Index: trunk/psphot/src/psphotMergeSources.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/psphot/src/psphotMergeSources.c	(revision 33443)
+++ trunk/psphot/src/psphotMergeSources.c	(revision 33444)
@@ -677,5 +677,8 @@
       if (sourceOut->modelPSF) {
 	pmSourceRedefinePixels (sourceOut, readoutOut, sourceOut->peak->x, sourceOut->peak->y, sourceOut->modelPSF->fitRadius);
-      }
+      } else {
+        // if we have no pixels we can't use it to determine the psf so make sure this bit is off
+        sourceOut->tmpFlags &= ~PM_SOURCE_TMPF_CANDIDATE_PSFSTAR;
+       }
 
       // child sources have not been subtracted in this image, but this flag may be raised if
@@ -900,6 +903,10 @@
 	    // allocate image, weight, mask for the new image for each peak
 	    if (sourceOut->modelPSF) {
-	      pmSourceRedefinePixels (sourceOut, readout, sourceOut->peak->x, sourceOut->peak->y, sourceOut->modelPSF->fitRadius);
-	    }
+                pmSourceRedefinePixels (sourceOut, readout, sourceOut->peak->x, sourceOut->peak->y, 
+                                                                        sourceOut->modelPSF->fitRadius);
+	    } else {
+                // if we have no pixels we can't use it to determine the psf so make sure this bit is off
+                sourceOut->tmpFlags &= ~PM_SOURCE_TMPF_CANDIDATE_PSFSTAR;
+            }
 
 	    // child sources have not been subtracted in this image, but this flag may be raised if