diff --git a/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.cpp b/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.cpp
index 38bfcf82f..5779a109c 100644
--- a/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ static const Matrix zero33= Matrix::Zero(3,3);
 
 static const Key keyAnchor = symbol('Z', 9999999);
 
+typedef std::map<Key, vector<size_t> > KeyVectorMap;
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 GaussianFactorGraph buildLinearOrientationGraph(const NonlinearFactorGraph& g) {
 
@@ -150,16 +152,31 @@ Values computeOrientationsChordal(const NonlinearFactorGraph& pose3Graph) {
 Values computeOrientationsGradient(const NonlinearFactorGraph& pose3Graph, const Values& givenGuess) {
   gttic(InitializePose3_computeOrientationsGradient);
 
+  // this works on the inverse rotations, according to Tron&Vidal,2011
+  Values inverseRot;
+  BOOST_FOREACH(const Values::ConstKeyValuePair& key_value, givenGuess) {
+    Key key = key_value.key;
+    const Pose3& pose = givenGuess.at<Pose3>(key);
+    inverseRot.insert(key, pose.rotation().inverse());
+  }
 
+  // Create the map of edges incident on each node
+  KeyVectorMap adjEdgesMap;
+//
+//  // regularize measurements and plug everything in a factor graph
+//  GaussianFactorGraph relaxedGraph = buildLinearOrientationGraph(pose3Graph);
+//
+//  // Solve the LFG
+//  VectorValues relaxedRot3 = relaxedGraph.optimize();
 
-  // regularize measurements and plug everything in a factor graph
-  GaussianFactorGraph relaxedGraph = buildLinearOrientationGraph(pose3Graph);
-
-  // Solve the LFG
-  VectorValues relaxedRot3 = relaxedGraph.optimize();
-
-  // normalize and compute Rot3
-  return normalizeRelaxedRotations(relaxedRot3);
+  // Return correct rotations
+    Values estimateRot;
+    BOOST_FOREACH(const Values::ConstKeyValuePair& key_value, inverseRot) {
+      Key key = key_value.key;
+      const Rot3& R = inverseRot.at<Rot3>(key);
+      estimateRot.insert(key, R.inverse());
+    }
+  return estimateRot;
 }
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
diff --git a/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.h b/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.h
index 7b5489353..b6632212c 100644
--- a/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.h
+++ b/gtsam/slam/InitializePose3.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ GTSAM_EXPORT Values normalizeRelaxedRotations(const VectorValues& relaxedRot3);
 
 GTSAM_EXPORT Values computeOrientationsChordal(const NonlinearFactorGraph& pose3Graph);
 
+GTSAM_EXPORT Values computeOrientationsGradient(const NonlinearFactorGraph& pose3Graph, const Values& givenGuess);
+
 GTSAM_EXPORT NonlinearFactorGraph buildPose3graph(const NonlinearFactorGraph& graph);
 
 GTSAM_EXPORT Values computePoses(NonlinearFactorGraph& pose3graph,  Values& initialRot);
diff --git a/gtsam/slam/tests/testInitializePose3.cpp b/gtsam/slam/tests/testInitializePose3.cpp
index 5387af7ef..57715deca 100644
--- a/gtsam/slam/tests/testInitializePose3.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/slam/tests/testInitializePose3.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,25 @@ TEST( InitializePose3, orientations ) {
   EXPECT(assert_equal(simple::R3, initial.at<Rot3>(x3), 1e-6));
 }
 
+/* *************************************************************************** */
+TEST( InitializePose3, orientationsGradient ) {
+  NonlinearFactorGraph pose3Graph = InitializePose3::buildPose3graph(simple::graph());
+
+  // Wrong initial guess - initialization should fix the rotations
+  Values givenPoses;
+  givenPoses.insert(x0,simple::pose0);
+  givenPoses.insert(x1,simple::pose0);
+  givenPoses.insert(x2,simple::pose0);
+  givenPoses.insert(x3,simple::pose0);
+  Values initial = InitializePose3::computeOrientationsGradient(pose3Graph, givenPoses);
+
+  // comparison is up to M_PI, that's why we add some multiples of 2*M_PI
+  EXPECT(assert_equal(simple::R0, initial.at<Rot3>(x0), 1e-6));
+  EXPECT(assert_equal(simple::R1, initial.at<Rot3>(x1), 1e-6));
+  EXPECT(assert_equal(simple::R2, initial.at<Rot3>(x2), 1e-6));
+  EXPECT(assert_equal(simple::R3, initial.at<Rot3>(x3), 1e-6));
+}
+
 /* *************************************************************************** */
 TEST( InitializePose3, posesWithGivenGuess ) {
   Values givenPoses;