+template<>
+void png_saver::operator()<image_data_null> (image_data_null const& image) const
 {
-    throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported");
+    throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported for png");
+}
+
+template<>
+void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_data_null> (image_data_null const& image) const
+{
+    throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported for png");
 }
 
 template <typename T>
-void process_rgb8_png_pal(T const& image)
+void process_rgba8_png_pal(T const& image, 
+                          std::string const& t,
+                          std::ostream & stream,
+                          rgba_palette const& pal)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_PNG)
     png_options opts;
-    handle_png_options(t_, opts);
-    if (pal_ && pal_->valid())
+    handle_png_options(t, opts);
+    if (pal.valid())
     {
         png_options opts;
         handle_png_options(t,opts);
-        save_as_png8_pal(stream, image, pal_, opts);
+        save_as_png8_pal(stream, image, pal, opts);
     }
     else if (opts.paletted)
     {
         if (opts.use_hextree)
         {
-            save_as_png8_hex(stream_, image, opts);
+            save_as_png8_hex(stream, image, opts);
         }
         else
         {
-            save_as_png8_oct(stream_, image, opts);
+            save_as_png8_oct(stream, image, opts);
         }
     }
     else
     {
-        save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
+        save_as_png(stream, image, opts);
     }
 #else
     throw ImageWriterException("png output is not enabled in your build of Mapnik");
@@ -217,87 +231,94 @@ void process_rgb8_png_pal(T const& image)
 }
 
 template <typename T>
-void process_rgb8_png(T const& image)
+void process_rgba8_png(T const& image, 
+                          std::string const& t,
+                          std::ostream & stream)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_PNG)
     png_options opts;
-    handle_png_options(t_, opts);
+    handle_png_options(t, opts);
     if (opts.paletted)
     {
         if (opts.use_hextree)
         {
-            save_as_png8_hex(stream_, image, opts);
+            save_as_png8_hex(stream, image, opts);
         }
         else
         {
-            save_as_png8_oct(stream_, image, opts);
+            save_as_png8_oct(stream, image, opts);
         }
     }
     else
     {
-        save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
+        save_as_png(stream, image, opts);
     }
 #else
     throw ImageWriterException("png output is not enabled in your build of Mapnik");
 #endif
 }
 
-void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
+template<>
+void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
 {
-    process_rgb8_png(image);
+    process_rgba8_png_pal(image, t_, stream_, pal_);
 }
 
-void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image) const
+template<>
+void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const& image) const
 {
-    process_rgb8_png(image);
+    process_rgba8_png_pal(image, t_, stream_, pal_);
 }
 
-void png_saver::operator() (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
+template<>
+void png_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
 {
-    process_rgb8_png(image);
+    process_rgba8_png(image, t_, stream_);
 }
 
-void png_saver::operator() (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image) const
+template<>
+void png_saver::operator()<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const& image) const
 {
-    process_rgb8_png(image);
+    process_rgba8_png(image, t_, stream_);
 }
 
 template <typename T>
 void png_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_PNG)
-    png_options opts;
-    handle_png_options(t_, opts);
-    save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
+    throw ImageWriterException("Mapnik does not support grayscale images for png");
+    //png_options opts;
+    //handle_png_options(t_, opts);
+    //save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
 #else
     throw ImageWriterException("png output is not enabled in your build of Mapnik");
 #endif
 }
 
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_data_gray8> (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_data_gray16> (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_data_gray32f> (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray8>> (image_view<image_data_gray8> const& image) const;
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray16>> (image_view<image_data_gray16> const& image) const;
-template void png_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray32f>> (image_view<image_data_gray32f> const& image) const;
-
 template <typename T>
 void png_saver_pal::operator() (T const& image) const
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_PNG)
-    png_options opts;
-    handle_png_options(t_, opts);
-    save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
+    throw ImageWriterException("Mapnik does not support grayscale images for png");
+    //png_options opts;
+    //handle_png_options(t_, opts);
+    //save_as_png(stream_, image, opts);
 #else
     throw ImageWriterException("png output is not enabled in your build of Mapnik");
 #endif
 }
 
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_data_gray8> (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_data_gray16> (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_data_gray32f> (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray8>> (image_view<image_data_gray8> const& image) const;
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray16>> (image_view<image_data_gray16> const& image) const;
-template void png_saver_pal::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray32f>> (image_view<image_data_gray32f> const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_view_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_view_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver::operator() (image_view_gray32f const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_view_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_view_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void png_saver_pal::operator() (image_view_gray32f const& image) const;
 
 } // end ns
diff --git a/src/image_util_tiff.cpp b/src/image_util_tiff.cpp
index 92bd01a2b..f4a94ffc7 100644
--- a/src/image_util_tiff.cpp
+++ b/src/image_util_tiff.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@
 #include <mapnik/tiff_io.hpp>
 #endif
 
+#include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_util_tiff.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_data.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_data_any.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_view.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/util/conversions.hpp>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>
@@ -161,8 +165,8 @@ void handle_tiff_options(std::string const& type,
 
 tiff_saver::tiff_saver(std::ostream & stream, std::string const& t):
     stream_(stream), t_(t) {}
-
-void tiff_saver::operator() (image_data_null const& image) const
+template<>
+void tiff_saver::operator()<image_data_null> (image_data_null const& image) const
 {
     throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported");
 }
@@ -179,13 +183,13 @@ void tiff_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
 #endif
 }
 
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_data_gray8> (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_data_gray16> (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_data_gray32f> (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_rgba8>> (image_view<image_data_rgba8> const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray8>> (image_view<image_data_gray8> const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray16>> (image_view<image_data_gray16> const& image) const;
-template void tiff_saver::operator()<image_view<image_data_gray32f>> (image_view<image_data_gray32f> const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_data_gray32f const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_view_rgba8 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_view_gray8 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_view_gray16 const& image) const;
+template void tiff_saver::operator() (image_view_gray32f const& image) const;
 
 } // end ns
diff --git a/src/image_util_webp.cpp b/src/image_util_webp.cpp
index a98168cbf..5d6770947 100644
--- a/src/image_util_webp.cpp
+++ b/src/image_util_webp.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@
 #include <mapnik/webp_io.hpp>
 #endif
 
+#include <mapnik/image_util.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_util_webp.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/image_data.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_data_any.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/image_view.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/util/conversions.hpp>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>
@@ -330,13 +334,14 @@ void handle_webp_options(std::string const& type,
 webp_saver::webp_saver(std::ostream & stream, std::string const& t):
     stream_(stream), t_(t) {}
 
-void webp_saver::operator() (image_data_null const& image) const
+template<>
+void webp_saver::operator()<image_data_null> (image_data_null const& image) const
 {
     throw ImageWriterException("null images not supported");
 }
 
 template <typename T>
-void webp_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
+void process_rgba8_webp(T const& image, std::string const& t, std::ostream & stream)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_WEBP)
     WebPConfig config;
@@ -354,6 +359,24 @@ void webp_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
 #endif
 }
 
+template <>
+void webp_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const
+{
+    process_rgba8_webp(image, t_, stream_);
+}
+
+template <>
+void webp_saver::operator()<image_view_rgba8> (image_view_rgba8 const& image) const
+{
+    process_rgba8_webp(image, t_, stream_);
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+void webp_saver::operator() (T const& image) const
+{
+    throw ImageWriterException("Mapnik does not support webp grayscale images");
+}
+
 template void webp_saver::operator()<image_data_rgba8> (image_data_rgba8 const& image) const;
 template void webp_saver::operator()<image_data_gray8> (image_data_gray8 const& image) const;
 template void webp_saver::operator()<image_data_gray16> (image_data_gray16 const& image) const;