diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b9e47c08402..7781f0afaf7 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2009-06-29	The InnoDB Team
+
+	* handler/ha_innodb.cc, mysql-test/innodb_file_format.test,
+	mysql-test/innodb_file_format.result:
+	Do not crash on SET GLOBAL innodb_file_format=DEFAULT
+	or SET GLOBAL innodb_file_format_check=DEFAULT.
+
 2009-06-29	The InnoDB Team
 
 	* buf/buf0buf.c, buf/buf0rea.c, lock/lock0lock.c:
diff --git a/handler/ha_innodb.cc b/handler/ha_innodb.cc
index b61e542691d..2b91dfb04dc 100644
--- a/handler/ha_innodb.cc
+++ b/handler/ha_innodb.cc
@@ -9345,11 +9345,12 @@ innodb_file_format_name_validate(
 
 		if (format_id <= DICT_TF_FORMAT_MAX) {
 
-			*(uint*) save = format_id;
+			*static_cast<const char**>(save) = file_format_input;
 			return(0);
 		}
 	}
 
+	*static_cast<const char**>(save) = NULL;
 	return(1);
 }
 
@@ -9368,13 +9369,24 @@ innodb_file_format_name_update(
 	const void*			save)		/*!< in: immediate result
 							from check function */
 {
+	const char* format_name;
+
 	ut_a(var_ptr != NULL);
 	ut_a(save != NULL);
-	ut_a((*(const uint*) save) <= DICT_TF_FORMAT_MAX);
 
-	srv_file_format = *(const uint*) save;
+	format_name = *static_cast<const char*const*>(save);
 
-	*(const char**) var_ptr
+	if (format_name) {
+		uint	format_id;
+
+		format_id = innobase_file_format_name_lookup(format_name);
+
+		if (format_id <= DICT_TF_FORMAT_MAX) {
+			srv_file_format = format_id;
+		}
+	}
+
+	*static_cast<const char**>(var_ptr)
 		= trx_sys_file_format_id_to_name(srv_file_format);
 }
 
@@ -9415,14 +9427,7 @@ innodb_file_format_check_validate(
 		} else if (innobase_file_format_check_validate(
 				file_format_input)) {
 
-			uint	format_id;
-
-			format_id = innobase_file_format_name_lookup(
-				file_format_input);
-
-			ut_a(format_id <= DICT_TF_FORMAT_MAX);
-
-			*(uint*) save = format_id;
+			*static_cast<const char**>(save) = file_format_input;
 
 			return(0);
 
@@ -9436,6 +9441,7 @@ innodb_file_format_check_validate(
 		}
 	}
 
+	*static_cast<const char**>(save) = NULL;
 	return(1);
 }
 
@@ -9454,19 +9460,39 @@ innodb_file_format_check_update(
 	const void*			save)		/*!< in: immediate result
 							from check function */
 {
-	uint	format_id;
+	const char*	format_name_in;
+	const char**	format_name_out;
+	uint		format_id;
 
 	ut_a(save != NULL);
 	ut_a(var_ptr != NULL);
 
-	format_id = *(const uint*) save;
+	format_name_in = *static_cast<const char*const*>(save);
+
+	if (!format_name_in) {
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	format_id = innobase_file_format_name_lookup(format_name_in);
+
+	if (format_id > DICT_TF_FORMAT_MAX) {
+		/* DEFAULT is "on", which is invalid at runtime. */
+		push_warning_printf(thd, MYSQL_ERROR::WARN_LEVEL_WARN,
+				    ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS,
+				    "Ignoring SET innodb_file_format=%s",
+				    format_name_in);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	format_name_out = static_cast<const char**>(var_ptr);
 
 	/* Update the max format id in the system tablespace. */
-	if (trx_sys_file_format_max_set(format_id, (const char**) var_ptr)) {
+	if (trx_sys_file_format_max_set(format_id, format_name_out)) {
 		ut_print_timestamp(stderr);
 		fprintf(stderr,
 			" [Info] InnoDB: the file format in the system "
-			"tablespace is now set to %s.\n", *(char**) var_ptr);
+			"tablespace is now set to %s.\n", *format_name_out);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.result b/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.result
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9cfac5f001c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.result
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+@@innodb_file_format
+Antelope
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+@@innodb_file_format_check
+Antelope
+set global innodb_file_format=antelope;
+set global innodb_file_format=barracuda;
+set global innodb_file_format=cheetah;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+@@innodb_file_format
+Barracuda
+set global innodb_file_format=default;
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+@@innodb_file_format
+Antelope
+set global innodb_file_format=on;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+set global innodb_file_format=off;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+@@innodb_file_format
+Antelope
+set global innodb_file_format_check=antelope;
+set global innodb_file_format_check=barracuda;
+set global innodb_file_format_check=cheetah;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+@@innodb_file_format_check
+Barracuda
+set global innodb_file_format_check=default;
+Warnings:
+Warning	1210	Ignoring SET innodb_file_format=on
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+@@innodb_file_format_check
+Barracuda
+set global innodb_file_format=on;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+set global innodb_file_format=off;
+ERROR HY000: Incorrect arguments to SET
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+@@innodb_file_format_check
+Barracuda
diff --git a/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.test b/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.test
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..62ce4157183
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/innodb_file_format.test
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+-- source include/have_innodb.inc
+
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+set global innodb_file_format=antelope;
+set global innodb_file_format=barracuda;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format=cheetah;
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+set global innodb_file_format=default;
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format=on;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format=off;
+select @@innodb_file_format;
+set global innodb_file_format_check=antelope;
+set global innodb_file_format_check=barracuda;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format_check=cheetah;
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+set global innodb_file_format_check=default;
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format=on;
+--error ER_WRONG_ARGUMENTS
+set global innodb_file_format=off;
+select @@innodb_file_format_check;