diff --git a/src/include/OpenImageIO/imageio.h b/src/include/OpenImageIO/imageio.h
index 1002d8cf0b..63d3626e7a 100644
--- a/src/include/OpenImageIO/imageio.h
+++ b/src/include/OpenImageIO/imageio.h
@@ -355,13 +355,26 @@ class OIIO_API ImageSpec {
         : ImageSpec(roi, TypeDesc(fmt)) {}
 
     /// Set the data format, and clear any per-channel format information
-    /// in `channelformats`.
+    /// in `channelformats`. Any existing "oiio:BitsPerSample" metadata
+    /// hints are also cleared and assumed to be the full bits implied by
+    /// the format.
     void set_format (TypeDesc fmt) noexcept;
 
+    /// Set the data format, and clear any per-channel format information in
+    /// `channelformats`.  If the optional `bits` is supplied, set the
+    /// "oiio:BitsPerSample" metadata hint, otherwise it is assumed that it is
+    /// the same as implied by the format and cleared.
+    void set_format (TypeDesc fmt, int bits) noexcept;
+
     /// Set the data format, and clear any per-channel format information
     /// in `channelformats`. The `fmt` may be a string such as `"uint8"`,
     /// or any other type name recognized by the TypeDesc constructor.
-    void set_format (string_view fmt) noexcept { set_format(TypeDesc(fmt)); }
+    /// If the optional `bits` is supplied, set the "oiio:BitsPerSample"
+    /// metadata hint, otherwise it is assumed that it is the same as implied
+    /// by the format.
+    void set_format (string_view fmt, int bits = 0) noexcept {
+        set_format(TypeDesc(fmt), bits);
+    }
 
     /// Sets the `channelnames` to reasonable defaults for the number of
     /// channels.  Specifically, channel names are set to "R", "G", "B,"
diff --git a/src/libOpenImageIO/formatspec.cpp b/src/libOpenImageIO/formatspec.cpp
index 81374b9624..fccc151baa 100644
--- a/src/libOpenImageIO/formatspec.cpp
+++ b/src/libOpenImageIO/formatspec.cpp
@@ -185,9 +185,34 @@ ImageSpec::ImageSpec(const ROI& roi, TypeDesc format) noexcept
 
 void
 ImageSpec::set_format(TypeDesc fmt) noexcept
+{
+#if 1
+    set_format(fmt, 0);
+#else
+    // Note: this would preserve backward behavioral compatibility -- no
+    // opinion on the "oiio:BitsPerSample" hint.
+    format = fmt;
+    channelformats.clear();
+#endif
+}
+
+
+
+void
+ImageSpec::set_format(TypeDesc fmt, int bits) noexcept
 {
     format = fmt;
     channelformats.clear();
+    if (bits > 0 && bits < int(fmt.size()) * 8) {
+        // If bits is nonzero, and not already set to the "full" bit width for
+        // `fmt`, and valid (must be positive and less than the number of bits
+        // available), set the "oiio:BitsPerSample" metadata.
+        attribute("oiio:BitsPerSample", bits);
+    } else {
+        // No valid bits, or it's not needed -- clear any existing bps
+        // metadata.
+        erase_attribute("oiio:BitsPerSample");
+    }
 }