diff --git a/cpp/FactorGraph-inl.h b/cpp/FactorGraph-inl.h
index d98087c7f..af20cc8e6 100644
--- a/cpp/FactorGraph-inl.h
+++ b/cpp/FactorGraph-inl.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ map<string, string> FactorGraph<Factor>::findMinimumSpanningTree() const {
 	Vertex v1, v2;
 	BOOST_FOREACH(sharedFactor factor, factors_){
 		if (factor->keys().size() > 2)
-			throw(invalid_argument("findMinimumSpanningTree: only support factors with two keys"));
+			throw(invalid_argument("findMinimumSpanningTree: only support factors with at most two keys"));
 
 		if (factor->keys().size() == 1)
 			continue;
@@ -330,6 +330,31 @@ map<string, string> FactorGraph<Factor>::findMinimumSpanningTree() const {
 	return tree;
 }
 
+template<class Factor>
+pair<FactorGraph<Factor>, FactorGraph<Factor> > FactorGraph<Factor>::split(map<string, string> tree) const {
+
+	FactorGraph<Factor> Ab1, Ab2;
+	BOOST_FOREACH(sharedFactor factor, factors_){
+		if (factor->keys().size() > 2)
+			throw(invalid_argument("split: only support factors with at most two keys"));
+
+		if (factor->keys().size() == 1)
+			continue;
+
+		string key1 = factor->keys().front();
+		string key2 = factor->keys().back();
+		// if the tree contains the key
+		if (tree.find(key1) != tree.end() && tree[key1].compare(key2) == 0 ||
+				tree.find(key2) != tree.end() && tree[key2].compare(key1) == 0)
+			Ab1.push_back(factor);
+		else
+			Ab2.push_back(factor);
+	}
+
+	return make_pair(Ab1, Ab2);
+}
+
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 /* find factors and remove them from the factor graph: O(n)                  */
 /* ************************************************************************* */
diff --git a/cpp/FactorGraph.h b/cpp/FactorGraph.h
index a93e41e8c..518c33c82 100644
--- a/cpp/FactorGraph.h
+++ b/cpp/FactorGraph.h
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		 */
 		std::map<std::string, std::string> findMinimumSpanningTree() const;
 
+		/**
+		 * Split the graph into two parts: one corresponds to the given spanning tre,
+		 * and the other corresponds to the rest of the factors
+		 */
+		std::pair<FactorGraph<Factor>, FactorGraph<Factor> > split(std::map<std::string, std::string> tree) const;
+
 	private:
 		/** Associate factor index with the variables connected to the factor */
 		void associateFactor(int index, sharedFactor factor);
diff --git a/cpp/testGaussianFactorGraph.cpp b/cpp/testGaussianFactorGraph.cpp
index 5f31de35f..60164ec80 100644
--- a/cpp/testGaussianFactorGraph.cpp
+++ b/cpp/testGaussianFactorGraph.cpp
@@ -750,6 +750,32 @@ TEST( GaussianFactorGraph, findMinimumSpanningTree )
 	CHECK(tree["x4"].compare("x1")==0);
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+TEST( GaussianFactorGraph, split )
+{
+	GaussianFactorGraph g;
+	Matrix I = eye(2);
+	Vector b = Vector_(0, 0, 0);
+	g.add("x1", I, "x2", I, b, 0);
+	g.add("x1", I, "x3", I, b, 0);
+	g.add("x1", I, "x4", I, b, 0);
+	g.add("x2", I, "x3", I, b, 0);
+	g.add("x2", I, "x4", I, b, 0);
+
+	map<string, string> tree;
+	tree["x1"] = "x1";
+	tree["x2"] = "x1";
+	tree["x3"] = "x1";
+	tree["x4"] = "x1";
+
+	GaussianFactorGraph Ab1, Ab2;
+	pair<FactorGraph<GaussianFactor>, FactorGraph<GaussianFactor> > gg = g.split(tree);
+	Ab1 = *reinterpret_cast<GaussianFactorGraph*>(&(gg.first));
+	Ab2 = *reinterpret_cast<GaussianFactorGraph*>(&(gg.second));
+	LONGS_EQUAL(3, Ab1.size());
+	LONGS_EQUAL(2, Ab2.size());
+}
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 int main() { TestResult tr; return TestRegistry::runAllTests(tr);}
 /* ************************************************************************* */