diff --git a/gtsam/sfm/BinaryMeasurement.h b/gtsam/sfm/BinaryMeasurement.h
index 9540564e0..ef3fff70d 100644
--- a/gtsam/sfm/BinaryMeasurement.h
+++ b/gtsam/sfm/BinaryMeasurement.h
@@ -71,8 +71,11 @@ public:
     this->noiseModel_->print("  noise model: ");
   }
 
+  // TODO: make this more general?
   void makeNoiseModelRobust(){
-	  this->noiseModel_ = noiseModel::Robust::Create(
+	  const auto &robust = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<noiseModel::Robust>(this->noiseModel_);
+	  if(!robust) // make robust
+		  this->noiseModel_ = noiseModel::Robust::Create(
 	            noiseModel::mEstimator::Huber::Create(1.345), this->noiseModel_);
   }
 
diff --git a/gtsam/sfm/tests/testBinaryMeasurement.cpp b/gtsam/sfm/tests/testBinaryMeasurement.cpp
index 3dd81c2c1..a6a75b4ff 100644
--- a/gtsam/sfm/tests/testBinaryMeasurement.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/sfm/tests/testBinaryMeasurement.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ static SharedNoiseModel rot3_model(noiseModel::Isotropic::Sigma(3, 0.05));
 const Unit3 unit3Measured(Vector3(1, 1, 1));
 const Rot3 rot3Measured;
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
 TEST(BinaryMeasurement, Unit3) {
   BinaryMeasurement<Unit3> unit3Measurement(kKey1, kKey2, unit3Measured,
                                             unit3_model);
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ TEST(BinaryMeasurement, Unit3) {
   EXPECT(unit3Measurement.equals(unit3MeasurementCopy));
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
 TEST(BinaryMeasurement, Rot3) {
   // testing the accessors
   BinaryMeasurement<Rot3> rot3Measurement(kKey1, kKey2, rot3Measured,
@@ -62,6 +64,26 @@ TEST(BinaryMeasurement, Rot3) {
   EXPECT(rot3Measurement.equals(rot3MeasurementCopy));
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+TEST(BinaryMeasurement, Rot3MakeRobust) {
+  BinaryMeasurement<Rot3> rot3Measurement(kKey1, kKey2, rot3Measured,
+                                          rot3_model);
+  rot3Measurement.makeNoiseModelRobust();
+
+  EXPECT_LONGS_EQUAL(rot3Measurement.key1(), kKey1);
+  EXPECT_LONGS_EQUAL(rot3Measurement.key2(), kKey2);
+  EXPECT(rot3Measurement.measured().equals(rot3Measured));
+  const auto &robust = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<noiseModel::Robust>(
+		  rot3Measurement.noiseModel());
+  EXPECT(robust);
+
+  // test that if we call it again nothing changes:
+  rot3Measurement.makeNoiseModelRobust();
+  const auto &robust2 = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<noiseModel::Robust>(
+		  rot3Measurement.noiseModel());
+  EXPECT(robust2);
+}
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 int main() {
   TestResult tr;