diff --git a/code/FBXExporter.cpp b/code/FBXExporter.cpp
index 8e32ed46c..a2e6024ed 100644
--- a/code/FBXExporter.cpp
+++ b/code/FBXExporter.cpp
@@ -235,9 +235,6 @@ void FBXExporter::WriteBinaryFooter()
     outfile->Write(NULL_RECORD.c_str(), NULL_RECORD.size(), 1);
 
     outfile->Write(GENERIC_FOOTID.c_str(), GENERIC_FOOTID.size(), 1);
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < 4; ++i) {
-        outfile->Write("\x00", 1, 1);
-    }
 
     // here some padding is added for alignment to 16 bytes.
     // if already aligned, the full 16 bytes is added.
diff --git a/code/FBXMaterial.cpp b/code/FBXMaterial.cpp
index 10f3bbe6c..8bb3920de 100644
--- a/code/FBXMaterial.cpp
+++ b/code/FBXMaterial.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "FBXProperties.h"
 #include <assimp/ByteSwapper.h>
 
+#include <algorithm> // std::transform
+
 namespace Assimp {
 namespace FBX {
 
@@ -82,11 +84,12 @@ Material::Material(uint64_t id, const Element& element, const Document& doc, con
 
     std::string templateName;
 
-    const char* const sh = shading.c_str();
-    if(!strcmp(sh,"phong")) {
+    // lower-case shading because Blender (for example) writes "Phong"
+    std::transform(shading.begin(), shading.end(), shading.begin(), ::tolower);
+    if(shading == "phong") {
         templateName = "Material.FbxSurfacePhong";
     }
-    else if(!strcmp(sh,"lambert")) {
+    else if(shading == "lambert") {
         templateName = "Material.FbxSurfaceLambert";
     }
     else {
diff --git a/code/PlyLoader.cpp b/code/PlyLoader.cpp
index 5f4e556c1..1bdd6e694 100644
--- a/code/PlyLoader.cpp
+++ b/code/PlyLoader.cpp
@@ -245,28 +245,7 @@ void PLYImporter::InternReadFile(const std::string& pFile, aiScene* pScene, IOSy
     // list is containing a list of points
     bool pointsOnly = mGeneratedMesh->mFaces == NULL ? true : false;
     if (pointsOnly) {
-        if (mGeneratedMesh->mNumVertices < 3) {
-            if (mGeneratedMesh != NULL) {
-                delete(mGeneratedMesh);
-                mGeneratedMesh = nullptr;
-            }
-
-            streamedBuffer.close();
-            throw DeadlyImportError("Invalid .ply file: Not enough "
-                    "vertices to build a proper face list. ");
-        }
-
-        const unsigned int iNum = (unsigned int)mGeneratedMesh->mNumVertices / 3;
-        mGeneratedMesh->mNumFaces = iNum;
-        mGeneratedMesh->mFaces = new aiFace[mGeneratedMesh->mNumFaces];
-
-        for (unsigned int i = 0; i < iNum; ++i) {
-            mGeneratedMesh->mFaces[i].mNumIndices = 3;
-            mGeneratedMesh->mFaces[i].mIndices = new unsigned int[3];
-            mGeneratedMesh->mFaces[i].mIndices[0] = (i * 3);
-            mGeneratedMesh->mFaces[i].mIndices[1] = (i * 3) + 1;
-            mGeneratedMesh->mFaces[i].mIndices[2] = (i * 3) + 2;
-        }
+      mGeneratedMesh->mPrimitiveTypes = aiPrimitiveType::aiPrimitiveType_POINT;
     }
 
     // now load a list of all materials
diff --git a/test/models/PLY/issue623.ply b/test/models/PLY/issue623.ply
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af8811752
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/models/PLY/issue623.ply
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+ply
+format ascii 1.0
+comment Created by Blender 2.77 (sub 0) - www.blender.org, source file: ''
+element vertex 24
+property float x
+property float y
+property float z
+property float nx
+property float ny
+property float nz
+property list uchar uint vertex_indices
+end_header
+7.941797 1.432409 -0.927566 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
+7.941797 -2.321273 -0.927566 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
+4.188114 -2.321273 -0.927566 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
+4.188115 1.432410 -0.927566 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
+7.941798 1.432408 2.826117 0.000000 -0.000000 1.000000
+4.188114 1.432409 2.826117 0.000000 -0.000000 1.000000
+4.188113 -2.321273 2.826117 0.000000 -0.000000 1.000000
+7.941795 -2.321275 2.826117 0.000000 -0.000000 1.000000
+7.941797 1.432409 -0.927566 1.000000 -0.000000 0.000000
+7.941798 1.432408 2.826117 1.000000 -0.000000 0.000000
+7.941795 -2.321275 2.826117 1.000000 -0.000000 0.000000
+7.941797 -2.321273 -0.927566 1.000000 -0.000000 0.000000
+7.941797 -2.321273 -0.927566 -0.000000 -1.000000 -0.000000
+7.941795 -2.321275 2.826117 -0.000000 -1.000000 -0.000000
+4.188113 -2.321273 2.826117 -0.000000 -1.000000 -0.000000
+4.188114 -2.321273 -0.927566 -0.000000 -1.000000 -0.000000
+4.188114 -2.321273 -0.927566 -1.000000 0.000000 -0.000000
+4.188113 -2.321273 2.826117 -1.000000 0.000000 -0.000000
+4.188114 1.432409 2.826117 -1.000000 0.000000 -0.000000
+4.188115 1.432410 -0.927566 -1.000000 0.000000 -0.000000
+7.941798 1.432408 2.826117 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
+7.941797 1.432409 -0.927566 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
+4.188115 1.432410 -0.927566 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
+4.188114 1.432409 2.826117 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
diff --git a/test/unit/utPLYImportExport.cpp b/test/unit/utPLYImportExport.cpp
index e5268a400..e0f96195b 100644
--- a/test/unit/utPLYImportExport.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/utPLYImportExport.cpp
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ TEST_F(utPLYImportExport, importerMultipleTest) {
     scene = importer.ReadFile(ASSIMP_TEST_MODELS_DIR "/PLY/cube.ply", aiProcess_ValidateDataStructure);
 
     EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene);
+    EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene->mMeshes[0]);
+    EXPECT_EQ(6u, scene->mMeshes[0]->mNumFaces);
 }
 
 TEST_F(utPLYImportExport, importPLYwithUV) {
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ TEST_F(utPLYImportExport, importPLYwithUV) {
 
 TEST_F(utPLYImportExport, importBinaryPLY) {
     Assimp::Importer importer;
-    const aiScene *scene = importer.ReadFile(ASSIMP_TEST_MODELS_DIR "/PLY/cube_binary.ply", 0);
+    const aiScene *scene = importer.ReadFile(ASSIMP_TEST_MODELS_DIR "/PLY/cube_binary.ply", aiProcess_ValidateDataStructure);
 
     EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene);
     EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene->mMeshes[0]);
@@ -136,6 +138,20 @@ TEST_F( utPLYImportExport, vertexColorTest ) {
     EXPECT_EQ(2, first_face.mIndices[2]);
 }
 
+//Test issue #623, PLY importer should not automatically create faces
+TEST_F(utPLYImportExport, pointcloudTest) {
+  Assimp::Importer importer;
+  //Could not use aiProcess_ValidateDataStructure since it's missing faces.
+  const aiScene *scene = importer.ReadFile(ASSIMP_TEST_MODELS_DIR "/PLY/issue623.ply", 0);
+  EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(1u, scene->mNumMeshes);
+  EXPECT_NE(nullptr, scene->mMeshes[0]);
+  EXPECT_EQ(24u, scene->mMeshes[0]->mNumVertices);
+  EXPECT_EQ(aiPrimitiveType::aiPrimitiveType_POINT, scene->mMeshes[0]->mPrimitiveTypes);
+  EXPECT_EQ(0u, scene->mMeshes[0]->mNumFaces);
+}
+
 static const char *test_file =
     "ply\n"
     "format ascii 1.0\n"
@@ -157,6 +173,7 @@ static const char *test_file =
 
 TEST_F( utPLYImportExport, parseErrorTest ) {
     Assimp::Importer importer;
-    const aiScene *scene = importer.ReadFileFromMemory( test_file, strlen( test_file ), aiProcess_ValidateDataStructure);
+    //Could not use aiProcess_ValidateDataStructure since it's missing faces.
+    const aiScene *scene = importer.ReadFileFromMemory( test_file, strlen( test_file ), 0);
     EXPECT_NE( nullptr, scene );
 }