diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadController.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadController.java
index 9c4627dc9..cd65b6e63 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadController.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadController.java
@@ -283,8 +283,18 @@ public class ImageUploadController extends FreeMarkerHttpServlet {
 
 		// Did they provide a file to upload? If not, show an error.
 		FileItem fileItem;
+		Dimensions mainImageSize;
 		try {
 			fileItem = helper.validateImageFromRequest(vreq);
+			mainImageSize = helper.getMainImageSize(entity);
+
+			if ((mainImageSize.height < THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT)
+					|| (mainImageSize.width < THUMBNAIL_WIDTH)) {
+				throw new UserMistakeException(
+						"The uploaded image should be at least "
+								+ THUMBNAIL_HEIGHT + " pixels high and "
+								+ THUMBNAIL_WIDTH + " pixels wide.");
+			}
 		} catch (UserMistakeException e) {
 			String thumbUrl = getThumbnailUrl(entity);
 			String message = e.getMessage();
@@ -305,8 +315,6 @@ public class ImageUploadController extends FreeMarkerHttpServlet {
 		entity = getWebappDaoFactory().getIndividualDao().getIndividualByURI(
 				entityUri);
 
-		Dimensions mainImageSize = helper.getMainImageSize(entity);
-
 		// Go to the cropping page.
 		return showCropImagePage(vreq, entity, getMainImageUrl(entity),
 				mainImageSize);
@@ -636,6 +644,11 @@ public class ImageUploadController extends FreeMarkerHttpServlet {
 			this.width = width;
 			this.height = height;
 		}
+
+		@Override
+		public String toString() {
+			return "Dimensions[width=" + width + ", height=" + height + "]";
+		}
 	}
 
 	private static interface ResponseValues {
diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadHelper.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadHelper.java
index 1e165ae91..6415d43cc 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadHelper.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/freemarker/ImageUploadHelper.java
@@ -407,14 +407,17 @@ public class ImageUploadHelper {
 		InputStream stream = null;
 		try {
 			stream = fileStorage.getInputStream(uri, filename);
-			BufferedImage image = ImageIO.read(stream);
-			return new Dimensions(image.getWidth(), image.getHeight());
+			BufferedImage i = ImageIO.read(stream);
+			Dimensions size = new Dimensions(i.getWidth(), i.getHeight());
+			log.debug("main image size is " + size);
+			return size;
 		} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
-			log.warn("No main image file for '" + showUri(entity) + "'; name='"
-					+ filename + "', bytestreamUri='" + uri + "'", e);
+			log.error(
+					"No main image file for '" + showUri(entity) + "'; name='"
+							+ filename + "', bytestreamUri='" + uri + "'", e);
 			return new Dimensions(0, 0);
 		} catch (IOException e) {
-			log.warn(
+			log.error(
 					"Can't read main image file for '" + showUri(entity)
 							+ "'; name='" + filename + "', bytestreamUri='"
 							+ uri + "'", e);