diff --git a/vips.c b/vips.c
index f34930bc..1e5f41f6 100644
--- a/vips.c
+++ b/vips.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ vips_svgload_go(void *buf, size_t len, double scale, VipsImage **out) {
 int
 vips_heifload_go(void *buf, size_t len, VipsImage **out) {
 #if VIPS_SUPPORT_HEIF
-  return vips_heifload_buffer(buf, len, out, "access", VIPS_ACCESS_SEQUENTIAL, "autorotate", 1, NULL);
+  return vips_heifload_buffer(buf, len, out, "access", VIPS_ACCESS_SEQUENTIAL, NULL);
 #else
   vips_error("vips_heifload_go", "Loading HEIF is not supported");
   return 1;
@@ -165,13 +165,20 @@ vips_heifload_go(void *buf, size_t len, VipsImage **out) {
 }
 
 int
-vips_get_exif_orientation(VipsImage *image) {
+vips_get_orientation(VipsImage *image) {
+#ifdef VIPS_META_ORIENTATION
+  int orientation;
+
+	if (vips_image_get_int(image, VIPS_META_ORIENTATION, &orientation) == 0)
+    return orientation;
+#else
   const char *orientation;
 
 	if (
 		vips_image_get_typeof(image, EXIF_ORIENTATION) == VIPS_TYPE_REF_STRING &&
 		vips_image_get_string(image, EXIF_ORIENTATION, &orientation) == 0
 	) return atoi(orientation);
+#endif
 
 	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/vips.go b/vips.go
index 06d45223..d7e1a1bf 100644
--- a/vips.go
+++ b/vips.go
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ func (img *vipsImage) Resize(scale float64, hasAlpa bool) error {
 }
 
 func (img *vipsImage) Orientation() C.int {
-	return C.vips_get_exif_orientation(img.VipsImage)
+	return C.vips_get_orientation(img.VipsImage)
 }
 
 func (img *vipsImage) Rotate(angle int) error {
diff --git a/vips.h b/vips.h
index 0638c190..4528e2d3 100644
--- a/vips.h
+++ b/vips.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ int vips_gifload_go(void *buf, size_t len, int pages, VipsImage **out);
 int vips_svgload_go(void *buf, size_t len, double scale, VipsImage **out);
 int vips_heifload_go(void *buf, size_t len, VipsImage **out);
 
-int vips_get_exif_orientation(VipsImage *image);
+int vips_get_orientation(VipsImage *image);
 void vips_strip_meta(VipsImage *image);
 
 int vips_support_smartcrop();