diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.cpp b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
index ac1b02de45..eae06cfa09 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.cpp
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.cpp
@@ -7136,6 +7136,7 @@ URL::URL (const String& url_)
 
 URL::URL (const URL& other)
     : url (other.url),
+      postData (other.postData),
       parameters (other.parameters),
       filesToUpload (other.filesToUpload),
       mimeTypes (other.mimeTypes)
@@ -7145,6 +7146,7 @@ URL::URL (const URL& other)
 const URL& URL::operator= (const URL& other)
 {
     url = other.url;
+    postData = other.postData;
     parameters = other.parameters;
     filesToUpload = other.filesToUpload;
     mimeTypes = other.mimeTypes;
@@ -7402,14 +7404,13 @@ private:
         }
         else
         {
-            // just a short text attachment, so use simple url encoding..
-            const String params (getMangledParameters (url.getParameters()));
+            appendUTF8ToPostData (getMangledParameters (url.getParameters()));
+            appendUTF8ToPostData (url.getPostData());
 
+            // just a short text attachment, so use simple url encoding..
             headers = "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\nContent-length: "
-                        + String ((int) strlen (params.toUTF8()))
+                        + String (postData.getSize())
                         + "\r\n";
-
-            appendUTF8ToPostData (params);
         }
     }
 
@@ -7497,6 +7498,13 @@ const URL URL::withFileToUpload (const String& parameterName,
     return u;
 }
 
+const URL URL::withPOSTData (const String& postData_) const
+{
+    URL u (*this);
+    u.postData = postData_;
+    return u;
+}
+
 const StringPairArray& URL::getParameters() const throw()
 {
     return parameters;
@@ -31849,7 +31857,7 @@ VstIntPtr VSTPluginInstance::handleCallback (VstInt32 opcode, VstInt32 index, Vs
         return 1;
 
     case audioMasterGetSampleRate:
-        return (VstIntPtr) getSampleRate();
+        return (VstIntPtr) (getSampleRate() > 0 ? getSampleRate() : 44100);
 
     case audioMasterGetBlockSize:
         return (VstIntPtr) getBlockSize();
@@ -31926,6 +31934,9 @@ const String VSTPluginInstance::getVersion() const throw()
 
     String s;
 
+    if (v == 0 || v == -1)
+        v = getVersionNumber();
+
     if (v != 0)
     {
         int versionBits[4];
diff --git a/juce_amalgamated.h b/juce_amalgamated.h
index 59c6a2d8bf..329d8000e9 100644
--- a/juce_amalgamated.h
+++ b/juce_amalgamated.h
@@ -12313,6 +12313,24 @@ public:
     */
     const StringPairArray& getMimeTypesOfUploadFiles() const throw();
 
+    /** Returns a copy of this URL, with a block of data to send as the POST data.
+
+        If you're setting the POST data, be careful not to have any parameters set
+        as well, otherwise it'll all get thrown in together, and might not have the
+        desired effect.
+
+        If the URL already contains some POST data, this will replace it, rather
+        than being appended to it.
+
+        This data will only be used if you specify a post operation when you call
+        createInputStream().
+    */
+    const URL withPOSTData (const String& postData) const;
+
+    /** Returns the data that was set using withPOSTData().
+    */
+    const String getPostData() const throw()                        { return postData; }
+
     /** Tries to launch the system's default browser to open the URL.
 
         Returns true if this seems to have worked.
@@ -12432,7 +12450,7 @@ public:
     juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
 private:
-    String url;
+    String url, postData;
     StringPairArray parameters, filesToUpload, mimeTypes;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/juce_appframework/audio/plugins/formats/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp b/src/juce_appframework/audio/plugins/formats/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
index 5d526996f5..e5a8ea14fb 100644
--- a/src/juce_appframework/audio/plugins/formats/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
+++ b/src/juce_appframework/audio/plugins/formats/juce_VSTPluginFormat.cpp
@@ -2437,7 +2437,7 @@ VstIntPtr VSTPluginInstance::handleCallback (VstInt32 opcode, VstInt32 index, Vs
         return 1;
 
     case audioMasterGetSampleRate:
-        return (VstIntPtr) getSampleRate();
+        return (VstIntPtr) (getSampleRate() > 0 ? getSampleRate() : 44100);
 
     case audioMasterGetBlockSize:
         return (VstIntPtr) getBlockSize();
@@ -2515,6 +2515,9 @@ const String VSTPluginInstance::getVersion() const throw()
 
     String s;
 
+    if (v == 0 || v == -1)
+        v = getVersionNumber();
+
     if (v != 0)
     {
         int versionBits[4];
diff --git a/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.cpp b/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.cpp
index f3fa37251f..4ae15ab8e8 100644
--- a/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.cpp
+++ b/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ URL::URL (const String& url_)
 
 URL::URL (const URL& other)
     : url (other.url),
+      postData (other.postData),
       parameters (other.parameters),
       filesToUpload (other.filesToUpload),
       mimeTypes (other.mimeTypes)
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ URL::URL (const URL& other)
 const URL& URL::operator= (const URL& other)
 {
     url = other.url;
+    postData = other.postData;
     parameters = other.parameters;
     filesToUpload = other.filesToUpload;
     mimeTypes = other.mimeTypes;
@@ -352,14 +354,13 @@ private:
         }
         else
         {
-            // just a short text attachment, so use simple url encoding..
-            const String params (getMangledParameters (url.getParameters()));
+            appendUTF8ToPostData (getMangledParameters (url.getParameters()));
+            appendUTF8ToPostData (url.getPostData());
 
+            // just a short text attachment, so use simple url encoding..
             headers = "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\nContent-length: "
-                        + String ((int) strlen (params.toUTF8()))
+                        + String (postData.getSize())
                         + "\r\n";
-
-            appendUTF8ToPostData (params);
         }
     }
 
@@ -449,6 +450,13 @@ const URL URL::withFileToUpload (const String& parameterName,
     return u;
 }
 
+const URL URL::withPOSTData (const String& postData_) const
+{
+    URL u (*this);
+    u.postData = postData_;
+    return u;
+}
+
 const StringPairArray& URL::getParameters() const throw()
 {
     return parameters;
diff --git a/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.h b/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.h
index 6505b1ec08..63ab0c1ec2 100644
--- a/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.h
+++ b/src/juce_core/io/network/juce_URL.h
@@ -121,6 +121,24 @@ public:
     */
     const StringPairArray& getMimeTypesOfUploadFiles() const throw();
 
+    /** Returns a copy of this URL, with a block of data to send as the POST data.
+
+        If you're setting the POST data, be careful not to have any parameters set
+        as well, otherwise it'll all get thrown in together, and might not have the
+        desired effect.
+
+        If the URL already contains some POST data, this will replace it, rather
+        than being appended to it.
+
+        This data will only be used if you specify a post operation when you call
+        createInputStream().
+    */
+    const URL withPOSTData (const String& postData) const;
+
+    /** Returns the data that was set using withPOSTData().
+    */
+    const String getPostData() const throw()                        { return postData; }
+
     //==============================================================================
     /** Tries to launch the system's default browser to open the URL.
 
@@ -248,7 +266,7 @@ public:
     juce_UseDebuggingNewOperator
 
 private:
-    String url;
+    String url, postData;
     StringPairArray parameters, filesToUpload, mimeTypes;
 };