diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_bones.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_bones.hpp
index f65a8b8c..16fdc935 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_bones.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_bones.hpp
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ class auxlib
   inline static bool inv_tr_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, typename get_pod_type<eT>::result& out_rcond, const uword layout);
   
   template<typename eT>
-  inline static bool inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A);
+  inline static bool inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A, bool& out_sympd_state);
   
   template<typename eT>
   inline static bool inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& out, const Mat<eT>& X);
   
   template<typename eT>
-  inline static bool inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold);
+  inline static bool inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, bool& out_sympd_state, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold);
   
   template<typename T>
-  inline static bool inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_threshold);
+  inline static bool inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, bool& out_sympd_state, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_threshold);
   
   
   //
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_meat.hpp
index 2d1404b5..4efe343d 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/auxlib_meat.hpp
@@ -245,10 +245,12 @@ auxlib::inv_tr_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, typename get_pod_type<eT>::result& out_rcond, c
 template<typename eT>
 inline
 bool
-auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A)
+auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A, bool& out_sympd_state)
   {
   arma_extra_debug_sigprint();
   
+  out_sympd_state = false;
+  
   if(A.is_empty())  { return true; }
   
   #if defined(ARMA_USE_LAPACK)
@@ -266,6 +268,8 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A)
     
     if(info != 0)  { return false; }
     
+    out_sympd_state = true;
+    
     arma_extra_debug_print("lapack::potri()");
     lapack::potri(&uplo, &n, A.memptr(), &n, &info);
     
@@ -278,6 +282,7 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& A)
   #else
     {
     arma_ignore(A);
+    arma_ignore(out_sympd_state);
     arma_stop_logic_error("inv_sympd(): use of LAPACK must be enabled");
     return false;
     }
@@ -295,7 +300,9 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& out, const Mat<eT>& X)
   
   out = X;
   
-  return auxlib::inv_sympd(out);
+  bool sympd_state_junk = false;
+  
+  return auxlib::inv_sympd(out, sympd_state_junk);
   }
 
 
@@ -303,10 +310,12 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd(Mat<eT>& out, const Mat<eT>& X)
 template<typename eT>
 inline
 bool
-auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold)
+auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, bool& out_sympd_state, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold)
   {
   arma_extra_debug_sigprint();
   
+  out_sympd_state = false;
+  
   if(A.is_empty())  { return true; }
   
   #if defined(ARMA_USE_LAPACK)
@@ -331,6 +340,8 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold)
     
     if(info != 0)  { out_rcond = eT(0); return false; }
     
+    out_sympd_state = true;
+    
     out_rcond = auxlib::lu_rcond_sympd<T>(A, norm_val);
     
     if( (rcond_threshold > eT(0)) && (out_rcond < rcond_threshold) )  { return false; }
@@ -347,6 +358,7 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold)
   #else
     {
     arma_ignore(A);
+    arma_ignore(out_sympd_state);
     arma_ignore(out_rcond);
     arma_ignore(rcond_threshold);
     arma_stop_logic_error("inv_sympd_rcond(): use LAPACK must be enabled");
@@ -360,15 +372,18 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat<eT>& A, eT& out_rcond, const eT rcond_threshold)
 template<typename T>
 inline
 bool
-auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_threshold)
+auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, bool& out_sympd_state, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_threshold)
   {
   arma_extra_debug_sigprint();
   
+  out_sympd_state = false;
+  
   if(A.is_empty())  { return true; }
   
   #if defined(ARMA_CRIPPLED_LAPACK)
     {
     arma_ignore(A);
+    arma_ignore(out_sympd_state);
     arma_ignore(out_rcond);
     arma_ignore(rcond_threshold);
     return false;
@@ -393,6 +408,8 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_t
     
     if(info != 0)  { out_rcond = T(0); return false; }
     
+    out_sympd_state = true;
+    
     out_rcond = auxlib::lu_rcond_sympd<T>(A, norm_val);
     
     if( (rcond_threshold > T(0)) && (out_rcond < rcond_threshold) )  { return false; }
@@ -409,6 +426,7 @@ auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(Mat< std::complex<T> >& A, T& out_rcond, const T rcond_t
   #else
     {
     arma_ignore(A);
+    arma_ignore(out_sympd_state);
     arma_ignore(out_rcond);
     arma_ignore(rcond_threshold);
     arma_stop_logic_error("inv_sympd_rcond(): use LAPACK must be enabled");
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_gen_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_gen_meat.hpp
index b33e9c95..fbb08ed5 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_gen_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_gen_meat.hpp
@@ -166,10 +166,14 @@ op_inv_gen::apply_direct(Mat<typename T1::elem_type>& out, const Base<typename T
     
     Mat<eT> tmp = out;
     
-    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd(tmp);
+    bool sympd_state = false;
+    
+    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd(tmp, sympd_state);
     
     if(status)  { out.steal_mem(tmp); return true; }
     
+    if((status == false) && (sympd_state == true))  { return false; }
+    
     arma_extra_debug_print("op_inv: sympd optimisation failed");
     
     // fallthrough if optimisation failed
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_rcond_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_rcond_meat.hpp
index c3e92ee5..1ce87095 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_rcond_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_rcond_meat.hpp
@@ -97,10 +97,14 @@ op_inv_rcond::apply_direct_gen(Mat<typename T1::elem_type>& out, typename T1::po
     
     Mat<eT> tmp = out;
     
-    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(tmp, out_rcond, T(-1));
+    bool sympd_state = false;
+    
+    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(tmp, sympd_state, out_rcond, T(-1));
     
     if(status)  { out.steal_mem(tmp); return true; }
     
+    if((status == false) && (sympd_state == true))  { return false; }
+    
     arma_extra_debug_print("op_inv_rcond: sympd optimisation failed");
     
     // fallthrough if optimisation failed
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_spd_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_spd_meat.hpp
index 1c76e7f6..abca63e0 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_spd_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/op_inv_spd_meat.hpp
@@ -166,7 +166,9 @@ op_inv_spd::apply_direct(Mat<typename T1::elem_type>& out, const Base<typename T
     return true;
     }
   
-  return auxlib::inv_sympd(out);
+  bool sympd_state_junk = false;
+  
+  return auxlib::inv_sympd(out, sympd_state_junk);
   }
 
 
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/op_pinv_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/op_pinv_meat.hpp
index 0811f3fb..5ef3c90f 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/op_pinv_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/op_pinv_meat.hpp
@@ -103,17 +103,18 @@ op_pinv::apply_direct(Mat<typename T1::elem_type>& out, const Base<typename T1::
     
     out = A;
     
-          T rcond_junk;
-    const T rcond_threshold = T((std::max)(uword(100), uword(A.n_rows))) * std::numeric_limits<T>::epsilon();
+          bool is_sympd_junk   = false;
+          T    rcond_junk      = T(0);
+    const T    rcond_threshold = T((std::max)(uword(100), uword(A.n_rows))) * std::numeric_limits<T>::epsilon();
     
-    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(out, rcond_junk, rcond_threshold);
+    const bool status = auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond(out, is_sympd_junk, rcond_junk, rcond_threshold);
     
     if(status)  { return true; }
     
     arma_extra_debug_print("op_pinv: sympd optimisation failed");
     // auxlib::inv_sympd_rcond() will fail if A isn't really positive definite or its rcond is below rcond_threshold
     }
-  
+  ;
   if(do_sym)
     {
     arma_extra_debug_print("op_pinv: symmetric/hermitian optimisation");