diff --git a/cpp/BayesTree-inl.h b/cpp/BayesTree-inl.h
index e2eb425b9..86da54fd9 100644
--- a/cpp/BayesTree-inl.h
+++ b/cpp/BayesTree-inl.h
@@ -434,11 +434,10 @@ namespace gtsam {
 	/* ************************************************************************* */
 	template<class Conditional>
 	template<class Factor>
-	void BayesTree<Conditional>::update(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors) {
+	void BayesTree<Conditional>::update_internal(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors, Cliques& orphans) {
 
 		// Remove the contaminated part of the Bayes tree
 		FactorGraph<Factor> factors;
-		Cliques orphans;
 		boost::tie(factors, orphans) = removeTop<Factor>(newFactors);
 
 		// add the factors themselves
@@ -467,7 +466,15 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		}
 
 	}
-	/* ************************************************************************* */
+
+	template<class Conditional>
+	template<class Factor>
+	void BayesTree<Conditional>::update(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors) {
+		Cliques orphans;
+		update_internal(newFactors, orphans);
+	}
+
+/* ************************************************************************* */
 
 }
 /// namespace gtsam
diff --git a/cpp/BayesTree.h b/cpp/BayesTree.h
index 618026cef..03765a23f 100644
--- a/cpp/BayesTree.h
+++ b/cpp/BayesTree.h
@@ -188,9 +188,11 @@ namespace gtsam {
 		removeTop(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors);
 
 		/**
-		 * iSAM.
+		 * iSAM. (_internal provides access to list of orphans for drawing purposes)
 		 */
 		template<class Factor>
+		void update_internal(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors, Cliques& orphans);
+		template<class Factor>
 		void update(const FactorGraph<Factor>& newFactors);
 
 	}; // BayesTree