diff --git a/liblwgeom/cunit/cu_ptarray.c b/liblwgeom/cunit/cu_ptarray.c
index b1428dd95..3e562a02f 100644
--- a/liblwgeom/cunit/cu_ptarray.c
+++ b/liblwgeom/cunit/cu_ptarray.c
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ static void test_ptarray_contains_point_arc()
 	POINTARRAY *pa;
 	POINT2D pt;
 	int rv;
-	
+
 	/* Collection of semi-circles surrounding unit square */
 	lwline = lwgeom_as_lwline(lwgeom_from_text("LINESTRING(-1 -1, -2 0, -1 1, 0 2, 1 1, 2 0, 1 -1, 0 -2, -1 -1)"));
 	pa = lwline->points;
@@ -509,18 +509,25 @@ static void test_ptarray_contains_point_arc()
 
 	/* Two-edge ring made up of semi-circles (really, a circle) */
 	lwfree(lwline);
+
 	lwline = lwgeom_as_lwline(lwgeom_from_text("LINESTRING(-1 0, 0 1, 1 0, 0 -1, -1 0)"));
 	pa = lwline->points;
-	
+
 	/* Point outside */
 	pt.x = -1.5;
 	pt.y = 1.5;
 	rv = ptarray_contains_point_arc(pa, &pt);
 	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(rv, -1);	
 
-	/* Point inside */
-	pt.x = -0.2;
-	pt.y = 0.2;
+	/* Point inside at middle */
+	pt.x = 0;
+	pt.y = 0;
+	rv = ptarray_contains_point_arc(pa, &pt);
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(rv, 1);	
+
+	/* Point inside offset from middle */
+	pt.x = 0.01;
+	pt.y = 0.01;
 	rv = ptarray_contains_point_arc(pa, &pt);
 	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(rv, 1);	
 
@@ -559,7 +566,8 @@ static void test_ptarray_contains_point_arc()
 	pa = lwline->points;
 	cu_error_msg_reset();
 	rv = ptarray_contains_point_arc(pa, &pt);
-	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL("ptarray_contains_point_arc called on unclosed ring", cu_error_msg);
+	//printf("%s\n", cu_error_msg);
+	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL("ptarray_contains_point_arc called with even number of points", cu_error_msg);
 
 	/* Unclosed ring */
 	lwfree(lwline);
@@ -571,6 +579,7 @@ static void test_ptarray_contains_point_arc()
 
 	lwline_free(lwline);
 }
+
 /*
 ** Used by the test harness to register the tests in this file.
 */
diff --git a/liblwgeom/liblwgeom_internal.h b/liblwgeom/liblwgeom_internal.h
index 43404a090..240580904 100644
--- a/liblwgeom/liblwgeom_internal.h
+++ b/liblwgeom/liblwgeom_internal.h
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ int lwtin_is_closed(const LWTIN *tin);
 * Returns -1 for left and 1 for right and 0 for co-linearity
 */
 int lw_segment_side(const POINT2D *p1, const POINT2D *p2, const POINT2D *q);
+int lw_arc_side(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, const POINT2D *Q);
 int lw_arc_calculate_gbox_cartesian_2d(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, GBOX *gbox);
 double lw_arc_center(const POINT2D *p1, const POINT2D *p2, const POINT2D *p3, POINT2D *result);
 int lw_pt_in_seg(const POINT2D *P, const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2);
@@ -360,7 +361,6 @@ int lw_pt_in_arc(const POINT2D *P, const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const P
 int lw_arc_is_pt(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3);
 double lw_seg_length(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2);
 double lw_arc_length(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3);
-double lw_arc_side(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, const POINT2D *Q);
 int pt_in_ring_2d(const POINT2D *p, const POINTARRAY *ring);
 int ptarray_contains_point(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt);
 int ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt);
diff --git a/liblwgeom/lwalgorithm.c b/liblwgeom/lwalgorithm.c
index 4dff6f867..2768cb073 100644
--- a/liblwgeom/lwalgorithm.c
+++ b/liblwgeom/lwalgorithm.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ lw_arc_length(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3)
 	return circumference_A * (angle / (2*M_PI));
 }
 
-double lw_arc_side(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, const POINT2D *Q)
+int lw_arc_side(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, const POINT2D *Q)
 {
 	POINT2D C;
 	double radius_A;
@@ -197,6 +197,12 @@ double lw_arc_side(const POINT2D *A1, const POINT2D *A2, const POINT2D *A3, cons
 		return 0;
 	}
 	
+	/* Q on A1-A3 line, so its on opposite side to A2 */
+	if ( side_Q == 0 )
+	{
+		return -1 * side_A2;
+	}
+	
 	/* 
 	* Q is inside the arc boundary, so it's not on the side we 
 	* might think from examining only the end points
diff --git a/liblwgeom/measures.c b/liblwgeom/measures.c
index dbee74e90..382d6863a 100644
--- a/liblwgeom/measures.c
+++ b/liblwgeom/measures.c
@@ -665,7 +665,6 @@ lw_dist2d_poly_poly(LWPOLY *poly1, LWPOLY *poly2, DISTPTS *dl)
 }
 
 /**
-
  * search all the segments of pointarray to see which one is closest to p1
  * Returns minimum distance between point and pointarray
  */
@@ -695,6 +694,47 @@ lw_dist2d_pt_ptarray(POINT2D *p, POINTARRAY *pa,DISTPTS *dl)
 	return LW_TRUE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * search all the segments of pointarray to see which one is closest to p1
+ * Returns minimum distance between point and pointarray
+ */
+#if 0
+int
+lw_dist2d_pt_ptarrayarc(const POINT2D *p, const POINTARRAY *pa, DISTPTS *dl)
+{
+	int t;
+	const POINT2D *A1;
+	const POINT2D *A2;
+	const POINT2D *A3;
+	int twist = dl->twisted;
+
+	LWDEBUG(2, "lw_dist2d_pt_ptarrayarc is called");
+
+	A1 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, 0);
+	A2 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, 1);
+
+	if ( !lw_dist2d_pt_pt(p, A1, dl) ) 
+		return LW_FALSE;
+
+	for ( t=2; t<pa->npoints; t++ )
+	{
+		dl->twisted=twist;
+		A3 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, t);
+		
+		if ( lw_dist2d_pt_arc(p, A1, A2, A3, dl) == LW_FALSE ) 
+			return LW_FALSE;
+
+		if ( dl->distance<=dl->tolerance && dl->mode == DIST_MIN ) 
+			return LW_TRUE; /*just a check if  the answer is already given*/
+			
+		A1 = A2;
+		A2 = A3;
+	}
+
+	return LW_TRUE;
+}
+#endif
+
 /**
  * Brute force.
  * Test line-ring distance against each ring.
diff --git a/liblwgeom/ptarray.c b/liblwgeom/ptarray.c
index 0b7642668..86c890403 100644
--- a/liblwgeom/ptarray.c
+++ b/liblwgeom/ptarray.c
@@ -793,11 +793,17 @@ ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt)
 
 	/* Check for not an arc ring (always have odd # of points) */
 	if ( (pa->npoints % 2) == 0 )
+	{
 		lwerror("ptarray_contains_point_arc called with even number of points");
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	/* Check for not an arc ring (always have >= 3 points) */
 	if ( pa->npoints < 3 )
+	{
 		lwerror("ptarray_contains_point_arc called too-short pointarray");
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	/* Check for unclosed case */
 	seg1 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, 0);
@@ -805,6 +811,7 @@ ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt)
 	if ( ! p2d_same(seg1, seg3) )
 	{
 		lwerror("ptarray_contains_point_arc called on unclosed ring");
+		return -1;
 	} 
 	/* OK, it's closed. Is it just one circle? */
 	else if ( pa->npoints == 3 )
@@ -833,10 +840,11 @@ ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt)
 	}
 
 	/* Start on the ring */
-	seg2 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, 1);
-	for ( i=2; i < pa->npoints; i++ )
+	seg1 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, 0);
+	for ( i=1; i < pa->npoints; i += 2 )
 	{
-		seg3 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, i);
+		seg2 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, i);
+		seg3 = getPoint2d_cp(pa, i+1);
 		
 		/* Catch an easy boundary case */
 		if( p2d_same(seg3, pt) )
@@ -845,18 +853,15 @@ ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt)
 		/* Skip arcs that have no size */
 		if ( lw_arc_is_pt(seg1, seg2, seg3) )
 		{
-			seg1 = seg2;
-			seg2 = seg3;
+			seg1 = seg3;
 			continue;
 		}
 		
-		
 		/* Only test segments in our vertical range */
 		lw_arc_calculate_gbox_cartesian_2d(seg1, seg2, seg3, &gbox);
 		if ( pt->y > gbox.ymax || pt->y < gbox.ymin ) 
 		{
-			seg1 = seg2;
-			seg2 = seg3;
+			seg1 = seg3;
 			continue;
 		}
 		
@@ -880,8 +885,30 @@ ptarray_contains_point_arc(const POINTARRAY *pa, const POINT2D *pt)
 			wn--;
 		}
 		
-		seg1 = seg2;
-		seg2 = seg3;
+		/* Inside the arc! */
+		if ( pt->x <= gbox.xmax && pt->x >= gbox.xmin ) 
+		{
+			POINT2D C;
+			double radius = lw_arc_center(seg1, seg2, seg3, &C);
+			double d = distance2d_pt_pt(pt, &C);
+
+			/* On the boundary! */
+			if ( d == radius )
+				return 0;
+			
+			/* Within the arc! */
+			if ( d  < radius )
+			{
+				/* Left side, increment winding number */
+				if ( side < 0 )
+					wn++;
+				/* Right side, decrement winding number */
+				if ( side > 0 ) 
+					wn--;
+			}
+		}
+
+		seg1 = seg3;
 	}
 
 	/* Outside */