diff --git a/core/src/processing/core/PShapeSVG.java b/core/src/processing/core/PShapeSVG.java
index a57bce77d..315d0b575 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/core/PShapeSVG.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/core/PShapeSVG.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ import processing.xml.XMLElement;
  *
  * This code is based on the Candy library written by Michael Chang, which was
  * later revised and expanded for use as a Processing core library by Ben Fry.
- * Thanks to Ricard Marxer Piñón for help with better Inkscape support in 0154.
+ * Thanks to Ricard Marxer Pi��n for help with better Inkscape support in 0154.
  *
  * <p> <hr noshade> <p>
  *
@@ -682,6 +682,11 @@ public class PShapeSVG extends PShape {
           PApplet.join(PApplet.subset(pathDataKeys, i), ",");
         System.err.println("parsed: " + parsed);
         System.err.println("unparsed: " + unparsed);
+        if (pathDataKeys[i].equals("a") || pathDataKeys[i].equals("A")) {
+          String msg = "Sorry, elliptical arc support for SVG files " +
+            "is not yet implemented (See bug #996 for details)";
+          throw new RuntimeException(msg);
+        }
         throw new RuntimeException("shape command not handled: " + pathDataKeys[i]);
       }
     }
diff --git a/core/todo.txt b/core/todo.txt
index 44976f01c..1a09aff75 100644
--- a/core/todo.txt
+++ b/core/todo.txt
@@ -408,6 +408,29 @@ _   actually, just use PShape internally and this will be easier
 _ for PShape, need to be able to set the origin (flash people)
 
 
+CORE / PShapeSVG
+
+_ breaking up classes / figure out how to handle fonts subclass
+_ when using get(), reset the bounds for the objects
+_   otherwise it's always relative to the original document
+_ support for text (shouldn't be too bad, use createFont)
+_   implement text spans for svg output
+_ get entity tags working in xml library
+_ try enabling blending modes
+_ add better support for attributes buried in styles (support ai9/10/11)
+_ test what happens when transparency is used with gradient fill
+_ look into transformation issues... guessing this is probably wrong
+_   this may be what's throwing off the radial radius transform
+_ implement A and a (arcs)
+_   http://dev.processing.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=996
+_ check for any other pieces of missing path api
+_   multiple sets of coordinates after a command not supported
+_   i.e. M with several coords means moveto followed by many linetos
+_   also curveto with multiple sets of points is ignored
+_ document somehow.. svg viewer will be discontinued
+_   http://www.adobe.com/svg/eol.html
+
+
 CORE / Mac OS X
 
 _ first line of applets is missing on java 1.4+ on the mac
@@ -497,27 +520,6 @@ _ pdf not rendering unicode with beginRecord()
 _   http://dev.processing.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=727
 
 
-LIBRARIES / Candy 
-
-_ breaking up classes / figure out how to handle fonts subclass
-_ when using get(), reset the bounds for the objects
-_   otherwise it's always relative to the original document
-_ support for text (shouldn't be too bad, use createFont)
-_   implement text spans for svg output
-_ get entity tags working in xml library
-_ try enabling blending modes
-_ add better support for attributes buried in styles (support ai9/10/11)
-_ test what happens when transparency is used with gradient fill
-_ look into transformation issues... guessing this is probably wrong
-_   this may be what's throwing off the radial radius transform
-_ implement A and a (arcs)
-_ check for any other pieces of missing path api
-_   multiple sets of coordinates after a command not supported
-_   i.e. M with several coords means moveto followed by many linetos
-_   also curveto with multiple sets of points is ignored
-_ document somehow.. svg viewer will be discontinued
-_   http://www.adobe.com/svg/eol.html
-
 
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