diff --git a/pngerror.c b/pngerror.c
index 453ff07b7..c6e2d606e 100644
--- a/pngerror.c
+++ b/pngerror.c
@@ -353,13 +353,13 @@ app_error(png_const_structrp png_ptr, png_const_charp error_message,
 void /* PRIVATE */
 png_app_warning(png_const_structrp png_ptr, png_const_charp error_message)
 {
-   app_error(png_ptr, error_message, png_ptr->app_error_action);
+   app_error(png_ptr, error_message, png_ptr->app_warning_action);
 }
 
 void /* PRIVATE */
 png_app_error(png_const_structrp png_ptr, png_const_charp error_message)
 {
-   app_error(png_ptr, error_message, png_ptr->app_warning_action);
+   app_error(png_ptr, error_message, png_ptr->app_error_action);
 }
 #endif /* BENIGN_ERRORS */
 
diff --git a/pngread.c b/pngread.c
index b5fc7aad1..ec49cdfa4 100644
--- a/pngread.c
+++ b/pngread.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ png_create_read_struct_2,(png_const_charp user_png_ver, png_voidp error_ptr,
 #        if !PNG_RELEASE_BUILD
             /* Always quit on error prior to release */
             png_ptr->benign_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
-            png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_ERROR;
+            png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_WARN;
             png_ptr->app_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
 #        else /* RELEASE_BUILD */
             /* Allow benign errors on read, subject to app control. */
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ png_create_read_struct_2,(png_const_charp user_png_ver, png_voidp error_ptr,
                /* libpng build without benign error support; the application
                 * author has to be assumed to be correct, so:
                 */
-               png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_ERROR;
+               png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_WARN;
                png_ptr->app_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
 #           endif /* !BENIGN_READ_ERRORS */
 #        endif /* RELEASE_BUILD */
diff --git a/pngwrite.c b/pngwrite.c
index b3ee9c89d..970eb4131 100644
--- a/pngwrite.c
+++ b/pngwrite.c
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ png_create_write_struct_2,(png_const_charp user_png_ver, png_voidp error_ptr,
 #        if !PNG_RELEASE_BUILD
             /* Always quit on error prior to release */
             png_ptr->benign_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
-            png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_ERROR;
+            png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_WARN;
             png_ptr->app_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
 #        else /* RELEASE_BUILD */
             /* Allow benign errors on write, subject to app control. */
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ png_create_write_struct_2,(png_const_charp user_png_ver, png_voidp error_ptr,
                 * author has to be assumed to be correct, so:
                 */
                png_ptr->benign_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
-               png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_ERROR;
+               png_ptr->app_warning_action = PNG_WARN;
                png_ptr->app_error_action = PNG_ERROR;
 #           endif /* !BENIGN_WRITE_ERRORS */
 #        endif /* RELEASE_BUILD */