Index: /branches/eam_branches/20090715/psphot/src/psphotMaskReadout.c
===================================================================
--- /branches/eam_branches/20090715/psphot/src/psphotMaskReadout.c	(revision 25608)
+++ /branches/eam_branches/20090715/psphot/src/psphotMaskReadout.c	(revision 25609)
@@ -33,13 +33,17 @@
     }
 
+    bool softenVariance = psMetadataLookupBool (&status, recipe, "SOFTEN.VARIANCE");
+    float softenFraction = psMetadataLookupF32 (&status, recipe, "SOFTEN.VARIANCE.FRACTION");
+
     // make this an option via the recipe
-    if (0) {
+    if (softenVariance) {
       psImage *im = readout->image;
       psImage *wt = readout->variance;
-      psImage *mk = readout->mask;
       for (int j = 0; j < im->numRows; j++) {
         for (int i = 0; i < im->numCols; i++) {
-          if (isfinite(im->data.F32[j][i]) && isfinite(wt->data.F32[j][i])) continue;
-          mk->data.PS_TYPE_IMAGE_MASK_DATA[j][i] |= maskBad;
+	    if (!isfinite(im->data.F32[j][i])) continue;
+	    if (!isfinite(wt->data.F32[j][i])) continue;
+	    float sysError = softenFraction * im->data.F32[j][i];
+	    wt->data.F32[j][i] += PS_SQR(sysError);
         }
       }