diff --git a/plug-ins/common/file-tga.c b/plug-ins/common/file-tga.c
index 8a74ecc51e..7c2e7e1a7b 100644
--- a/plug-ins/common/file-tga.c
+++ b/plug-ins/common/file-tga.c
@@ -1353,7 +1353,10 @@ save_image (GFile         *file,
       fputc (0, fp);
     }
 
-  pixels = g_new (guchar, width * out_bpp);
+  if (dtype == GIMP_INDEXEDA_IMAGE)
+    pixels = g_new (guchar, width * 2);
+  else
+    pixels = g_new (guchar, width * out_bpp);
   data   = g_new (guchar, width * out_bpp);
 
   for (row = 0; row < height; ++row)