diff --git a/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.cpp b/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.cpp
index 400f2251d..1572521f6 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/linear/HessianFactor.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Scatter::Scatter(const GaussianFactorGraph& gfg, boost::optional<const Ordering&
       for(GaussianFactor::const_iterator variable = factor->begin(); variable != factor->end(); ++variable) {
         // TODO: Fix this hack to cope with zero-row Jacobians that come from BayesTreeOrphanWrappers
         const JacobianFactor* asJacobian = dynamic_cast<const JacobianFactor*>(factor.get());
-        if(!asJacobian || asJacobian->rows() > 0)
+        if(!asJacobian || asJacobian->cols() > 1)
           this->insert(make_pair(*variable, SlotEntry(none, factor->getDim(variable))));
       }
     }
diff --git a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.cpp b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.cpp
index 50d03a7ad..a35b44295 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.cpp
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
           const size_t sourceVarpos = slots->second[sourceFactorI];
           if(sourceVarpos < numeric_limits<size_t>::max()) {
             const JacobianFactor& sourceFactor = *factors[sourceFactorI];
-            if(sourceFactor.cols() > 0) {
+            if(sourceFactor.cols() > 1) {
               foundVariable = true;
               DenseIndex vardim = sourceFactor.getDim(sourceFactor.begin() + sourceVarpos);