diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 83d6e3e8..48221040 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.3.630
+8.3.631
diff --git a/commands/CmdLQ.c b/commands/CmdLQ.c
index 8f4c9727..349a1164 100644
--- a/commands/CmdLQ.c
+++ b/commands/CmdLQ.c
@@ -2681,14 +2681,13 @@ CmdDoProperty(
 			    }
 			}
 			if (proplen > 0)
-			{
 			    proprec = (PropertyRecord *)mallocMagic(
 					sizeof(PropertyRecord) +
 					(proplen - 2) * sizeof(int));
-			    proprec->prop_type = proptype;
-			    proprec->prop_len = proplen;
-			}
 		    }
+		    proprec->prop_type = proptype;
+		    proprec->prop_len = proplen;
+
 		    /* Second pass */
 		    value = cmd->tx_argv[argstart + 1];
 		    for (proplen = 0; proplen < proprec->prop_len; proplen++)
diff --git a/database/DBio.c b/database/DBio.c
index 70fc0f63..22e81bdd 100644
--- a/database/DBio.c
+++ b/database/DBio.c
@@ -2594,7 +2594,16 @@ dbReadProperties(cellDef, line, len, f, scalen, scaled)
 			while (isspace(*pptr) && (*pptr != '\0')) pptr++;
 			if (!isspace(*pptr))
 			{
-			    sscanf(pptr, "%d", &ival);
+			    if (sscanf(pptr, "%d", &ival) != 1)
+			    {
+				TxError("Mask-hint \"%s\" has non-integer values!",
+					pptr);
+				DBFreePaintPlane(proprec->prop_value.prop_plane);
+				TiFreePlane(proprec->prop_value.prop_plane);
+				freeMagic((char *)proprec);
+				proprec = (PropertyRecord *)NULL;
+				break;
+			    }
 			    if (scalen > 1) ival *= scalen;
 			    if (scaled > 1) ival /= scaled;
 			    switch (numvals)
@@ -2622,11 +2631,11 @@ dbReadProperties(cellDef, line, len, f, scalen, scaled)
 			    }
 			    while (!isspace(*pptr) && (*pptr != '\0')) pptr++;
 			}
-			if (numvals == 0)
-			{
-			    TxError("Mask-hint property number of values is not"
+		    }
+		    if (numvals != 0)
+		    {
+			TxError("Mask-hint property number of values is not"
 				" divisible by four.  Truncated.\n");
-			}
 		    }
 		    (void) DBPropPut(cellDef, propertyname, proprec);
 		}