diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 4e2cdc1f..aa0a8346 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.3.8
+8.3.9
diff --git a/calma/CalmaRdpt.c b/calma/CalmaRdpt.c
index a5c84661..cbfe6ff4 100644
--- a/calma/CalmaRdpt.c
+++ b/calma/CalmaRdpt.c
@@ -922,10 +922,11 @@ calmaElementText()
     }
     else if (type < 0)
     {
-	CalmaReadError("Warning:  label \"%s\" at (%d, %d) is on unhandled"
-		" layer:purpose pair %d:%d and will be discarded.\n", textbody,
-		r.r_ll.p_x * cifCurReadStyle->crs_scaleFactor,
-		r.r_ll.p_y * cifCurReadStyle->crs_scaleFactor, layer, textt);
+	if (!(cifCurReadStyle->crs_flags & CRF_IGNORE_UNKNOWNLAYER_LABELS))
+	    CalmaReadError("Warning:  label \"%s\" at (%d, %d) is on unhandled"
+		    " layer:purpose pair %d:%d and will be discarded.\n", textbody,
+		    r.r_ll.p_x * cifCurReadStyle->crs_scaleFactor,
+		    r.r_ll.p_y * cifCurReadStyle->crs_scaleFactor, layer, textt);
     }
     else
     {